The freedom thread ( continued ) Riding the rollercoaster of an alcohol free life! Alcohol support for those wanting to give up drinking

[Crunchymum]

Hello all

This is a thread for people who have decided that life is much better without alcohol!🤩 These threads were started by @Drybird, and they have changed the lives of many people.
Some posters on these threads have been sober for a long time, and some are only just starting. We are a very friendly and inclusive bunch and we are always excited when someone new joins the thread. The only thing we ask is that our posters have given up alcohol completely. Talk of moderation can be triggering for some people, so this thread is not the right place for that (there are other moderation threads🙂).
We are a supportive welcoming bunch. No question is ever to “ silly “ and their is generally someone around if you are struggling
So just come here to chat or vent or check in . Whatever you need as you ride the rollercoaster of an alcohol free life smile
Thank you to @WendyWagon for hosting the last thread 💜

Here’s to the next 40 pages

So sorry about your mum

must be hard to miss your mum this time of year @Crunchymum, glad you’re doing alright though.

day got a bit worse than better again. Sitting with my feelings like a sober boss though👍

Morning all
@BunniesBunniesBunnies hope your feelings are more settled after being sat with
(Try sitting on them if not!)
Seriously though I find it takes an effort to really be still and contemplate feelings, their origins and why they have come to the surface.
Hope everyone has a good day - I’m considering tea in bed before watching the space station pass overhead - if weather conditions allow.

Shit
In case you were missing your particular tipple and tempted to indulge- just this once, because it's Christmas- "I can start in the new year". It's absolutely not worth it. Bloody wine bar- last minute thing with lovely friends- the temptation felt overwhelming but really I know I could (and should) have had a coke or a lemonade
Worst night's sleep I've had in ages, regret, remorse and worry- verging on panic at 4am.
It's shit. I KNEW it would be shit and it was
Now I have to reset to zero

@wanttobesober draw a line, drink plenty of water and think about avoiding similar occasions until you are further down the road.

don't beat yourself up just be clear about what you want to achieve and which tactics are likely to help you.

be gentle with yourself

Thanks @AlloftheTime! hope you are enjoying tea in bed, I’m having a coffee I bed in complete silence, it’s brilliant.
@wanttobesober take it easy today. It’s a horrible feeling especially in the night, I remember the 4am anxiety😭😭😭 Be kind to yourself as you would be to one of us

Thank you both
I'm enjoying a mug of sweet tea and tucked up in bed

Morning! Another one enjoying a quiet cuppa before the day gets going.

Have you managed that run yet @BunniesBunniesBunnies ? I’m always amazed by what a difference it makes to my mood. Hope you have a good day today.

@wanttobesober you're trying to be sober on a drunk planet - it’s a tough challenge. Draw a line, learn from it, and keep going. I’m a big one for treats - can you plan yourself a little treat for Boxing Day if you get through Christmas Day sober? I’m planning a sea swim (which is stretching the definition of “treat” I suppose!)

Morning all, checking in.. also enjoying a morning cuppa in bed. Sorry for being so distant of late.. moving so close to christmas is certainly a challenge! I've had some real moments of frustration with flat pack, deliveries and just getting shit sorted. A couple of moments of 'god I could down a glass of wine' but I've pushed those thoughts out of my head and managed to stay AF.

Stexh is being a total idiot, I want to scream at him but know that no good will come of it. I've also had quite a surreal moment of realisation.. I'm out, I did it and now we have our new forever home. This journey has been tough, I've been living in fight or flight mode for almost 6 months now and it's suddenly hit - the enormity 😵‍💫 I've admitted to myself I'm going to need some counselling and a very good lawyer for the next phase!

How we all doing on Christmas Eve Eve..? Temptation all around us!! I'm absolutely determined not a sip will pass my lips. Someone said up thread.. it's amazing how many people try to tempt you with alcohol 'one won't hurt' well yes actually it will.!!! I can't have one, so I choose none. Stay strong gang 🙌

Hey, we've all done it. Press the reset button and learn from it my lovely. Sending you gentle hugs today xx

Massive hugs rockingbird

Ahh precious
I love a sea dip

Morning all.
Better this morning and well enough for the big shop.
@wanttobesober lots of us have fallen off the wagon but there is a huge difference between moderate drinking and dependancy.
I for one can't have just a couple or a half finished bottle of my posion in the house.
I will be honest and say I have thought about switching to the M system but it will not last long. The siren call is too great. I tried it at 100 days. Some will remember I was quite ill. That's the bit I don't want. I sleep without getting up most nights. I have maintained my weight loss too. I don't want to let my family down.
@Onewildandpreciouslife ooh swimming, that would be lovely lucky you.
@want@want@rockingbird i know a rottweiler of a divorce solicitor. DM me if you like. (not my family we don't do that type of law).

I read recently that in some online support groups there is a saying “I will keep you in my pocket” - ie the group is ready in your phone. Well I keep my phone in my handbag, so now I think of you all sitting in my handbag, like something out of Harry Potter!

Yeah, I can't moderate and I don't really want to
I'm not even badly hungover and I still feel like shit
My life is better without booze but as a pp said: it's sometimes hard to be sober in a drunk world

Morning all.. still in bed.. tea long drunk and procrastinating!!

So many honest, insightful and reflective posts on here. I wish I could respond to each with the words they deserve but I have the dreaded lurgy and just reading them feels like an effort (a nice effort!) right now.

The wine witch has spent 3 days insisting that a hot toddy or a mulled wine would absolutely kick this bug into touch. I’ve spent 3 days shutting her down. I don’t need a headache or dehydration to top it off. I’m feeding her to a wolf!! Loving the saying about sober people on a drunk planet.. how apt.

Keep warm, well and sober lovelies.. thank you for keeping me here. xxx

@Stircrazyschoolmum hope you feel better soon - lurgy is not welcome any time but definitely not this week. You are right about there being so many insightful posts, it’s a great place to hang out!
take care

Happy Christmas Eve Eve, everyone. Sending you virtual biscuits to go with your sweet tea @wanttobesober we have all been there. How are you feeling?
I like the ideas of sitting on feelings if we can’t sit with them, and feeding the wine witch to the angry wolf. Get well soon stircrazyschoolmum.
Bunnies and Wendy how are you both? I am inspired by the idea of planning in some exercise over Christmas. Boxing Day looks nice for either a gentle run or bike ride. And the pool is open first thing tomorrow….
I know I post this every so often but in case it’s useful to anyone who’s at the point of reading/listening to all the quit literature - the scribd app has loads of ebooks and audiobooks, and has a 30 day free trial. They’re not all on there but a good few are (eg Allen Carr, Holly Whittaker, Lotta Dann). Not affiliated.
I have cast on a sock! The last time I tried was in lockdown and the combination of alcohol and alcohol related crashed self-confidence meant that I never finished it due to being too drunk to knit. So I have lovely soft beautiful yarn and a very straightforward pattern, and plan to have at least one sock finished by the end of this year! So far I have the cuff done and the first couple of inches of the leg bit.

Checking in again quickly - sorry so many of us are feeling rubbish - so unfair when you (or maybe just me) have decided a fantasy upside to sobriety will be Never Being Ill Again and then the lurgy comes for you.

Just back from the pub - it’s walkable so no driving excuse. Everyone talked at length about their own alcohol consumption when I ordered sparkling water and we established firmly that, yes, I was definitely the worst, and no, it wasn’t just an early Dry January and yes, it is supposed to be permanent and no, I can’t just have four days off a week and yes, it’s lucky I don’t mind doing all the driving.

I’m really fucking hydrated anyway so I hope I’m not up in the night. I managed to finish my bottle as DH swallowed the end of his second pint so we were in tune as to leaving, which is essential.

AND batch cooking achieved without wine!! I put on Alcohol Explained on audiobook just to gross myself out for reinforcements.

Hope everyone’s respective Christmases go well - I don’t think major boozing is planned by the wider family really, as so many kids about - so just a lot of elderflower pressé for me and Nozecco at a push!

Evening all. I had a calmer day. I also had a lovely run! And lots of nice food and AF drinks.

My youngest has been struggling with their feelings and I did a good job of comforting them and acknowledging their feelings. It’s funny, often I feel like me and my kids are simultaneously learning to sit with our feelings as it’s not something I was taught as a child.

This sounds a bit weird but sometimes I take great pleasure from telling my children I love them whokeheartedly for who they are after they’ve lashed out at me. Like I’m comforting the child within me whilst I am comforting them.

Hope everyone else is feeling well or starting to feel better. No matter what the next few days bring I know I’ll be looking forward to the hangover free mornings!

G'day lads. Checking in from a hammock in West Aus with my morning coffee. Sober time says I'm on day 940. Hope you're all surviving this booze soaked season with grace and just a touch of self righteous rage (healthy amounts).

@HangingOver😀😀😀 So good to see you here! Coffee in a hammock! You’re living the life you jammy bastard!😃 I’ll see you in the new year on here to celebrate our 3 year milestones😃😃

Short post
100% improvement over how I felt yesterday
So chuffed to have not had wine yesterday

💥 that sounds like a positive sign, keep going xx

Morning all - more tea, another lie in!
@BunniesBunniesBunnies ’comforting the child within me’ that struck a chord with me.

hope everyone is ready to face the coming days whatever you have planned.

Be dry, be positive and be content