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

Morning all. It’s exactly a year since I downloaded my first quit lit (Alcohol Lied to Me). I was such a mess in those days, and it was probably about another 6 weeks before I had my first “day 1” of many. I’m very grateful to have come so far in a year, and couldn’t have done it without the support of everyone on here. Thank you.

Good to see you @Kindtomyself

Exciting days @WendyWagon !

Sorry you’re feeling tired @Crayonpenny - I find work away things exhausting. Being “on” for people all the time is hard work at the best of times, and wfh a lot means I’m more used to just quietly getting on with stuff

Goodness kindtomyself there is an early morning start and there's a middle of the night start. Hope you can get through your list of things to do today and get an early night.

Lovely quote crayonpenny especially the appreciating what remains bit.

It always sounds so twee and trite but I find actively practising gratitude for what I have is a really good part of my tool box. When my youngest was little we started a bed time ritual of asking each other what we were grateful for that day. I found it turned my thinking around , especially on these days when I seemed to be pissed off at the world and everyone in it. When he got too old I started writing it down. Or just asking myself at the end of the day what I was grateful for.

Morning everyone, it's bowing a hoolie here today so no swim this morning. We've relatives staying with us at the moment although they're not very drinky they've suggested going to a local cocktail bar on Friday evening. And oddly I'm quite excited to go and try drinking from the AF menu! I don't they they have much, but I think there are a couple of mocktails and an AF beer....
@WendyWagon I'm weirdly looking forward to that moment when I'm out and sober and spot 'myself' of old...
@Crayonpenny I can relate to the tiredness! I think for me it's a perimenopause thing, I ache too and I've always been relatively fit up until recently.
@Onewildandpreciouslife that's a really significant moment 🥰

I love that @Breathmiller I think I'm going to start doing that and try and capture it for my 2 people so I can dip into it. I think being thankful and appreciating yourself is quite fundamental.

Yes @Onewildandpreciouslife I'm the same re getting on with things and I wfh the majority of the time. Nice people but it was just exhausting at times, especially when my director was there so you have some characters suddenly almost jumping off chairs to get some brownie points in. Not sure if that's just my work?!!

@SillyLittleMargaret I don't blame you for not attempting a swim today!

In separate news. So my director is on holiday so his boss asked me to attend a meeting a 9 this morning with other directors - request last night. Firstly grateful for my headspace etc as felt pretty good going into it despite bosses boss having to decline with 5 minutes to go. However half way through meeting I spill a cup of coffee. Good news = coffee warm so no injury, Bad news = coffee all over desk and my jeans so had to sit in this blooming meeting with top and pants on and slowly getting frostbite. Thank goodness for teams as I think I retained composure and you can only t-shirt upwards. More gutted about loss of caffeine.

crayonpenny sorry but that did make me laugh. I didn't read the bit about being on Teams and thought "woahh!! You sat in an office with the directors in your pants?!"

"The directors in your pants?!" 🤣🤣
That sounds altogether wrong on so many different levels.

@Breathmiller 😂😂🤣🤣 not quite reached the stage of being sat in the office just in pants with my directors but who knows what may happen next week and haha I just read it again and certainly not directors in my pants no!!!

Happy quit lit anniversary @Onewildandpreciouslife may there be many more!

Sitting having a quiet chuckle to myself and thinking this thread is pantastic! 😂

Morning all, early start for me today on a day shift...was dark when I drive in and will be dark when I go home 😔
Went to the cinema last night and arrived late as I'd been to see my Mum, when I walked in everyone was sat with drinks and they'd bought me a G&T...which I turned down and had a Becks Blue instead. Had a lovely evening and went home feeling quite pleased with myself. Small step I know but proved I can refuse a drink and no-one really bats an eyelid!

Morning all.

12 hours sleep last night! I don't think I have managed that for years.

I bought Clear Co green faux gin yesterday (£12 Morrisons). Very nice.

Just wanted to check in. Not caught up on the thread yet but it’s nice to see it’s busy and full of chat👍

Hello Everyone,

@Stircrazyschoolmum haha! I think I'm now just about recovered from pant gate. Foolishly mentioned the story to my 6 and 4 year old on the way to pumpkin picking last night who thought it was simply hilarious, hope they forget the story and not mention it at school, pick up could be interesting otherwise 🫣

That's a great result @SillyLittleMargaret Dint down play it as particularly small, it's really positive and it all adds up. Super dark here this morning.

Thanks Sav @WendyWagon I will have a look for this. Gordon's 0% now up to £13 here. I did see a few different ones on offer at Marks yesterday which has made me think that I may start slowly stocking up on a few of these before December. If anyone likes beer, the Aldi AF wasn't too bad at 89p a bottle I think?

Hi @BunniesBunniesBunnies !

Well done sillylittlemargaret massive achievement that.

Great sleep wendywagon. It can take time to relearn how to sleep naturally but it's a joy when it happens. I had put my bad sleep down to menopause but I was lucky that any issues quite quickly disappeared for me as soon as I stopped drinking. Now, as long as I'm not disturbed by a child or wailing cat I can sleep pretty soundly all night.

Waves to bunnies

@Breathmiller
It is weird . I didn't sleep well for 20 years. I put it down to a creepy old house.
I still live in an old building but it has a better vibe. I know it was the booze now and I never want to live like that again.

How are you doing @rockingbird ?

Morning all. 7 months sober today.

well done on asking for a different drink @SillyLittleMargaret . I don’t like dark mornings/ evenings either. Just makes me feel more tired!

Yay!! 7 months is amazing onewildandpreciouslife. Congratulations 🥳🎉

What would you say is the best change in that time?

All this talk of sleep just reminded me that even if I do wake up for some reason, it's not..

1. Every night at 2pm when the booze induced sleep ends.
2. I don't wake up with a mouth as dry as a badger's arse and feel too unwell to go get water.
3. I don't wake up wondering how or when I went to bed.
4. I don't wake up wondering what I got up to and can't remember.
5. I don't wake up remembering what I did and being full of embarrassment, shame and/or regret.
6. I don't have to stay awake for the rest of the night feeling sick.
7. I don't spend the rest of the night formulating an apology

Bloody hell. What on earth was I doing to myself? Nuts!

@SillyLittleMargaret choosing an AF drink in the first place is one thing but refusing an alcoholic drink that has been pre-ordered for you and opting for an AF drink instead is a huge accomplishment - well done.

@Onewildandpreciouslife happy 7 months. What a lovely milestone to reach. Congratulations 🎊

Thanks @Crunchymum. Full disclosure, I was tempted...and did have a little while feeling a bit sorry for myself and wondering if I should just 'have the one'. But I thought of you lot and how I'd have to disappear off the thread again and once the film started I didn't think about it again. Even had a second Becks Blue with some nachos without a thought. Getting up this morning for work was lovely too, I'd slept well and wasn't dehydrated or headachy at all
@Breathmiller just read along to your post nodding to every single point!
Happy 7th sober month @Onewildandpreciouslife 🎉

I'm still going strong, keeping my head down doing puzzles 😵‍💫 I don't actually have the urge to drink at all which is a bonus. Life is a little less hectic but me and kids are coping. I'll pop back this evening and have a proper catch up with you all xx

Congrats @Onewildandpreciouslife

@Breathmiller we must be related. Badger's arse is a family saying!

Interesting question @Breathmiller . The best change is discovering an inner confidence I didn’t think possible.

I don’t think I realised when I was drinking how closely I watched myself, and how uncertain it made me feel. Whole bits of my evenings would be lost, and I could never be sure whether I’d forgotten things.

Im now much more conscious of my inner thought processes, and much more forgiving of myself.

I do still get a bit grumpy about it - we were out for dinner last night and I had a bit of a strop about how hard it is to find out restaurants’ AF offerings. I shouldn’t have to feel like I’m odd because I’m not drinking wine. But it’s much better than the alternative

Morning all.

Up at a reasonable time. Still contemplating the cottage. Feeling out of sorts really. I have been home two months now. I am never good not working.
It would have been my mum's birthday today. She was a difficult person. I still miss her 18 years later. Not sure what she would have to say about not drinking as it wasn't her thing. Sherry at Christmas although she did like champagne.
I am still searching for a good alternative.

Morning everyone, back on UK soil after a shocker of a flight last night. First AF holiday in at least 4 years so feeling really positive right now.

@WendyWagon Im sending you some positive vibes. I’m sorry to hear you are feeling out of sorts, sounds like you’ve a lot going on right now and birthdays of dear ones don’t get any less painful (less raw perhaps but they are still deeply missed.) Could you do something special to remember your mum today? Cook her fave meal, buy her fave flowers or play her fave song?

Well done on getting up at least.. and remember alcohol would only be making you feel anxious on top of out of sorts. I’m going to get my lazy arse out of bed now and go for a quick run (ok jog) before working this afternoon.. the dirty washing will just have to wait!

Hello, we've reached Friday!

@Stircrazyschoolmum Hope you had a nice break. Completely feel for you re shocker of a flight home, I had the same last month and I still shudder thinking about it (we had a huge delay and slept in an airport, not great with my 6 year old refusing to attempt to get any sleep!). Kudos to you re the run, hope it goes ok.

Hi Sav @WendyWagon hopefully the cottage considerations as starting to become a bit clearer with your options etc. Hope you're ok today and have some time thinking / remembering your mum.

@Onewildandpreciouslife Sincere apologies, I missed the 7 month win yesterday! It's ace!

Does anyone else feel that the days / time etc is longer being AF? I don't mean that to sound like a complaint, it isn't, I just feel I've got back the precious extra hours where previously I was just zoned out, not really 100% present if that makes sense?