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Alcohol support

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Original poster

One year no beer (or wine or whatever)

39 replies

SoberCuriousity · 07/12/2022 11:10

Has anyone tried doing one year alcohol free?

I'm thinking of doing this in 2023. I don't drink loads and loads and I don't drink everyday Yadda Yadda...

BUT, when I do drink it is never just one. It is never more than say 4 and that would be a big event like at a wedding or night out. At home I'd have 2-3 glasses of wine maybe twice a week.

Anyway, I am approaching 40 and I have little kids and a term time job. I'm lacking in energy and I'm not looking my best. I definitely do more exercise when I don't drink at all and my skin looks better and I sleep better. So I'm becoming "sober curious" I suppose.

I'm going to have a few drinks over Christmas and NYE (mainly because I've bought some Christmas booze already), but then I want to try and do one year off.

Does anyone fancy joining me on here?

OP posts:
Preparedforjobnottolast · 08/12/2022 00:51

Yes 👍 count me in.

Hariborrrrr · 08/12/2022 00:54

I did a year, 2021 didn't touch a drop. I'd say only the first 3 months were difficult, after that it was pretty easy. I'd like to say I continued t total, but I didn't and thinking I may start again for 2023 😬

NC30112021 · 08/12/2022 00:58

I did 9 months in 2020. Felt soooo much better. But back up to a bottle of wine a couple of nights a week.

Original poster
SoberCuriousity · 08/12/2022 09:18

Thanks all! I've heard you do feel a lot better after a few months, so I'm really hoping that's true.

Btw, I've just noticed my username is a misspelling! I put in sobercurious and it was taken, so just stuck the ity on the end. Oh well. Stuck with that for a year now 😂

OP posts:
blondie87 · 09/12/2022 21:19

So glad I’ve come across this! I’m similar; don’t really drink much at home, maybe 2-3 glasses of wine a week. However, socially at weddings/rare nights out, I’ll have 3-4 drinks and feel hideous the next day.

I do dry January every year and I’ve had three pregnancies where I’ve had zero alcohol, but have drank socially since late teens really. I’m keen to future-proof my health and was considering 6 months alcohol-free, but I like the idea of this thread and the accountability to try a year!

I’m in as of January 1st 👍🏻

Original poster
SoberCuriousity · 09/12/2022 21:22

Welcome aboard @blondie87!

The thread will be useful for accountability. I will also let people know irl so they can keep me on the straight and narrow! I did my first Christmas dinner out last week and didn't drink, so think that's good practice for social occasions

OP posts:
CaramelisedLeeks · 09/12/2022 21:23

Recommend reading "Unexpected Joy of Being Sober" to get started 🙂

blondie87 · 09/12/2022 21:29

Funnily enough, I’ve read that, Millie Gooch’s book and Bryony Gordon’s. Found them all really inspiring and made me want to explore an alcohol-free life, but then we’ve had a wedding or social event and the resolve is gone!

I just want to make some small lifestyle tweaks to be healthier as I’ve started exercising more this year. I’ve got a sweet tooth, so something has to give! I do wonder how it will be socially not drinking at all! Very easy when you’re pregnant or the designated driver, and it feels odd to have to justify not drinking, but it’s very much ingrained in British culture.

thenewaveragebear1983 · 09/12/2022 21:52

I definitely want to do this, and I am lining up all the elements ready to start in January. I don’t drink loads, but I drink too much for me. I know I do. I’m running London marathon in April so it’s going to be a 3 month complete healthy overhaul for me. I am bloody sick of feeling tired, run down, less than my full self.

I listened to Adrian chiles on parenting hell today and he talked about his book ‘the good drinker’ where he discusses how he reduced alcohol even though he wasn’t an alcoholic. We watched a documentary with him a while back as well which was very poignant.

I plan to use some hypnosis to support in the early stages.

Hariborrrrr · 09/12/2022 22:01

Alcohol explained is also a really good book to read. Breaks everything down and makes you question why you'd ever bother to drink at all. I need to read this again

Original poster
SoberCuriousity · 09/12/2022 22:15

Thank you for the book recommendations and I am glad to have company with this little project. Running a marathon is pretty good motivation @thenewaveragebear1983! I can't imagine ever being fit enough to do that, (I'm very impressed by anyone who is), but who knows where giving up booze might lead me?!

I'm currently listening to Quit Like a Woman by Holly Whitaker. It's very good. She isn't the most warm or likeable author though. It isn't a comfort read. But I'm enjoying it

OP posts:
CaramelisedLeeks · 09/12/2022 23:12

I have made lots of new friends via Bee Sober - they have monthly brunches all over the country and are a great way to diversify your social life so it isn't focused on drinking nights out. Heard lots of great things about Soberistas too.

Metalhead · 10/12/2022 09:16

I’m planning on doing this too. I previously did 7 months sober, and as someone else said up thread, after a few months it just became the norm to not drink. I read a lot of the ‘quit lit’ back then which helped me enormously at the time, however I’ve since found that once I started drinking again it lost its effectiveness for some reason.

Twizbe · 10/12/2022 09:32

I did this in 2021. I've not gone back to drinking and would now call myself a total non drinker. I don't miss it at all.

DancingSober · 18/12/2022 10:04

Op here with a shiny new username {twirls}

I know name changes are a pain the arse. It had to be done as A) the misspelling was annoying me and B) I deleted my account to give myself a temporary break from Mumsnet and stupidly lost my username.

I'm going to make a new thread at the end of the month in preparation for the start of the challenge to avoid confusion!

I am genuinely looking forward to starting this and may not even drink over Christmas.

MinnesotaMuffin · 18/12/2022 10:16

I was drinking too much - at least 2 large glasses of wine every day and more at weekends, so I did Dry Jan in 2021 and then hardly drank at all that year. I did Dry Jan again this year and have not had a single drink all year. I don’t think I’ll ever drink again. I don’t miss it at all now.

The Alcohol Change Try Dry app is quite motivating. Good luck to those of you who decide on dry 2023 - you can do it!

limitededitionbarbie · 18/12/2022 10:38

I will join you too.

I've just gone off it. It's not worth the hangover.

afaloren · 18/12/2022 10:53

I’d like to join in!

DancingSober · 18/12/2022 11:30

Very glad to have more company!

I will try and tag everyone who has said they want to join in when I make the new thread

DancingSober · 18/12/2022 11:31

And thank you to everyone who has already done it for words of encouragement too

hashbrownsandwich · 27/12/2022 09:38

Yes please! HCP, daily drunker mostly who should certainly know better and needs to change!

DancingSober · 27/12/2022 09:55

Hi @hashbrownsandwich

Great, I will tag you when I make the new thread 😊

Wantmyownbed · 27/12/2022 10:04

Can I join in please?
I need to take control of my weekend drinking, I drink because I'm bored so need to have the energy to pursue a hobby or something. Maybe just get into exercise, I could do with losing a stone.

DancingSober · 27/12/2022 10:22

Of course @Wantmyownbed

You're very welcome.

RulaCabula · 27/12/2022 10:34

I don't drink, mainly because I hate the feeling of being drunk and not knowing what I'm saying or doing.

I do find people think I'm boring or weird for not drinking. I normally fib and say I'm on antibiotics when asked why I'm not drinking.

Good luck 👍 everyone!