The continuing support thread for living alcohol free, every day. Everyone welcome.

[Blackberryblossom]

Hello, and welcome to the alcohol-free support thread. The original thread was started about three years ago by drybird.

We’re a broad community who have all chosen to live alcohol free for good. Whatever your reasons, whatever you’re going through, someone here will have been there too. People here will have done that first sober holiday, first sober Christmas/birthday/work do/wedding/funeral, first AF night out with the drinking friends, first (and 2nd and 3rd…) AF Friday night/Sunday lunch, first day 31/day 101, first lapse. Don’t be shy about posting, we love all the successes of whatever shape and size and we have all been there too when things go wrong.

If you’re looking to moderate your drinking rather than quit altogether then maybe have a look at the long-running and very active moderation/abstaining thread that’s always near the top on the alcohol support board? Lots of support there too.

Brew yourself a and come on in!

Hello all you lovely lot... just clocking it to say i think I've just tripped over the 2 year marker. 731 days according to NOMO. shall celebrate with a SENco call from school, an emergency dentist app and mutiple mum runs to all and sundry... Will try and send a longer update and check with you all soon.

@Fortheloveofgodwhy i was just thinking about you.
Congratulations. 😋
I think Liz Truss was PM when I last had a cooked breakfast. Let me know if you are free.

Haha thanks @WendyWagon its been a while. Nudge me after half term… be good to catch up

Congratulations on the two years @Fortheloveofgodwhy 🎊

What a milestone.

That's brilliant @Fortheloveofgodwhy - you're a legend! 🏅x

I told a colleague yesterday about my all-too-vivid dream about ordering undersized uniform for King Charles II. She refused to believe me when I said that I was sober and had not been smoking The Devil's Lettuce. 🍁

At least I brightened her day. Have a lovely weekend everyone. x

Good to see you back @REP22

Many congratulations on 2 years @Fortheloveofgodwhy !👏👏

Morning lads.
The sun is shining here.
I was on the fever tree blood orange soda last night, excellent.
Fourth day of moving a bit better. Consultant tomorrow.

Can I please join? I'm nearly four weeks in to being sober.

My story is that I've been sober curious for a long time. I didn't drink every day, could go a full month without, but when I did drink it was never just one glass. Turning 50, I become acutely aware that my tolerance had risen to the point I could sink a bottle of wine in an evening and feel fine the next day, which was worrying enough, but then my teen spoke up, saying my consumption bothered them. I'm a very happy "I love yoouuuu all" kind of drinker in the moment but seriously it impacted my mood afterwards and they didn't like seeing me tipsy and red-eyed. Mortifying conversation to have, but I'm so glad they spoke up. It was the push I needed. Plus my BMI is in the obese range, I suffer joint pain and my libido is AWOL, and while I know being peri menopausal is an issue, alcohol is a major factor in all that too.

So, after skulking on this boards, in mid-Jan I decided to read Annie Grace's This Naked Mind and it turns out that not drinking is amazing! By the time I finished reading I knew that was it for me. It's like a switch has flicked. What's been putting me off getting sober until now was worrying about the social aspect of drinking but I've had a sober night out with my best friends that was so much still fun and I'm about to head to the pub for brunch where I can't wait to have a Virgin Mary. I'm giddy with energy and almost four weeks in, I can really see the difference in my mood and skin. My teen is also very happy! Fortunately my DP is being hugely supportive too and I don't feel any pressure from him to drink. I feel like I'm getting my life back!

It's really encouraging to read all the stories on here from posters who are hitting yearly marks.

Welcome @BoozeFreeMe

It's amazing to hear you are feeling such positive benefits so early on in your journey. I think it took me about 90 days to stop moaning 😂

I hope all the benefits make your AF life a happy and fulfilling one.

I'm very nearly at 2 years and I honestly cannot remember the old me who used to drink a lot

Welcome @BoozeFreeMe your teen must be so proud of you! And you should be so proud of you too!

Huge congratulations @Fortheloveofgodwhy , two years is fantastic! Sorry you had such a chaotic time of it on the day. Hope things are calmer now.

So I had my exhibition private view yesterday and it was amazing! So lovely to be clear headed for the whole thing and I was still buzzing this morning. I brought AF prosecco and did wonder if I'd end up bringing most of it back home, but it was really popular and meant that everyone who wanted a glass of fizz could have one. I've sold enough work to cover all my framing costs too. The show finishes this week and I'm very happy that I did it.
Back tomorrow to catch up properly.

How lovely to have a show and be able to share the AF fizz about. I would love to see your work but realise you may not want to share it publicly. so I shall imagine deep colours and landscapes with emotions, because that is what I like 😄

My life just got super chaotic again, back in the middle of a family saga, but this too will pass and once again drinking would have massively inhibited my ability to be where i am and doing what I am. Good luck to you all and Crunch for an upcoming 2 years?

I have pm'd you, @Fortheloveofgodwhy . The work is massively outing but I don't mind pm'ing details here. I hope your family saga settles soon.

I hope your consultant appointment went well today @WendyWagon .

When do you reach two years @Crunchymum ? It's a great milestone to look forward to 🏆

Morning lads.
Thank you @Blackberryblossom re the consultant. I start the process for the new treatment next week. I have to be tested for this and that. I ve been warned not a cure all but we will aim for 50% more mobility. I'll take those odds.

Valentine gifts are always difficult for me. I don't eat chocolate, I don't drink and I have hundreds of perfumes. I might hint for some more rhubarb, oh the excitement!
I'm off to my new office in the midlands on the Thursday. Hopefully my energy levels will be OK.

2 years AF for me today 🎊

Thanks for remembering @Fortheloveofgodwhy (I know we are quite close together in our journeys) and @Blackberryblossom

I'm incredibly proud of myself but it's also second nature now. I just don't drink alcohol.

As I always say it's not been a magical cure all - life still happens and it isn't always easy (plus I am still struggling to tackle my weight and sugar addiction.... I swear I must be the only person who has gained weight by going AF 😁) but I'm grateful and contented that I have chosen this path.

I never, ever want to go back.

Amen 🙏 to that @Crunchymum it is no magical cure but it is a complete game changer.

congratulations 🥳

Congratulations @Crunchymum 👏👏👏👏

Congratulations dear Crunch@Crunchymum

I had the nutricheck last year, it worked for me. It was 50p a week I think.
The quack did say I might have to choose mobility and weight gain. That's a bummer after my big loss. However the pills were rubbish so I avoided that. However I do like the marks dupe of wotsits so I must watch that. The son caught me. Two packs down.

To be a 'Two year girl' is such a different place. I tipped a bottle of wine down the sink Sunday that someone had a glass of (not me!). I drank the blood orange soda on its todd. Excellent.

@Crunchymum congratulations- fantastic achievement 💐

@WendyWagon i Hope the new treatment goes well

Congratulations @Crunchymum ! So many wise words in your post. Made me realise that drinking was never going to fix everything (or even anything) and I feel so much more better equipped to deal with it all now. I hope you’ve had a lovely day.

@WendyWagon I love your phrase “two year girl”. It really is a much better place to be. Good luck next week with starting the process for the new treatment. I imagine that a 50% improvement in mobility would be life-changing for you. Also good luck with the Midlands journey this week! Re perfume and rhubarb, years back I had a Comme des Garçons Rhubarb perfume which was gorgeous. I should really see if it’s still available.

How are things @BoozeFreeMe and @REP22 ?

My exhibition comes down tomorrow, it has been a great opportunity and I’ve learned so much. Properly tired now though😂

Eeeep - exciting news re the exhibition.

I hope its a huge success - what an achievement to get this off the ground!!

We're all rooting for you @Blackberryblossom

Hello @Blackberryblossom thank you for the shout-out; much appreciated. ❤My conscience is still pricking me somewhat about my recent lapse, but I am determined to keep going. It is SO worth it. Got my 3 & 1/2 stone award at SW last night, so feeling good about that. And the sober clear head.

Much love to you. xx

Good morning. Hope you are having a good day. Just checking in to wave at everyone. 👋

'Twas a long night last night. My mum gave the dog a bone (his first ever, to my knowledge), which he greatly enjoyed. But it led to a night of noisome belly gurglings and stark rectal pronouncements. 🎺 Brilliant. But nice to appreciate sober sleep and the clear mornings. It's a year ago yesterday that I met him for the first time. It was for the sake of his predecessor that I finally achieved sobriety. He is so worth it too.

Strength and love to all. xx

Ah that’s lovely @REP22 , made me laugh too though I appreciate the nocturnal 📣🎺 is probably less amusing in reality! I would say that lapses are probably better regarded as data points (genius phrasing from someone wiser than me on here), and it won’t take long before your liver is happily chirping “Lapse? What lapse?” 😀

Thank you @Crunchymum that is so kind! My private view was actually near the end of my exhibition, due to Valentines Day and other gallery commitments. I took everything down yesterday morning, and now it’s all in the spare room waiting for the next step. It was more successful than I expected (actually it was a great success for a first big exhibition in Jan/Feb) - I recouped my set up costs plus a chunk more. The gallery have invited me back in the summer and then again next year so that’s a great result, and a local business owner has got in touch about a partnership that could work well for us both. So I’m feeling very positive, excited, and also very proud that I handled the whole thing - from open call imposter syndrome to take down, without a single drink. It was a massive learning curve and I’m still processing all of that, and there’s a commission to finish at the weekend and deliver next week. So it doesn’t quite feel over yet!

Good morning lads.
Wow to @Blackberryblossom . How lovely to see the creative arts being supported.
I did my first day at my new job yesterday. It was great. The company has some pop ups in various stores so I am hoping to be able to attend those. I do love selling. I'm knackered today. Thank God I said I can only do part time.
Good luck all for those Friday night challenges.