Tulips, snowdrops and another Day 1!

[MamaGhina]

New thread as promised. I’ll pop on later to tag everyone as I wanted to get this link on the old thread before it fills up!

Link to the old one for any new joiners:

https://www.mumsnet.com/talk/alcohol_support/4877066-its-day-1-anyone-else?page=40

Day 12 here and although I had that awful, stupid head fuck of will I or won’t I, I managed not to drink tonight. Why this is so difficult I cannot tell you. I feel like I need someone to knock me out between 7pm and 9pm every Friday and Saturday night and then I would be fine….

I've slithered into a two glasses on a Friday night routine. However, I can live with that. 5 units a week compared to 35!

Love to all.

@SpringNotSprung one thing I have noticed about when I do drink is my hangovers are considerably better. Maybe that’s because the volume and frequency has dropped so much.

I woke up this morning feeling pretty pleased with myself. Day 13. Keeping my eye on that April target.

Hope everyone else is doing ok.

2 weeks dry today. It’s been a while and although I may not have made that Easter goal, I’m very happy with this run so far.

Return to work for me and school for the kids tomorrow. I do feel like it is so much easier without the everyday pressures. Getting back to the routine has it’s own benefits and challenges. Nothing in my diary this week though so should be safe until Friday night, by which point I’ll be focussing on that 3 week goal.

How is everyone else doing? It’s sooooo quiet on this thread. I don’t know about tagging people. I’d rather leave you to update as and when you feel able. Would be nice to hear from some oldies before this thread fills up. Anyone feeling inclined to do a third thread?

Hello all! I’m still here checking in on you all, but not posting loads as not much to say really. Will be ticking off day 224 today. It feels ok - bit bored of it now and feel like the warmer days might start to challenge me. Have also got some work, health and other challenges going on … am staying strong for now.

This thread has been a game changer for me and knowing it is here is what is keeping me going. So I would vote for another thread. But it’s very very quiet so seems like it isn’t working for many so may not be worth a new one?

@BoilingHotand50something I agree that it’s nice having the thread here. 9 times out of 10 someone will reply when I post. Well done on achieving 224 days! That’s really incredible.

I’m on day 15 and I’m starting to feel those real changes. The skin on my face feels lovely. My nose looks less red. My stomach is less bloated. The quality of my sleep is improving by the day. It still takes me awhile to get to sleep in the evening but having had such poor quality sleep for such a long time I guess that’s something I will need to re-learn.

Everything is a positive.

@MamaGhina I think a new thread would be nice if predominantly for a group of women who have found aupport in hard times due to too close a relationship alcohol. There are bonds here that would be sad to lose.

Hey all, I haven’t had time to read through the recent posts but would definitely like to be involved with a future continuation of the thread. It’s been one of the most supportive resources to me over the past few months when I’ve felt so low and isolated.

Glad to hear there’s still a desire to continue. I don’t mind staying on as the OP, although it’s a real opportunity to be accountable if anyone is looking for that nudge.

I listened to the ‘fucking sober - the first 90 days’ podcast today (series 1). It made me laugh a lot, although it doesn’t really touch on the cravings, which is what I struggle with the most. It’s more about the reasons to stop and the positive changes to your life. I enjoyed it if anyone is looking for something new to listen to.

Good evening everyone. Sorry not to have posted until now, I do check in here regularly and am so grateful for the accountability it has given me so yes please to another thread.
I hit the 6 month mark at the weekend. I'm with @BoilingHotand50something it's a big boring now although I wonder if I am associating 'normal' with boring. I don't miss alcohol, don't think about it but the thought of a summer trip to the pub or our summer holiday to Tenerife not involving alcohol does still feel unbelievable. However, still enjoying the freedom from booze. Great work on 15 days @MamaGhina x

Hi all, I’m sorry I haven’t posted much recently - it’s because I keep starting dry periods and failing! Tomorrow is my (yet another) day 1. I’d like to contribute to another thread but don’t feel in the right place to start/OP it. I’m really appreciative of everyone who posts - it always feels a supportive place.

Hearing @MamaGhina refer to benefits of better skin and improved sleep in just 15 days has reminded me again of the benefits I found in my previous dry spells. Time to get back into that mindset.

Best wishes to all

Welcome back @Limeandsoda2023, on one of the other threads I’m on, there is a limeandsober username and I wondered if it was you.

I know what you mean about trying and failing (a lot). That’s been me most of the year and although I’ve managed to have a few dry weekends here and there, I haven’t managed a good run this year so far. Will be really happy if I make the whole of April 🤞that I’ll be a 2024 PB!

I’ll be cheering you on to make the whole of April. That other poster isn’t me but clearly we share some of the same alcohol issues.

Just engaging here now is helping me see the positives of a day 1 tomorrow…and, more importantly, a decent stretch (or a new PB 🏅)

Every dry day is a good day in my opinion. Good luck @Limeandsoda2023

I’d be keen for another thread too! I have never really posted much before and I really like coming back to this one and seeing how everyone is getting on. I think lots of threads do go through quiet patches, life just takes over a bit.

Hello all, I posted briefly yesterday while out walking the dog but have been busy with the Easter break (which is a busy work period in my industry). I’ve had maybe 3 sober days during the past few weeks, but only because I’ve had unbearable acid reflux.

I’m sorry that so many of you are struggling. I’m glad we have this safe space. One particular post by @Bluegirl19 really struck a chord with me recently. I feel and share the same pain as you…drinking in secret and dwelling on self-hatred while putting on a brave face to the world and making sure everyone else is looked after. It’s so exhausting!

Really sending out so much heartfelt love and strength to everyone here

@MamaGhina how are things going with your son at school now?

@Pinotgrigioblues thanks for asking. Back at school after Easter and seeing how he goes. Hoping for a quiet couple of weeks at least. I have time with the SENCO in the diary to catch up about how he is doing. There doesn’t seem to be any urgency from their side, which I take as a good sign.

I’m on day 17. It feels like a long time since I’ve been here. Sleep is settling into a more reliable pattern. I feel more emotionally balanced. Not so many highs and lows.

I’m listening to this podcast that ends each episode “one day at a time” and it really is. In weak moments I tend to chant to myself all the negative things about drinking alcohol. I hope that with time, that will switch to reminding myself about all the benefits of an AF life. That change in mindset hasn’t happened yet.

I’ve started to really dread Fridays ☹️ I hope tonight is easier than last week.
Day 19 and only 2 more Fridays and I’ll have a month under my belt.

Could you treat yourself to something like a Becks Blue or a have some tonic in a beautiful glass with ice and some frozen berries?

Failing that a wonderful bubble bath, followed by a home pedicure?

Fridays are really tough, would it help to focus on just how nice it is to wake up feeling good, not sweaty, nauseous, headachey and feeling anxious and dopamine crashey. Or at least - remember that it isn’t the wine giving you the relaxation at the end of the week - it just happens to be the accompaniment and you would relax anyway, just as well, with something else?

One thing I have taken to doing is buggering off to the cinema in my own - it’s not something I associate with wine and I find the big screen forces me to concentrate on that, and not wine / doom scrolling. I really enjoy it now in a way I never used to.

This is weird. I’m not in agony. The urge to drink isn’t there tonight. I know I won’t and I feel a strange calm. It’s nice but slightly unnerving. I did listen to a podcast and I treated myself to some new make up with the money I have saved. Maybe that little treat was what I needed.

Hope Friday night is as good for everyone else.

That's great @MamaGhina . Breaking the Friday night habit of 'it's the weekend, I deserve it' was really tough, but we've made it 'movie night' instead - AF beer, crisps and a good film - I love the escapism and it feels great to actually be able to follow the plot because I'm not in an alcohol induced haze.

Hmm. I ended up drinking last night which was the second time in 7 days. I know what caused it - too many work plates spinning, a late night working and the threat of more over the weekend. Plus, the wine a week ago I think opened up the door again.

I really, really don’t want to go back to regular drinking and I am worried that I am going down that slippery slope again but I think I recognise I have the ability to stop now before it all gets too hard or I will just be back to square one and it will be really really difficult again. So I am recommitting, a minimum of another 100 days. I am going to reread some of the quit lit and remember why I was so committed in the first place and make better destress plans.

I feel good about it tho!