On A Mission To Moderate or Absolutely Abstaining? Join us for encouragement, support and non - judgemental chat *2024*

[Swannyb]

@amdone123 @mj20 @touty @Hohofortherobbers @Coppergate7 @bigbus @colouringindoors @wellitywellness @Atacamadesert @Freezingfeetwarmheart @WouldRatherBeAPieceOftToast @Hohofortherobbers @mickandrorty @Mykittensmittens @afaloren @NoTeaNoShade @CrackersCheeseNoWinePlease @LynnThese4reSEXPEOPLE @Needtokickthehabit @OhShitImNearly40 @Nowstrong @enoughisenough4

Thanks you @Amdone123 and @Bigbus !

I made the decision to drink last night and end my 1.5 months sober run. Pink champagne. The first two glasses were great, the third ok and I forgot DH has just poured me a fourth when I went into the kitchen and ended up making a soft drink on autopilot (still went back and had half of that though). No regrets - as long as this isn't a leap on to the slippery slope, other than perhaps the third/fourth glass as I can tell I was drinking last night this morning.

I think WW has gone more SW now - a lot of 'free' food. I'll have to find out...

@Teasie123 welcome - you can use the group however you find it works for you. Some people set themselves challenges or set out plans and goals, some people pop in and out whenever they want/need some support. Some people find it helpful just to chat or to have a safe space to be honest about how much they are drinking. I’ve had some really good advice from here and it’s never judgemental so I feel able to say how much I’ve been drinking or how I feel without fear. I hope it will help you too!

Well done @Coppergate10 it sounds like a perfect moderated evening.

I really MUST have an AF day today. I’ve completely got out of the habit so it’s time to draw a line - no more birthday/valentine excuses!!!

Morning all, another AF night, was very very tempted to have a drink but did not give in, will save it till Friday. I too hope to see some weight loss, need to loose a stone by summer.
coppergate I think your moderated evening sounds great
welcome teasie

Hi @Teasie123 welcome onbooard. What are you hoping for - to give up or try to moderate? Either way, we'll help.all we can.

Well I bought a bottle of wine last night then when I got home, dh had also bought me a bottle. I knew after the 1st one I was ok. I really did not need to drink the 2nd one. I didn't even want to carry on. Anyway, that's me - if its there, I'll drink it.

I've been doing really well. At least 5 or 6 af days then just 1 bottle so I'll try to focus on the positives.
At least in the first place, I only bought 1 !

Well I have just had a huge wake up call. I've just taken the bottles to the recycling. Well, half, not even all. It needs two trips with a boot full and I can't face the humiliation of going back to the same place and unloading another car load, so I'm going elsewhere.

I can't remember when the last time we took the bottles was, but even a year ago is not justification for the amount of empty bottles I just loaded up (and it certainly hasn't been a year!).

Something has got to change, we are going to give ourselves so many health problems if we carry on. The ironic thing is I have pretty bad health anxiety and yet I am literally choosing to drink something I KNOW causes multiple health issues.

Sorry I've not been keeping up on here. I think I'll make a point of checking in more regularly and making myself accountable. Hope everyone is doing ok x

@enoughisenough4 I'm the same with health anxiety.

Me: so I can frantically google for signs of liver failure every day and worry that getting pins and needles means I'm having a ladylike heart attack (after seeing the info about women getting different heart attack symptoms) and decide every headache is a stroke

Brain: this is very stressful

Me: or I could stop drinking poison and then I wouldn't need to worry about any of this

Brain: nah, the first one sounds FINE keep doing that

Morning all! Have received my blood test results (yearly check-up sort) and all is fine. Even my liver is good. That is good news and a bit of a relief.

I must admit to 3 glasses of white wine last night with my son. Felt quite tipsy after them, but feel ok this morning.
An alcool free shop has opened in my little town and yesterday I got a bottle of rosé wine, that will be tested this week-end. Might even try to serve it to my daughter and son-in-law, on the sly, to get honest opinions. If I say straight out that it's AF they will hate it without really tasting it. If its OK that will be a big extra for me, instead of bringing my AF beers, I'll be able to have AF wine. Fingers crossed that it's decent. Certainly not that cheap.
Otherwise since I'm home I'm really struggling with the nibbles. I've got to put a stop to that and also get back to swimming and walking properly, but I'm really busy until Sunday, so that will have to wait a couple of days.
Mentally I'm in a good place. Very positive about everything in general. Very pleased about my blood results, will continue to go as AF as possible. Maybe 1-2 glasses per week. That is my plan. Will see if I can stick to it. Making plans is SO easy.
Wishing everyone a good day. Stay strong and sober.
p.s. still haven't been able to do a catch-up read of the thread, so sorry for lack of personal encouragements

So I have been on a bit of a binge recently. Life has just kept throwing things at me and it became the norm on the way home to not only pick up a bottle of wine but aslso some beers. The night before last i drank two bottles of wine AND 4 cans of beer. I had an appointment about something thats been hanging ovr me yesterday and got good news for once but still on the way home i picked up a 6 pack of beer and a bottle of wine. I opened the first can realised how hungry I was and then had to feed the kids to organised just burgers and chips and instead of more beers to fill me cos the second didnt i decided to eat some myself. Then I felt too full and beer after food to me is not nice. I diced with drinking a 'glass' of the wine but was shattered and thought sod this I dont even want this bloody beer so the third can went down the drain, I went to bed early and slept a solid 8 hours.

@Needtokickthehabit sorry you've been struggling. But well done on stepping away from it last night. Tiredness is a massive thing I think. Keep trying, it will get better.

@Nowstrong yes, I'm great at making plans. I'm always at it - my brother says God laughs at me, which is probably true.
Interested in the af wine - hope it's OK.
Glad to hear you're in a good place. I am, too - I did drink too much Wednesday but no plans (🥴) for it today, or tomorrow. But, overall I feel in control.
Sunday I'm out for lunch at a relative's - I'm hoping I can just drink beer.

Needto I know how you feel. I've had a horrible couple of days. Caved in last night and had a good cry and a couple of wines and couple of JD's but not crazy. Made me feel calm,
Happy Friday everyone.

@MoodyBlues1 you didn't go too mad. Its hard when your emotions are askew.
Keep trying.
What are your af plans for the weekend?

Amdone exactly. I so seem to be more mindful.
I am going to try and keep busy cleaning and sorting all the clutter around here. What about you?

@Needtokickthehabit well done on stopping and recognising when you didn’t want it. I managed my first AF day in 8 days yesterday - had a big wobble at around 6pm but by 9 I wasn’t bothered at all. It’s a good lesson - ignore the wine witch and she’ll go away! I’m not very good at that though.

@MoodyBlues1 I think a few drinks everyone now and then is what we are all aiming for so that sounds pretty good to me. @Amdone123 has many wise words but one of the things that really resonated with me is to count total number of AF days, not number in a row because if you are doing the latter and have a drink one day then you can feel like you’re back to square one, when in fact you are not.

Yes, I also think it is a great idea to count AF days rather than streaks.

I had two glasses of wine last night - started 'late' (7.30 pm) and didn't want more. I was all about saying I wouldn't drink for a week now this morning but now...not so sure! I know I won't be able to continue moderating the quantity if I don't moderate the frequency.

I've come the the conclusion (well considering it as a possibility at least) that my tendency to overdo the alcohol is a symptom of massively overthinking pretty much everything. Which is almost certainly a symptom of something else. Attempting to start a spring declutter has brought this into sharp focus!

@Bigbus thanks sm. Am in work so will defo have a look later. Am NOT drinking tonight. 🤗🤗🤗. That much I am sure of.xx

@Coppergate10 I massively overthink things too. Always have done.

I've just been to work and my strategy of not taking money paid off. Had big craving at work but batted it away.
I need to eat so I'm doing that ( I've only had breakfast). And, I've got a house full tomorrow, starting at 10.30am ( relatives to visit new baby), so I'm glad I'll be fresh.

It's Friday night and I'm slightly missing my usual routine but I'm having a cup of tea instead.

@Formel strangely, as much as I was craving it earlier, I'm glad I didn't cave.
I know by now I'd be in the kitchen, smoking, probably texting rubbish and that tomorrow, I'd be suffering 🥴
Drinking tea, too, cheers 🥂

@Amdone123 I'm glad I didn't too, but I feel a bit flat now that the craving has passed. Going to get some sleep and wake up tomorrow to greet the new dawn with a smile or some such thing.

Just wrote a long post and lost it. Just to say I’m now six weeks sober xx

@Bigbus and all, I said I wasn't going to drink tonite and I didn't!! That's a win for me.🤗🤗🤗

Hi all, just checking in. I started trying to moderate four weeks ago after drinking half a bottle of whisky a day for a number of years. Over the past four weeks I’ve managed 12 days with no alcohol at all, and the rest of the days a glass of wine or beer and no whisky. It needs more work, but I’m pleased with myself so far 😌 Thanks for the encouragement!

p.s. lost 9lbs already - I’m enjoying this.

@sixthvestibule that's amazing - both the weight loss and the moderation.