No alcohol April - the place to share, moan and support

[Thelittlestranger]

Hello everyone!

Starting a new thread, my first one! Big thanks to @noalcohol2024 who originally set up these threads.

Come and chat if you are just giving it a go, starting a longer journey, or sober-curious.

Day 91 for me. I started this thinking I would do 100 days, and now I'm not sure when I'll stop. If at all.

Sounds like you're doing extremely well @AFmammaG. I'm same number of days and not felt tempted much. However we're on holiday in 2 weeks and that already feels like temptation. My brain is saying just have a week off the wagon. Common sense suggests it could lead to complete relapse. I've been drinking over 40 years. It's tricky. I feel so much better physically and mentally, I really don't want to return to the drinking grind.

Day 36 for me

Feeling pretty bloody good! Soon is clear, head is clear, weekends feel longer, a lot more energy and more aware of my body and what I am putting into it , libido is up!

Had an AF peroni last night and I can't even tell the difference in taste so that was a bonus!

Got a night out planned end of may so that will be my real test being a social hinge drinker.

I'm hoping I'll get away with the AF alternatives and no one will really notice.. 👍

Those are some great wins @AFmammaG Enjoy them. That feeling when you realise you don't actually want a drink is something I'm still trying to get my head round.

@Xelda are you finding people are drinking less now that you are? Went away this weekend, and last weekend, with different groups of people and I noticed it. I can't quite work out if they actually are, or if I was just drinking more and didn't realise they weren't/had stopped/were drinking more water than me....

Day 121 here.

I went away for a night last weekend, and had 3 glasses of wine. But to be fair, I'd always planned to have a drink that night, I've not had (or wanted anything since. So that's all I've had since 29 March, which for me is a win.
I don't want to give up completely, I just need to learn how to moderate. I know I can do it - my longest ever AF was 18mths, after I got hammered on a Sat night away and was too hungover to keep my breakfast down, spoiling the planned activity for the Sunday.
I have a girly weekend away next week, this could be a danger zone , but I'm with very good friends who know me and as we're all of, ahem, the older generation (not quite one foot in the grave, but definitely not spring chickens!) it will be quite sedate

*skin is clear not soon !

15 weeks, 105 days no alcohol. I feel so much better than a few months ago. Feel like I have some control back in my life. I thought alcohol was a big thing for me, but I genuinely have not missed it. So many benefits to giving up.

Nice work @AzureBlue99
I would love to make it to 100 days. 29 and keeping on. And feeling better.

Hi all, just checking in to say hello and well done to anyone who is staying strong. Every morning I wake up and I am so proud of myself. I just don't want it anymore. I've read and listened to loads of quit lit and it's really helped me. I don't have a goal, I reached 100 days a few weeks ago and don't count any more.

I have a holiday in two weeks and might have a drink if I fancy it but at the moment I'm not feeling it. Learning about alcohol and it's affect on the body is a real turn off.

We are part of a growing bunch. It's becoming more normal to be sober. When I started this journey (hate the word 'journey' in this context but you know what I mean) I was really, REALLY worried about socialising without booze. I dodged lots of nights out because I didn't want the temptation of having to explain myself.

Over the past month or so, I have been to a 99's night, meals out and quiz nights and it's been fine. No-one really cares and most of the time I'm not the only one not drinking. We just have to own it and stay true to ourselves.

This whole sobriety thing has been a huge learning experience for me. I'm still not 100% there and get worried about splitting the bill etc when I've not drunk and I don't like being around drunk people (one or two is fine but it's when they've had three of four that you really notice it!) I try not to be judge as that was me!

I really enjoy an early night and clear head.

Keep going everyone!! BBQ season is coming up so stock up on some nice NA drinks and enjoy the sun 🌞 x

Day 30 and I can confidently say I now have a month under my belt. Feeling so pleased with myself because I honestly didn’t think I could do it.
I’m not sure what the future holds in terms of alcohol consumption. I feel like a different person. So it would be a very silly choice to go back (although I can’t help but feel that’s the nature of the beast).
I will be trying to continue in May, one day at a time. Well done to everyone who made it through April, dry, moderating or drinking. The fact we are here still trying says a lot.

Agree with everything you say @wannabedry

I'm starting to look at this as an ongoing future for me, rather than a month by month battle. This thread has been so helpful for me to read about other's experiences as they step into sobriety - as has the quit lit and books I have listened to.

So much so, that I feel it wouldn't be right for me to set up the May thread. And while I will definitely still come back to check in and support, I'm going to let someone else lead next month's step into sobriety.

Would anyone else like to take the lead next month?

@Thelittlestranger I would really like another thread but I’m not in a position to be the OP. I am the OP on another long running thread and the lack of engagement is draining the life out of me 😆

Is there a may thread?

@VanLife33 the other thread I’m on is at page 40 so I’ll be starting a new one soon. Will post the link to it when I’ve set it up. Here’s a link to the old one if you fancy a nose:
https://www.mumsnet.com/talk/alcoholsupport/4930949-tulips-snowdrops-and-another-day-1?page=40&reply=134953620

You are very welcome to join.

Unfortunately that link in not working
Thanks though

Id be happy to join your new thread when it's ready..

Thanks 👍

https://www.mumsnet.com/talk/alcohol_support/4930949-tulips-snowdrops-and-another-day-1

So sorry! Hopefully this one works @VanLife33.

@Oopsdiditagain how did you get on for the rest of April?

Hi@AFmammaG thanks for asking.
I’m still here and reading everyone’s posts, well done to everyone 👍 I have been doing great thanks completely AF since my 2 glasses of wine a few weeks ago 😀but have been feeling very anxious & a bit down, so was thinking this Can not possibly still be alcohol related 🤷🏻‍♀️so went the drs & have started on HRT patches so I’m hoping they will help 🤞🏻 xx

Fantastic news about the rest of April @Oopsdiditagain. I normally go quiet when I’m not doing so well, so it’s great to hear you managed to stay dry. I know what you mean about feeling down, my emotions are all over the place. Probably peri-menopausal here. Hope the patches help 💐

Thankyou, it could well be@AFmammaG
oh it’s been awful, been up, down, crying, flying off the handle & the the hot flushes 🥵 I have been having symptoms for a good while now but in my head I blamed the wine so having stopped & still feeling like that I had a good idea it was peri menopause xx

@Oopsdiditagain I’m so guilty of that. I’ve had quite a few headaches in the last 4 weeks. I normally would have put it down to either a hangover or those subtle withdrawal symptoms that you don’t really notice. Now I’m 4 weeks dry and I’m starting to wonder whether I need to get them checked out.

https://www.mumsnet.com/talk/alcohol_support/5066932-day-1-or-1000-all-welcome-on-the-tulips-and-snowdrops-thread?reply=134972686

We hit 993 posts on the other thread so I quickly started a new one before it filled up.

All welcome to join, I am a good OP, I promise and I would love some company!

@VanLife33 @Oopsdiditagain

I'm coming over - thank you @AFmammaG

Yes! @Thelittlestranger please do x