The support thread for anyone trying to live an alcohol free life. Spring 2025.

[WendyWagon]

Hello and welcome.
These threads were started by drybird in 2020 and have gone on to support many people to give up alcohol and live a sober life.
We are not a moderarion thread and only encourage sobriety. There is another long running thread if that's what you feel is right for you. Lots of support there.
We have newbies and veterans, some who have 5+ years under their belts.
We share life's up and downs (often why we drank) and no question is too silly.
Personally I gave up drinking three years ago. It's the hardest thing I've done and the best thing.
We call our selves sober sisters and even have a mascot, Sid the ship's dog.
He poses often for a cheer up picture.
We're not here to judge, just offer support and friendship.
It gets better I promise.

Thanks @mermadeincornwall I like the self- discovery message. I'm starting to realise how much life there is outside the wine bubble. It's a bit sad that I've missed so much but I'm hopeful for the future. Day 10 for me today. Enjoy the Sunday sunshine.

Morning all.

Beautiful weather here already.

is It ok to post as I didn’t make it through Saturday night?

I now feel ill and really ashamed and am wasting a lovely sunny day when I wanted to garden and see friends. IT IS NOT FUN.

If giving up the booze was easy, there would be no need for this thread! Don't be hard on yourself.

I am lurking only at the moment as I have not been totally booze free, although drinking much, much less. I would use the moderation thread, but tbh I find it doesn't help. So lurking and taking inspiration from here.

Thank you twotinas maybe I’ll just lurk for a bit too.
I agree re moderation thread - I don’t want to moderate, I want just think no! Like I do for cigarettes. Think maybe IWNDWYT as a very teeny tattoo.

Maybe a tattoo backwards on our foreheads so we see it first thing in the bathroom mirror!😁

I must have missed a bit of chat- what does IWNDWYT mean @Healthynow?

Borrowed light is a lovely pale blue @WendyWagon . I have a room that is mostly this colour and love it.

I’ve not been on my apps much at the mo as I’m less obsessed with not drinking as the months roll on. It’s not that I’m not thinking about it, just less so. I was thinking about drinking/not drinking every waking moment in the early days and weeks. I am glad I am less consumed and definitely not consuming.

According to one app, I’ve saved £1000 this year already. That’s a conservative estimate and only includes me and not DH so we’re possibly nearer to or more than the £2k mark. This is why we are managing to pay off debt and get things fixed around the house. Who knew?!

@Healthynow I'm sorry to hear you fell off the wagon. A fair few of us have in the past.
Today is reflection. You can be AF but it isn't easy.
Drink plenty of water and eat something nourishing.

@SmellyMeI Will Not Drink With You Today 😊

Hi all. Bit overwhelmed with applying for jobs. But thought I would just say hi. I went out last night and had a lovely time at a party. People were drinking but none staggering around (like I would have been) but I think that’s more to do with their tolerance because they sunk a lot of alcohol!!

The thing that struck me the most was that I wasn’t as anxious going out as I normally am and I think it’s because I knew I wouldn’t make an idiot of myself. So all this time I have felt anxious about social situations and it was because I was worried about shaming myself rather than focusing on the pleasant bits. Who knew

@Healthynow jump back in. Lots of water. Throw love at yourself

@Kindtomyself I found that too. Plus I was less anxious because I could focus more on what was happening rather than having half my mind on getting another drink, or that I'd just slurred my words. And I think alcohol just makes you anxious anyway. It's great to realise you can get through those occasions and enjoy yourself without drinking!

twotinas very funny! I might just do that😁
smelly e I saw it on this thread and had to look it up too- it’s somehow very powerful. Maybe because your brain has to fill in the words it makes it stick more?
paying off debts and getting stuff fixed is amazing! I’d like to do that too, so am using that as inspiration. Dread to think how much we’ve spent making ourselves ill.
wendywagon thank for that- I’m reflecting that this has to stop! DH and I have both had counseling as we were struggling with something that happened and both caning it to cope.
kindtomyself well done! I’m looking at you in awe👏 thank you. I love your attitude of throwing love at yourself - been all beating myself up, but as soon as I say,’well, never mind you’re forgiven.’ It becomes easier to face everything.
lilypj you’re right!
I think part of being healthier is you have the thought processes for revelations.
its pretty interesting.
sweet dreams all. And thank you.

Morning my beautiful fellow crew on another day on planet Earth.
I will not drink today.

Spring rain has fallen and my garden looks full of life. I'm hungover free to enjoy it, and start the week full of enthusiasm.

Sending clarity and joy.
Stay safe and sober.

Well done to everyone for battling on and for your huge successes and inspiration. I completed Day 10 yesterday. It's early days I know, but I'm beginning to think I can do it. I was out walking yesterday and had a lot of time to think. Working out how many units I used to have, how many calories I'd drink every day, how much money I'd wasted... @SmellyMe I don't think I spent quite as much as you but I stuck to the cheap Aldi wine and Wetherspoons beer and it still adds up! And I knew I'd been a bit flexible with the truth when my doctor asked, but didn't realize I was actually drinking 3 times units more than I admitted. I'd even been lying to myself! Anyway, the walk and the weather were fabulous, as was the cold AF Erdinger that had been waiting in the fridge when I got back. Hope you all had a great Sunday too. Now on to my next goal...

I'm determined to dance through life @WendyWagon, I too wanted to be a ballerina, I was in awe of Pans People ( ? Sarah Brightman ?) and the other dance group on top of the pops, they seem so slow and innocent now compared to todays dancing. How's the surgery recovery going? Apart from from the dog threatening your scar. I'm decorating my house, I've done so much more since I've gone af. I'll check out Farrow and Ball Borrowed Light. Sparkle worktops are always a winner, you can't help but feel uplifted with them.

New crewmates are always welcome @LillyPJ, hope we can help.

How are you @REP22? Sid is so hansom, does he know how much he's admired?

Morning all, ahoy.

I'm looking at a wet garden too. Hopefully a bit of weeding today.

I've had an ad pop up for a raspberry AF cider so I'll seek that out on the dry drinker website.

@mermadeincornwall When I was a rookie at a famous cosmetic company I had a colleague who had been part of Pans People. The lovely Carol. I always wanted hair like Cherie. Unfortunately my husband still laments by waist length spiral perm. That's never coming back on a 59 year old! 😄

Hello shipmates, greetings from me and Sid.

Thank you so much for your kind words about SId @mermadeincornwall - he is a fairly modest fellow, but is is extremely handsome (biased, I know). But even if he had a face that only a mother could love, which would necessitate me shaving his butt and teaching him to walk backwards, I would love him just the same. He's not perfect, but he's very affectionate and I love him dearly. He completes me.

Glad to see a splash of rain today, it's so desperately needed but doesn't look like it'll amount to much.

Here is Sid, enjoying the cricket on Saturday. On Sunday we went to a VE Day anniversary street party (where I managed to keep AF despite the presence of champagne and killer cocktails at every angle). At one point they played the recording of Churchill's VE Day announcement - when he got to the bit that said "long live the cause of freedom...", Sid emitted a timely noisy yawn, which sounded like he was calling out "yayy!" to much general amusement.

Strength and courage. We can make it. xx

Morning all.
Capt Wendy at the bridge.

I'm still waiting on my plants but getting frustrated.
The DS is back and there are a couple of houses for sale for him. Hopefully one will suit. I still have cottage fever.

Morning inspirational ships company.
I will not drink today.

Sometimes I'm desperate to jump overboard, just for a quick little dip. The reality though is it's a long hard swim with life taking undercurrents back to the ship ,so I won't.

Sending grace in the face of adversity to all who need it ,ie all of us.

Morning! I sowed tomato, courgette and runner beans in pots in the greenhouse weeks ago, hoping they'd be ready to plant out before I go on holiday later this week. Most of them are coming through but they're still a bit tiny to fend for themselves. I just hope they survive. I slept badly last night but got through Day 11 ok yesterday. I felt a bit bored but I've got heaps to do today - packing, tidying the house, eating up whatever's in the fridge (yesterday's dinner was rather peculiar!), unpacking and packing again, and making endless lists. Day 12 should go by in a blur.

Legs and co ?

Yes! Well done!

I also wanted to be one of the nurses from ' Angels '.
How funny...spiral perms, mind you Jerry Hall still has her long hair.

Sid sighing to Winston reminded me of one of my past dogs at remembrance Sunday, howling to the bugle. Even now I stifle a giggle each year when the bugle starts, so inappropriate ,which makes me giggle more.

I too have summer crops planted @LillyPJ, not as many as you though. I'm also adding to my wildlife plants. I want many bees and butterflys to fill my garden. I've also invested in 3 very small ponds, but not much is happening there yet, I think the plants need to establish.

Legs and Co ?
I knew it would eventually come to me. I didn't Google it as I need my brain to work out every now and then.