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.

Good morning, I'm still reading this thread and all the encouraging posts by you guys. Had some rocky days but I am awake and sober, listening to the dawn chorus and reminding myself this is how good it is to wake up after an AF evening! Have a good day all.

Morning all. Day 56 completed.
Very achy from exercising - drank loads of water yesterday but still got a headache. I have been doing yoga for 30 years off and on and teachers often say to drink lots of water afterwards to ‘flush the toxins out’. Not sure if doing yoga actually brings toxins to the surface as the instructors appear to suggest however I often would go home and drink alcohol afterwards (if it was an evening class).
After class on Friday I heard a fellow yogi say to a friend ‘that was really hard, I’ve definitely earned a glass of wine tonight’.

Not drinking makes me aware of how we are surrounded by alcohol or references to it. I know that this is old news but it never fails to surprise me.

it’s a huge example of how our minds can be manipulated into believing something. Loads of marketing of alcohol towards women, it’s a disgrace.

Morning all
day 14 today
tomorrow plan to restart yoga
need to stretch

Successful weekend navigated. I would have liked to lie in bed asleep longer today but dd left the doors open so the animals (2x dogs and a cat) couldn't wait to come bounding in to say morning!! I'm going walk the dogs in the fresh air feeling SO FRESH!!! Honestly I've felt so good this weekend it's like why would I ever drink?? But then when I was at my friends house yesterday there certainly was a social element to it. Like I would have been somewhat more relaxed. I suppose that's the next mindset shift needed

Morning my wonderful sober sisters.
I will not drink today.

I wasted so much time listening to the witch telling me it wasn't so bad, lots of people do that. She's a lying manipulative bitch of a witch.

Love and kind thoughts to all.
Stay safe and sober #@newme2025

@Kindtomyself That’s so true. I even came across this one recently which was especially worrying: “Congratulations on your Christening Day. We’ll celebrate properly when you’re 18!” 😳

Six month milestone for me yesterday. A whole half a year. I can hardly believe it!

Sorry, should have explained, that was a suggested message to write in a Christening card 🙈

Happy Sober Sunday Sisters!

Waking up to a beautiful morning here. DS coming home from a school science trip today. (Have missed him)

Long run to do, am going to take it properly easy and run-walk it. I have resigned myself fear I will have to adjust my time aim for this marathon if and let go of the paces in training if I am going to make it to the start line in one piece.

I have bought a(nother) new pair of trainers in the hope that these will help prevent injury.

Congratulations on the 90 days @SmellyMe , 56 @Kindtomyself and 14 @Swanchaser . Each if these is an Excellent and hard win milestone. Congratulations 🎉

It took my sleep AGES to get better and I still have erratic sleep. Before I stopped drinking I used to claim peri-menopause. I also believe that since having children, I just sleep less deeply and are this more easily disturbed at night.

I think there is still a hormonal element as my sleep seems to be a little cyclical, with worse nights before I am due to start.

On that note, my cycle which WAS very erratic is now slightly less so, which must mean that my hormones are balancing a little bit. (A temporary reprieve perhaps).

Weight is also a weird one.

I did lose 20 pounds after quitting BUT...

I also started exercising consistently again, cut out refined carbs for the first 6 months and focussed on gut health (trying for 30 plants a week, enough fibre, fermented foods etc etc)

I have now plateaued but because of my running have reintroduced carbs and am eating more treats.

Good morning my lovely sober sisters.
I was downstairs reading a new magazine having eaten my cereal.

Congratulations to all that have woken up after a AF night. One day at a time.

I've been on the relationship board a fair bit this week and it's so depressing. Loads of arse men and grabby families. I think I going to cut my SM this week.

Its quite nippy here so I think I'll get away with a stew and dumplings. Easier for me to cook. I've run out of love for chicken dings!

Morning all. Day 15 here. Off work this week
need to fill my time as boredom definitely a danger zone
today stables jobs long dog walk and tennis
have a good Monday all

Morning all.
Congratulations on your 6 months @CarrotSeeds !
Hope your long run was OK @EastCoastDamsel
I got a message from my 21 yo DD over the weekend to say she’d organised a sober club night for a friend’s birthday, had an amazing time and felt brilliant the next day. “Maybe you’re onto something.” I don’t think she realised how bad my drinking got before I stopped, which is a blessing

Morning all. Day 57 completed.
Seeing shifts in my life. Positive changes.
Seeing possibilities, hope. The truth is that on the inside I had often felt sad, never totally sure why. As a child I could sense sadness in the extended family and it chilled me.

My thoughts about myself are more positive and I bloody like it that way.

Ahoy sober sisters.
I will not drink today.

It dawned on me I was drinking too much when two drinks didn't affect me.

Love and kind thoughts to all.
Stay safe and sober.

Welcome @Needsomeadvice2234, there's that saying about putting your own life jacket on first.

Oh @SmellyMe I totally and utterly get the 7lbs in 7months. I was hoping to have lost some weight, but I've lost nothing 😪. I plan to start walking more to hopefully get fitter.

I love reading everyones' posts. You're all keeping me going.

Ahoy and shiver my timbers. It's bright but nippy here.
The school coaches didn't go by today but I'm still up at the same time.

The DD has one more day this week and then that's it for a couple of weeks.
She is off for a month in the summer on a huge holiday. First time flying as she refused as a kid. Long story.

I getting nervous re the house selling and buying. We've been here two years and some might remember all the disappointments we went through. I don't need the stress. However the stairs are not helping.

Deep breathing has been helping.

@WendyWagon good luck with the house. I have sold mine, huzzah, but still need to find a new pad. it’s a long chain so it could all go tits up but fingers crossed it doesn’t.

@mermadeincornwall interestingly, the dial has really shifted this week on the weight front. I love data and numbers so I weigh myself all the time. I know I wasn’t eating too much and I found it REALLY odd to see no changes. Well, initially, I gained a couple of pounds. Then I lost them but the scales were more stubborn than I have ever known; like bizarrely so. It made no sense. There should have been small, incremental losses, but to see nothing change was weird.

I read that alcohol suppresses nutritional absorption so not only am I waiting on my brain sorting itself out, it seems my guts have really had to readjust as well. Perhaps that’s what’s been going on with the weight. I have been a heavy drinker for most of my life (I was going to say ‘adult’ but I was probably drinking regularly by 16), only stopping for pregnancy and BF.

I feel I have the mental capacity and energy for dieting now so I’m giving the 5:2 diet a go. Fasting is said to help with inflammatory issues so I would like to see a difference in my skin. There’s no doubt it’s better without booze but still not great.

Have a good sober week everyone. The sun is out here 😎

Day 16 here we come

Morning my beautiful sober friends.
I will not drink today.

I cannot change the past. I can only live my life the way I choose to. I will block nasty people from my thoughts as I want to live with serenity and gratitude for all that is good in my world.

Love and kind thoughts to all.
Stay safe and sober.

Ahoy and a glorious bright morning here.

Morning. 58 days completed.

I am willing to let go of self doubt, my past does not define me. I am worthy of a beautiful fulfilling life. I am learning to love myself.
My ego can relax, I am safe and sober

It’s been an interesting day today, in an earlier post I said ‘my ego can relax’ but unfortunately my ego didn’t agree with this statement. I have felt shocking today, mentally just wonky. I’m in bed now though and I’m safe and sober.

Morning. Day 59 completed.

Feeling tired. I want more love around me, I cringed writing that, felt like a saddo. Ashamed that I want it, haven’t got it. My life doesn’t flow in the way I want it to but it will do. It’s changing.

I guess I have always craved connection but done this through a bottle. It wasn’t real connection though, I didn’t wake up feeling warm and fuzzy, I woke up feeling scared, ashamed.

I’m on the right path now and that’s good.

Ahoy ships company on the good ship Sobriety.
I will not drink today.

I tried to block out feelings with alcohol but it ended up making me miserable.

Love and kind thoughts to all.
Stay safe and sober ( @newme2025 )

Hope you're going to have a better day today @Kindtomyself. Sorry to hear that it's been a tough few days.
I can emphasise, I was triggered Monday and nearly fell overboard. It's been so hard.
This is my year of transformation. I read somewhere the phrase 'design the life you want '. That's what I'm doing, and I hope you are too 💕

Good morning my sober sisters.

@Kindtomyself i understand the craving of love or is it belonging?

My DH is a bit stoic (a back patter not a hugger), I learnt to live with it.
I'd join a hugging group if I could find one!

The bottle numbs the need for physical touch and we believe we're OK.
I dont know how we replicate it, religion, group activities? I know joining a choir works for some. Others volunteer.
I can't remember if you have a partner kindtomyself? If not my BFF did OLD and got plenty of fellas. Mind you she is a bit of a girl and didn't want any strings! That was hysterical because she couldn't get shot of a few. They kept hanging around.

I have friends over this afternoon. Tea and cake. Have a good day my friends.