200 days alcohol free- anyone wish to join?

[FeelingLessTired]

Several years ago, under another user name I did a 100 day alcohol free challenge and alot of people joined me on MN. It was before covid, so a long time ago!

I really appreciated the support and lasted 120 days in the end. ironically enough DH joined me IRL and he just continued on and has been teetotal since then.

I was reading Annie Grace back then (I think) and her recommendation was that if you slip, to then challenge yourself for double the time- hence I now wish to start and achieve a 200 day challenge.

I'd love some company if anyone wishes to join me!

I have a funeral today and plan to drink J20 with tonic water. The deceased was a good friend of DH's and although he was in his early 70s drinking definitely played a part in his extreme fragility over the past few years. He's been really ill for a good ten years I think.

I have set out a spread sheet with my alcohol-free savings. In the last week i have definitely reduced and have saved just shy of £50 already (since the beginning of April) as we have had a fair few dinners and lunches out. I look at what I would have drunk (sauvignon blanc here and there) and when i have not had it I add that cost to my spreadsheet. That does help to inspire me because COL is biting us hard right now.

Luckily not depressing enough that I want a drink!

Yes I read half of that one about a year ago, it was quite interesting. I’ve switched to audiobooks now as I’m not much of a reader unfortunately

I think that’s been my favourite up to now, I always think about the alcohol ethanol being the same as the petrol ethanol. I didn’t know that and it makes me feel a bit sick.

Yes! Disgusting stuff when you actually think about it, same as the cigarettes I used to smoke.

I’m doing the 30 day experiment too alongside the book. After I posted earlier I watched todays clips and they really helped me shift my mindset and left me feeling more positive and on it 💪. So another sober Friday night down and hope everyone else is hanging on in there!

Hope you're okay @Seenoevil33 , hopefully he'll see how much happier you are and it will click for him one day..in the meantime he can provide a helpful reminder!

I loved the quit lit last time, not feeling them this time but that comparison to petrol certainly helps!
Day 13 here and off to the cinema, I'd usually have a beer, I'm now seeing how daft that is..I'd probably rather have a coke 🤣

Hope everyone is having a lovely weekend x

Need some advice. Unable to quit drinking and my consumption has gone up to a 750ml (fifth) of vodka a night. Weekdays I function just fine and do not drink at work but I come immediately home and Crack it open. And I don't sip it, I fill a glass with about 375ml at a time and chug it. On the weekends ill wake up right before the liquor store opens to start my day off with another pint. I've tried to stop and always slip back into it. Im very well functioning, have a great job and a wife and kids. But my physical feeling has been worsening (mainly I'm assuming because I'm always fighting alcohol gut and headaches in between drinks and my body just wants to detox) I've never had withdrawal symptoms which is bizzare to me. Even if I've gone 72 hours with nothing. I feel nothing adverse. But Im completely in chains by this stuff but it feels like I'm taking medicine at this point. Looking for advice from current or former alcoholics who have had similar.

So… I drank a third of a bottle of wine last night. No excuses, I was feeling tired, flat and worrying about things that I have no power to change and unfortunately had a bottle still hanging around. I went into it consciously and gave myself permission, stupidly…

However, with Annie Grace talking in my ear, I become observant to my behaviour. I knocked the first glass back within 20 minutes and as it was Cava I was soon getting a buzz, I then instantly wanted the next glass but made myself wait 40 minutes. I had the second and realised that I was actually feeling tipsy already 😄 (yes, I am a real lightweight), so I ended it there, but my normal behaviour would be to just keep going till the bottle was done, never really checking in with myself to how I was feeling.

To add insult to injury I woke with a dry mouth, nauseous and foggy headed, definitely not worth it, but I am determined to not let it derail me but put it aside and keep on keeping on!

Day 18 as I refuse to count the lapse! As I woke this morning there was a sense of relief that I hadn’t drank the night before and my energy levels have picked up today.

Still going strong with the quit lit and I was just keep plugging away - I so want to kick this to the kerb this time and I know I can, I just need to stay off it permanently now. I don’t want to be middle aged and still bingeing at the weekend. It’s taking far too much out of me these days and the horrendous 3 day hangover; feeling below par, lacking energy and motivation and that constant flat mood is just not worth it for the tiny, short lived buzz that I get from the alcohol.

Anyway, doesn’t matter if everyone has gone of piste alcohol wise, come back and talk, I know that I’ve done it so many times on these threads, weight and alcohol when I’ve slipped but I do believe that it’s all part of finally preparing and getting there.

Hi all - still here and still going strong!

@LoganDL i come from a place of over drinking and drinking every day for years. Like you, I could go easily throughout the day and not drink but come 6pm, I was watching that clock! There’s no easy way for the first few weeks - it will be hard, but I filled up my time doing other stuff -ANYTHING at all so long as it keep me out and about and busy. After a couple of weeks it was easier and now I cannot imagine drinking that amount again. Now I am at day 135 - fitter, stronger and full of energy! Is it worth a tough month for you to change?

@Perkuppaige you are only accountable to yourself - I feel like you are doing everything right and that you will succeed and indeed are already succeeding just by examining your relationship with alcohol. It took me decades to actually do anything about my drinking but I’m here now.

igave up smoking a few years ago and getting over the ‘why can’t I just have one’ stage is hard - we have proven that we cannot just have one so for me I’d better make do with none - I also don’t wanna be the old addled woman sitting at a bar at 9am on a weekday…. That’s a powerful motivator!

I also don’t wanna be the old addled woman sitting at a bar at 9am on a weekday…. That’s a powerful motivator!

Yes! Although I can’t afford bars 😄 for me it would probably be the local park bench!

You are doing so well @Seenoevil33, is it coming up 5 months? Hope things are a little easier with the DH too - times like these that I’m glad I live alone as I would struggle I think if my other half was drinking too.

@Perkuppaige well yes - I was trying to be classy - but a park bench would probably have been my ultimate destination! I hate the mummy wine culture now.
i spoke to DH and explained that I’m not signing up for what he’s doing - I think it got through to him….if not then we will re-examine - he doesn’t have to quit but I do expect him to drink responsibly.

YOU are doing great and making changes to improve your life - should be more recognition for it really but know that we are all here - supporting you…

he doesn’t have to quit but I do expect him to drink responsibly.

Good old moderation… wish I could do that! But I hope that he turns it around and you start having some fun with one another again.

Thanks for the support though @Seenoevil33 - sounds like you are really settling into it now and noticing the benefits?

Today has been a tough day. I really think that this last year of drinking had definitely had an effect on the old brain chemicals and it’s taking a while for to find my equilibrium. I have some issues that feel insurmountable at times and definitely a reason for the increased drinking, of course now I’m not anaesthetising myself I’m having to sit with these issues, BUT, it was a hell of a lot worse dealing with it all feeling crap and hungover.

How have you find your RA since quitting - have you noticed any difference in how you feel or was it pretty unaffected by the alcohol? I know what you mean about the blood tests - I have mine monthly so can see at a glance how my liver is faring and although still in the normal range, my ALT was definitely starting to push towards the upper range this last 6 months. Will be interesting to see if it comes down at all on my next test.

I’m totally with you on having to deal with feelings that are hard - I guess I’m still trying to avoid those. I’ve spent today reflecting on my behavior and feelings towards DH recently and I’m not too proud tbh. What you just said about good old moderation and how impossible it is, struck a chord too! I am effectively forcing this on him (I believe for good reasons) and he is effectively sabotaging his and ultimately my efforts. It’s unfair and unreasonable and he does not deserve my criticism or lack of understanding.

no change in arthritis unfortunately but mine is reasonably well managed. I was convinced that my alt results wouldn’t really change and was staggered by how much they did reduce…..

keep on going - we are headed for good things I’m sure!

Hi, there.
I've been awol, but with good reason. I've been reading here though.
@Perkuppaige you're doing really well. Is it day 20 today ? Well done and keep going.
@Seenoevil33 you're doing so well too. I do understand your frustration with dh - none of it is easy.

Well, Saturday I drank wine. We were in a lovely pub. I stepped outside for a cigarette ( only smoke when drinking), decided to cross the road. It had been raining. I fell. 2 men picked me up out of the road.
To sum up - face heavily bruised, arm / shoulder I was unable to move but it's easing now. Front tooth knocked out.
Emergency dentist was seen - bill very high.

I've had many a rock bottom but this is it.
I'm never drinking again.
I'm not even counting the days, as I'm never drinking again.
Though I did look at the calendar and by end of August, I'll be nearing 100 days.
Massive wake - up call.

@Goandygo I’m so sorry, what a horrible experience. I can imagine you’re feeling quite vulnerable and rocky at the moment?

I had a similar incident on a night out several years ago, where I decided in my paralytic state that it was a good idea to walk home alone in the early hours, cut through some dense woods, get totally lost in the pitch black and as I held a tree branch to walk through it snapped back into my face, knocked me to the ground and I sported a black eye for10 days after, (probably had concussion too judging by the splitting headache I had for 3 days after). It then took me over an hour to find my way home on what should have been a 10 minute walk max.

The horror and shock at what had happened was enough for me to stop drinking for 18 months but stupidly I convinced myself that again I could moderate and whilst there have been no more incidents and only I’m sure because I rarely go out now, I know that it’s got to go!

So we’ve got this 💪 and just a day at a time is my motto - I don’t want to count days either, just want this to now be my new way of life.

@Goandygo oh no - what a nightmare! I hope you’re feeling ok and not in too much pain! Be gentle with yourself x we’ve all been there (in similar ways)!

Thanks @Perkuppaige @Seenoevil33 - strangely, I didn't / don't feel ashamed, embarrassed, any of those emotions I've felt before ( I've been to A n E many, many times with alcohol induced injuries).
I just feel sad that it's come to this. I've wasted so much time, energy, money on drinking but I'm feeling really positive for the future.
No more moderating, mental gymnastics - I can't drink, it's simple.
Thank you for sharing your experiences and thoughts - it means a lot ❤️

Hi all- sorry for being awol. I have been struggling and found even just talking about not drinking was triggering.

Hope everyone is well though. Thank you for sharing your stories.

@FeelingLessTired awh, no worries.
I find that, too, sometimes. Talking about it can trigger it. It's so strange how this alcohol lark works - on here for example - we're all different, yet in many ways, the same.

I'm doing OK after my accident. I'm still alcohol free and intend to stay that way.
Usually when I give up, I start panicking about future holidays etc, but not this time.
Dh, who knows me and understands me more than anyone, doesn't understand my aim to abstain. He says I can just have a couple then stop.
No, I can't !!!

I read somewhere that it only takes 1 drink to get you drunk, and in my case, it's true. Because it's never 1.

@FeelingLessTired i had a really down patch a while after I’d stopped drinking - it will pass - I resorted back to early nights so hang on in there!

@Goandygo really happy to see your update! I agree that it’s very very hard for most people to just have one drink! That’s mostly why I gave up - I didn’t want to just have one drink and knew that I wouldn’t be able to do it. Even now I do not think about future social events. Every morning I commit to just not drinking today. It’s a choice we are making here and some days we may choose not to be sober.

For now though, I will not drink today.

@Seenoevil33 definitely the best ( and only really) thing I took from AA was the mantra, For Today I Will Not Drink.
It's enough and it works.

I must admit when I first joined this thread, I felt only ' half - in', as I was moderating. In fact, I nearly left as I felt like an imposter !
Now, though, having finally realised I can't moderate ( I can't even drink), I'm looking forward to getting to 100 days.

@Goandygo no imposters here - we are all just trying our best. I am so proud of reaching 20 weeks and am happy to continue- in fact I am the happiest I have been in years.

Hi all, can I join please? I am really going to need the support and encouragement. My amazing nan is on end of life care and I am heartbroken. I do not want to use alcohol as a crutch. This will be day 1 of a very long struggle with alcohol. I am dreading it but I am also excited to stop.

Hope the rest of you are feeling positive and are keeping strong.

Definitely no imposters. We ARE all trying our best.

Welcome @wecandothis2025 . I am so sorry about your nan. Thinking of you. xx

@Seenoevil33 I am thinking of all the time and money I wasted as well as other issues I drink to squish down are struggling to the surface. I usually drink to blot those out. I need to just get through it and look forwards, not back.

to all

Thanks @FeelingLessTired I feel like your title name for sure. My lovely nan passed away this morning at 5.54am so I’m going to need some support more than ever. I feel a massive sense of relief that she is not suffering anymore but it won’t have hit me yet.

I can relate to all of the excuses you make to have a drink, holidays, sunny evening, hard day, weekend etc etc. It’s so draining. We need to try and focus on the reasons we shouldn’t drink, I can think of ALOT!

Hugs to all of us going through this x