Continuing support thread for those trying to live an alcohol free life - summer 2025

[Onewildandpreciouslife]

Hello and welcome. I’m glad you’ve found your way here. We are a bunch of people who are trying to give up and keep off alcohol. No judgement, just honest support and kindness.

The original thread was started by @drybird in 2020 and we have plenty of veterans and newer members who can offer advice and signposting. You are welcome here, whether you post several times a day, once or twice and then never again, or if you just come to read but have no intention of ever posting.

Whatever your stage on the AF journey, and whatever you’re going through, someone here will have gone through it too. Don’t be shy about posting, we love to celebrate your successes of whatever shape and size - and will support you when things get challenging. We get it, we've been there too.

All we ask is that you’re genuinely trying to abstain completely . If you’re looking to moderate your drinking rather than quitting it altogether then MN has another long-running and very active moderation thread that’s always near the top on the alcohol support board. Lots of fine support there if that is your aim. That doesn’t mean that none of us has ever slipped, or that you can’t post here if you do - all we ask is that you are genuinely trying to stop drinking alcohol completely.

It’s not easy to be sober, but it is so, so worth it. Your alcohol-free life can be better than you ever dreamed. Come on in.

This is the new thread @LillyPJ @FaithHopeCarnage @WendyWagon @mumzof4x @Healthynow @mermadeincornwall @REP22

Please can someone try to link to it? It’s defeating me!

I think I've done the link @Onewildandpreciouslife ! It took a while - on about my sixth attempt I got it the wrong way round and tried to put a link on here to the spring thread... Hope this time I got it right!

Oh well done! Thank you x

Thank you x

Thank you too! And thanks for not chucking me off. Day 3 again. Determined for it to be the last day 3. Thanks for the advice. Am actually scared of listening to podcasts etc in case I don’t like what they say! But I like seeing friends be ill with alcohol less, and I don’t want the same for me.
thank you for the patience and the support.
I did not DWYT

Thanks for this thread, I'd like to join, I've been lurking on the previous thread and it's given me great strength in the last 8 weeks since I've stopped drinking.
I'm about 60 days alcohol free and oscillate between being thrilled I've gotten this far and equally feeling like I'm at the end of a big mountain.
I've had some great wins in rhe last month and have had two family parties and two work events sober with my alcohol free beers. The lack of hangovers has been so liberating too.
All the best wherever you all are on this wild sobriety ride :)

Hello @Teaforthetotal and well done on getting so far! That's brilliant.

Hi. I joined this thread briefly a while back, but I'm ashamed to say I slipped back into bad habits. I need to rejoin and start the journey again. I'm determined to succeed this time. So I'll be beginning at day one.....

Hello @Swanchaser I'm glad you've found us - the more the merrier (though perhaps 'merry' isn't an appropriate word in this case!) Good luck this time.

I periodically have a no social media few days. In that time you have filled the thread!
sober and safe today
have a good one all

Bugger have name changed and forgot to change back

Morning all.

I completely get that @Healthynow - there were articles that talked about being sober that I just couldn’t read! But there’s a sign outside a gym near me that says “if it doesn’t challenge you, it doesn’t change you.” Maybe give a podcast a go?

Welcome @Teaforthetotal and well done on your 60 days, especially with some tricky challenges thrown in.

Welcome back @Swanchaser

Had a tough day yesterday dealing with some emotional stuff - very similar to what led to my drinking becoming completely out of control. But I managed to get through it.

Morning all.

Up and I have already eaten a banana sandwich.
Thanks to @Onewildandpreciouslife for the new thread. If I'm awol for a few days it's because I have early meetings. We need to start the takeover paperwork. I've decided to take a buy out if it's offered and the DH and I will retire. It's amazing what peace that has brought me. No more shitty interviews ever again. No more toxic colleagues. I shall go back to choral singing and watching countdown without guilt. Bliss.

I could have been dead in a gutter from alcohol abuse and I could have been on my way out earlier this year. I'm not and I'm greatful for that. Don't waste a day ladies. Wine is but rotten fruit in water.

We are taking the DC to see the farmhouse today. Hopefully no bidding war. I'm offering asking price, that's it. I've never offered asking price in my life!

Exciting times @WendyWagon - I hope it all goes through smoothly for you

Morning beautiful sober shipmates.
I will not drink today.

Sometimes I think about jumping overboard for a quick dip. I won't.
I'm using this as a reminder that I still have a way to go on this voyage.

Sending strength to stay sober,and to treat ourselves holistically.
🌹🌺🌻🌷🪻🌞

As per usual I'm playing catch-up on this inspirational thread.
Thank you @Onewildandpreciouslife for taking the role of Captain 👏

Welcome back @Swanchaser. We’re in the same boat literally ! Day 2 for me, we can do this !
I told myself, I’m not starting over but coming back to myself ! I am choosing strength again. We’ve done this before and we can do this again - we know what to do x
Im right behind you @Healthynow- Day 2 for me and well done on your day 3 .
Im not a huge podcast or quit litter either but have found Annie Grace podcasts very inspirational and easy to listen to . Have a kind and soberful day all x

Hello! I saw this pop up and realised I haven't swung by for a while. So lovely to see the threads are still going and thank you @Onewildandpreciouslife for this one.

I am still joyfully alcohol.free and fully intend to stay that way forever! I wish the same for all of us.

How's the ankle Repp22 ? And cabin boy Sid?

The house sounds beautiful @WendyWagon, fingers crossed for you. Thank you for hosting the spring thread.

Welcome @Teaforthetotal, and welcome back @Swanchaser, hopefully we can help.

Big group hug( for our mental health )🌻💕

Good morning shipmates. Thank you for the new thread @Onewildandpreciouslife - it's an honour to sail with you at the helm. Lovely to see Admiral of the Fleet @Drybird2020 - I'm so happy that you're still sober and well. You launched a real force for good when you started the original thread, back in the day, so many lives helped. Including this one. Thank you.❤️

Hope your offer is accepted @WendyWagon - it all sounds very exciting.

Welcome back @Swanchaser - good to see you again. Welcome also @Teaforthetotal - I'm glad you found us.

The ankle is still a bit iffy @mermadeincornwall - but much on the mend. More crucially, Sid is very much recovered. His hammock has been fully cleaned, all affected decks swabbed and he had a good night. More normal botty-functions in train this morning, praise be. He enjoyed his plain chicken dinner last night. Thank you for asking after us; that means a lot. I am off to the Harry Potter Studios in a few days (birthday present from last year's big 'un) and determined that I won't be hobbling around the sets like a tit, hehe.

@Healthynow - I'm not one for podcasts much either, though I did listen to Sober Dave's 'One for the Road' a few times when I was proper down in the depths and trying to pull free. Clare Pooley's "The Sober Diaries" and Catherine Gray's "The Unexpected Joy of Being Sober" were the two books that helped me the most and I still dip into them from time to time.

Here's Sid, heralding you all with a chew in the shade, celebrating the new thread and wishing us all strength and courage. Not that he will share the chew, mind. You will have to get your own.

With love. Keep going - it will be alright. xx

Just adding a marker to this thread so I can find it easily!

I'm on day 150 🙂

I've had a really tough few weeks at work and couldn't have done it without a clear head. And now through the other end!

Congratulations @taylorean ! Glad you found the new thread.

Hope everyone in the early days is doing ok - these first few days are the hardest, so hang in there x

Evening all
I did not drink today (I scoffed a huge pack of fruit pastilles though !!) eeeeeew

I ate ice cream last night. A lot of icecream
but safe and sober

Good morning, thankyou for your welcome back. I went to bed ridiculously early last night to beat the cravings. Was so worth it! Lots of wakeful moments but also some sleep, and I didn't drink!