Sober October Challenge

[KK1983]

Good afternoon 😊

As the title suggests, I have decided to give 'Sober October' my all and go alcohol free for 31 days. This challenge might be a walk in the park for some but this is going to be HUGE for me. In the past 12yrs, I can't even remember the last time I have even gone a week sober, let alone a month!

So, I am a daily drinker. I have 1-2 bottles per day, sometimes more over the weekend. I have a successful job and a beautiful life but my drinking is becoming more of an issue that I ever thought it would be. I think about it more than I want, plan days around it and spend far too much money on it. Alcoholism runs in my family so i'm aware of the signs which is why I need to get a grip asap. I want to be able to moderate.

If you saw me in the street you'd look at me and think I have my shit together. I have the house, the kids, the marriage, the job - the lot! Drinking became a friend when I had none and when I was lonely after my daughter was born and my husband worked nights. Now drinking feels part of my personality, people know me as someone who loves a drink, the life and soul and I used to love that but now, I'm bored of myself.

I have tried to go sober several times but I get to day 4 and give in after finding any tiny excuse to reward myself. Night 1 always feels a bit rough. I role around the bed for hours on end and get a little anxious but nothing too bad. Day 2 I feel hungover without the fun the night before. Day 3 I cry a lot and become quite irritated. Day 4 - I quit! Not this time though, I NEED to do this and I WILL do this.

To help me along the way I have started taking the following vitamins:

• Vitamin B Complex high strength
• Live friendly gut bacteria
• Vitamin B1 500mg x2
• Iron
• Biotin & Zinc
• Vitamin D & K2

Can any recommend anything else or have any tips to help me along the way?

Thank you for taking the time to read this,
Kate x

@Youngatheart00 How you feeling today?

Forecast had been sunny and 16C so we've come to the zoo. It's bloody freezing and misty 😂 but, it would be much much worse with a hangover!

Morning!

Checking in for day 14 here. Nearly halfway!

@Youngatheart00 boredom is a massive trigger for me to. My DH works nights so often find myself with a drink instead for company. Enjoying these fresh mornings especially the weekends. Off to dunhelm in a little to treat myself to some new bedding. Have a lovely Sunday everyone

Oops sorry - I did mean @Youngatheart00, tagged the wrong person.

Enjoy the clear head and home-type chores @KK1983

Today is my long run day and it’s always a bit of a danger day for me as I’m nicely physically tired and always feel like I can justify a large glass of wine because I’ve run for 2 hours etc. DH used to have a glass ready and a lovely slow cooked meal when I got in from doing a marathon. There’s a lot of associations between running long and having a glass. I won’t drink, but the wine witch will visit around 5pm and dance a merry tune in my head. 😊

Hi all, woke up a lot happier than yesterday. Didn’t drink yesterday and won’t drink today.

Am cooking a roast for myself, my best friends and 2 of my godchildren today, would usually have a glass in hand but thankfully my friend isn’t a big drinker herself so am about to pop out for some “posh” AF drinks so it still feels a treat.

Sunday would often be prime boredom day for me under the slowly building haze of a couple of bottles. I’m relishing the chilly walk up to the shops and feeling present for the kids.

you lot are all bloody brilliant, thank you ❤️ have a lovely Sunday all

Ha this is me too! I don't tend to buy very expensive wine, so I think I'm spending a similar amount on fancy juices and Fever Tree tonics. No blips for me yet so far though so it's got to be worth it.

It seems to have been a bit quiet on the thread today. Hope everyone’s had a good Sunday!

How did the long run go today needastrongoneagain? Are you training for anything at the moment?

something that might be of interest - there’s a bit in alcohol explained (feel like u keep banging on about this book, I’m not on commission I promise!) where he talks about the impact of heavy drinking on athletic performance. Because alcohol raises your HR artificially (ie you are inactive so you don’t need extra oxygen in yoir system) your body compensates by decreasing the amount of red blood cells in your blood. It’s the exact opposite effect of training. Alcohol basically de-trains your body! 🤯

My concerted effort to get back into regularly exercising started in September. I drank less in September but still too much. The last couple of weeks I have started to feel little glimpses of the feeling I used to get when I was cycling / running a lot. That feeling of strength and control and focus. It’s really motivating for me to the extent that I know if I can keep exercising I will stay off the booze because I won’t want to drink.

Hope everyone had a good weekend xx

This is really interesting - I had blood tests recently and my RBCs were low despite normal iron, B12 and folate levels 🙈 think I'm going to need to keep going with this way past October!

It’s pretty terrifying isn’t it? I think we bury our heads in the sand about the health side because we feel ok-ish in the morning (or maybe we just get used to feeling a bit shit all the time 🙄)

Morning.

Thanks for asking @nowinetimeforme- it went really well. I’ve got a bit of a niggly right side at present, which is better for running on the flat, so I drove to one of my favourite running spots that I rarely go to these days due to life circumstances. Beautiful day and scenery, lovely coffee from the little independent cafe there - all the triggers for a drink later for feeling good! I nearly caved in truth and even sniffed DH’s G&T (he has to odd small one these days but generally likes his AF), but I didn’t have one.

I’ve read similar re RBC. The physical effects of alcohol are probably my biggest driver in keeping going in truth. DH’s stroke changed our lives radically and he did drink too much (probably contributed but an undiagnosed medical condition was likely causal). I need/want to stay as fit for as long as possible, I might be able to do the stuff I can’t do at present and want to be well enough to do so. My parents are in their 90’s and extremely well. Why am I compromising my future? I tick all the other health boxes, just can’t keep conveniently ignoring this one! I’m happy to read or listen to anything re health and alchohol, no problem here!

I’m going to keep going longer than October, I wonder if we should keep this thread going?

Monday again - easiest day of the week for me, just because it’s Monday and theres really no credible reason (plenty of excuses!) to drink today!

What a lovely supportive thread❤️

Ps - had a few issues re account, so I might have posted with 2 very (VERY) similar user names - I’m the same ME, and hopefully it’s sorted!

Definitely some (lots) of head in the sand going on, and agree @needastrongoneagain, everything else is strong health wise so we need to not sabotage that! Yes, I've found this thread so helpful and I've had my longest sober streak in three years (and that's only because I was pregnant, so not exactly my choice) so if anyone is keen to keep going after I'll join!

@needastrongoneagain1i was going to ask who's considering keeping this up after october? Im not sure. Id love to say i will but still have the niggly feeling of id love a drink while also loving not having any iyswim?
The health benefits are very interesting. I just started reading 'the unexpected joy of being sober'. I like these books for the facts.
Happy monday everyone!

I am not sure if I will NOT drink again. I’m not sure I want that, at least not at present. Maybe though. I’ll settle for one day at a time!

I went on a running training camp in February with my training group. It was a very postive environment to be abroad and not drink as you might imagine, folk were not tee total, but generally maybe had a small beer with dinner type drinking.

I only had one drink that week. It was on the last day. We’d done a very long week of hard training and it was our afternoon off so we’d gone to the local town and were sitting in a bar which overlooked a marina. I had an ice cold Sauvignon while admiring the mega expensive yachts and people watching. I enjoyed every sip and really savoured it. I didn't want or have another. I’d like my future relationship with alcohol to be more like that, if that’s possible.

Good to see folk are thinking though about their relationship with alcohol too. I’ll look out for that book too @dumplinggirland glad you’d keep going @Springadorable😊

Yes, this is definitely my longest sober streak too in a long time. I actually dont want to try to calculate how long

I’d love to keep this thread going post October but my target is currently moderation / very low alcohol consumption. That might change, I might decide I can’t drink sufficiently little or I might decide it’s taking up too much brain space to moderate but we’ll see. I’d love for us to be able to keep supporting each other though!

I think for me I'd be aiming for not drinking as standard (compared to a bottle of wine as standard) but ok to drink for events or special occasions. I just don't want to slip back to groggy and disliking my drinking. Plus the blood test results were a bit of a shock, I thought I was getting away with it...

Maybe a "Mostly Soberistas" thread 😂

Im on 16 days here and cant quite believe how good im feeling. Initially had some crazy dreams and felt really tired but feel like im coming out of that phase now.

Interestingly I felt like I could properly relax at the weekend for the first time in a long time guilt- free. Has anyone else has this?

Ive also had some real clarity about a friendship that’s become really toxic and I want to end.

Im defo going to keep up the streak after October because I really think ill start to see more benefits as time goes on.

Well done BountifulPantry! That sounds so positive. I have done 3 months before and you do get more and more benefits as time passes (although obviously the really big stuff happens in the first few weeks). I have felt much more relaxed knowing that I am not going to drink. It feels like a relief to have already made the decision.

I was planning on meeting a friend later this week where it would have been very difficult not to drink and she has just cancelled. I was so pleased to get her message this morning 😂

Mostly Soberistas sounds perfect!

Agree re the blood tests. I think the liver just quietly carries on not protesting in a way that we can’t see, until it can’t…

Brilliant @BountifulPantry, really well done. Keep banking the good feeling and celebrate the clarity and how well you feel.

I haven't been on much the last few days - 2 ND kids with chickenpox at the same time has been challenging to say the least! Thankfully they seem to have turned the corner and I think the eldest will be back to school tomorrow and the youngest probably a day or two later.

Day 13 for me - I don't tend to drink when the DC are ill so the last few days have actually been easier. But now they are getting better and DH is away with work for the rest of this week, so that's going to be a challenge as literally no one will know (except me) if I have a drink.

Well done!! I am glad the kids seem to be improving, fingers crossed they are both over it soon.