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

Ahh thanks everyone this thread has really helped me.

Good luck to everyone!

Hey guys,

Will read back and catch up when I'm home shortly, it's hard to read everything properly on my phone - prefer the laptop. Hope everyone is doing well xx

It's recycling day here tomorow and I've just put the box of glass out, just 1 wine bottle (that DH had over a few days last week) and the rest is Fever Tree tonic. Bit of a change from the usual shameful pile of wine bottles!

@ImFineItsAllFine ours is on Thurs and I almost feel like curtain twitching to make sure I put out my booze free bag (well, minus my blip bottle 😅) at the same time as a neighbour!

I'll be keeping up with my new way of drinking and new mindset 100%. I know longer want to drink daily and some days it doesn't even enter my mind to drink. In the past when I've done a few days off, I've never really gave myself enough time to feel the benefits but I can really feel them this time. x

Good morning 🙋🏻‍♀️

My sleep seems to have gone a bit rubbish again for some reason. I keep waking at 3/4am and just lay there for a couple of hours. God knows what that's all about?!

I've got a lovely day/night planned with DH so I'm looking forward to that. Will I drink? Not sure, just going to see how I feel and enjoy a well earned day together. He's pretty much T-total anyway so the pressure to drink won't be there.

I'd love to keep the thread going but my going to moderate after October and I'd love to still keep in touch with you all. Whether that be in this thread or a new one.

xx

@KK1983 I'd like to keep in touch with everybody too - I'm not going to be aiming for total abstinence but sensible, social drinking that doesn't involve a bottle of wine in one sitting and isn't on so many days of the week.

When I did Dry January, I rebounded quite rapidly into bad drinking habits - it was like my brain said "well you managed give up drinking for a month so obviously you don't have a problem with alcohol" and by about April I'd undone all my hard work. So I'm going to be alert to signs of that happening again.

@ImFineItsAllFine Same, I'm going to really watch my drinking pattern once the shackles of October are gone. I definitely feel stronger than I thought I would.

I’m planning to carry on until the end of November. Not sure about the lead up to Christmas, though. I’ll have to be careful if I go back to drinking. I think I’ll need rules.

Im going on a nice day out this week with Dh. Ive already kind of made my mind up that ill have a couple of glasses of wine. But also, a bit disappointed about it

Do you know specifically what makes you disappointed by the thought of drinking? Is it the thought of ‘giving in’? Or is it that you think you’ll feel physically or mentally bad after?

someone cancelled on me this week and I was relieved because I thought I’d probably drink if I met up with said person. Which is a bit mad isn’t it? Why was I relieved that I wasn’t going to do something I didn’t have to do anyway? Our brains are messed up 😂

eta - oh just to add. I met up with someone I would normally drink with at the beginning of October and I decided to have the first drink AF and then if I wanted a glass of wine after that I’d have one. I didn’t want one after the first AF drink so that’s a tactic I think I’ll employ in the future.

How’s everyone doing? The early posters… @SoberOctober2025 @Todayisanewday75 etc

Ah, thanks so much for checking in, you’re so kind! Sept/Oct are my busiest work periods so I’ve found the days flying by relatively easily/quickly thankfully, but it’s always nice to know this thread is here to check in if I feel the urge. Weekends are generally when I get that real pang of ‘god I’d love to just chill with a bottle of Pinot ’ but even then, I’ve just been so exhausted that my bed has been treat enough 🙈 Thinking of extending to No Drink November with a friend of mine, but I’m not committing to anything just yet!

How’s everything going for you? x

Definitely extend in fact… indefinitely?

You said that the OP’s circa were practically identical to you… so were you having 1-2 bottles a night?

@nowinetimeforme, its the thoughts of giving in. The kind of day out it is, it'll only be a drink here and there, not solidly drinking all day. Its more that im afraid that ill continue the day after and so on...
Glad everyone is doing well, I had a great sleep last night

I know what you mean.

You think « oh Ill just have one » then its one the following night too. Then theres the 1/2 empty bottle in the fridge which you cant possibly waste. Then xyz happens so you tell yourself its justifiable .Before you know it you’re back to square 1.

Im on day 18 now. I think I’m sleeping well but still quite tired day to day and also still having crazy vivid dreams which aren’t very restful!

@Yourcalllove thanks for thinking of me. I’m finally back on track, emotionally it’s a great relief but physically I’m struggling with exhaustion while not being able to sleep and awful digestion. I too would like to take this beyond October, extending my alcohol free streaks and minimising my drinking days, with a focus on socialising, no more drinking at home in the kitchen. After all these years of drinking I really feel the need to heal my body.

That said I’m going away for a few days all inclusive at the end of the month. Won’t drink much as will just be DD and me (and no DP constantly going to the bar) so will need to be fairly sensible.

Strange response @Yourcalllove? I have had periods of drinking 1-2 bottles of an evening, but not every evening, and generally in periods of high stress, such as my beloved grandmother, my uncle, my father, my beautiful dog and my best friend dying in the last few years. In general, my drinking is at weekends where I could easily sink a bottle on my own and sometimes more, and the occasional midweek 1/2 bottles of wine… that is too much for me personally and I have to watch myself to moderate as unfortunately there is a history of alcohol abuse in my family which is why I’m hyper aware.

Im happy with my sober October, if it extends to November then super. If not, then moderation is the key for me and I enjoy doing these dry periods to prove I’m not like some other unfortunate members of my family.

Is that response acceptable to you?

Morning all. I’m still here, just been hiding a bit. On the plus side, partner is now away and I’ve not even had the urge to drink, at all. Not even considered it. It’s him and the death-by-a-thousand-papercuts. I’m a different person when he’s not around.

Ahhhhhh…. The penny has just dropped. You’re @Yoyotuxthe poster goading me on another thread and you’ve followed me here, to a thread that is supposed to be a safe space for those who are sober curious, abstaining or moderating alcohol.

My goodness you’re a nasty piece of work.

I was just wondering where Yourcalllove* *had come from (they haven't posted on this thread before the one tagging you).

How odd!

Ya, have a look at my other thread, they’re pretty unrelenting, I have reported 🙄

@SoberOctober2025 eugh what is wrong with people. This has been a lovely supportive thread, and then you get people with rotten souls like that chipping in. Think we just don't engage with them and carry on supporting each other and helping each other stay sober(er).

I was wondering where such an unpleasant response came from, definitely not the tone of this thread