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

@nowinetimeforme that really sucks. Glad you're not as bad as you could be, but still sound terrible. Feel better soon!

Well done!

Thanks @Fiftyandme@Springadorable@ImFineItsAllFine

Im not feeling too bad today, the rash has got a lot better. I just feel a bit low on energy. I went out for dinner this evening and obviously didn’t drink as I don’t want to make it worse. I think if I was well I definitely would have had a couple of pints but I can also see that my night would not really have been any different / better if I had. We were out with the kids, it was fish and chips and although it’s delicious a couple of pints of lager on top really wouldn’t add to the experience but I would have either drunk them, or found it really hard not to drink them, had I not been unwell. It’s so odd. Why can’t I have this clarity at the beginning of the evening and recognise that my evening will not (in most cases) be any better if I drink and yet I have all the downsides of drinking to contend with.

anyway, it’s a journey as they say! I’ve definitely got some way to go but I feel like I’m on the right track. Xx

That’s great! Well done.

im definitely focusing on keeping November very low alcohol so I don’t hit December in the grips of a daily drinking habit.

Morning all.

It’s nearly the weekend and the end of October.

Any plans for the weekend?

Alton towers for Halloween plus baking and a birthday party for youngest’s friend - and I plan on staying alcohol free.

65 units in October - more than I had hoped for, but around half of my (recent months) usual.

Im going to attempt to knock that figure in half again for November.

Oh what a nightmare, really hope it clears asap. Even worse that you're away too. Gutted for you x

@StarlightRobot That's great that you can see so many positives, mine are similar to yours too. Hope you manage to sort the other symptoms out x

Afternoon all,

We had a lovely halloween party last night and I had a couple of glasses of mulled wine. I can't believe it's been almost a month on this journey, it's been great and still is seeing how far we've all come.

@Fiftyandme that sounds like a great weekend. I will be AF for the next 2 days and I'm out on Sunday for food and possibly a few drinks as I have allocated Sunday & Monday as my drinking days should I want one. x

Happy Halloween and happy last day of Sober October!

Happy halloween guys xx

Happy Halloween!

Happy halloween all! Can't quite believe it is the last day of October. DH is off out with a friend tonight and I'm driving the kids to a halloween party, so I'm pretty confident I'm not going to be drinking tonight, which will get me over the line with 0 units in October 😀

As my plan (such as it is) is never to drink on my own again, and I doubt DH is going to want anything tomorrow night after going out tonight, I think it's going to be at least Sunday before i have a drink. might even see if I can keep going till next wekend.

Big well done everyone!! I think all of us (including those who have had blips - such as me!) have drunk much much less than usual. And that can only be a good thing. It's been so nice to honestly discuss how normal drinking at least bottle of wine a night had become, despite not being ok about it. And interesting to hear that a lot of us pretty much functioned fine on it, if a bit grumpy and groggy. Apart from the afternoons when I feel like I really fancy a glass of wine, I've definitely enjoyed feeling brighter in the days and mornings than usual!

We did it! Here’s how my month ended up looking…
I had about the equivalent of one bottle of wine over the course of the month. That’s what I’d have normally drunk every evening (and more on weekends).
I’m going to carry on in November but maybe not as strict with myself. I’m worried about December.

@CosyAutumn brilliant work! I drank five times (but one time was only a glass of prosecco at a birthday tea) which would have been a typical week for me. So I'm happy with that. Also going to continue. Wasn't exactly sober October, but probably 100 units down on where I usually would be.

Well done all of us! I think I probably drank the equivalent as you @CosyAutumn

I am going to continue to be strict with myself. Just had some private blood tests back and while they are nothing to worry about, there are a couple of liver markers that were very slightly raised. One was likely dehydration according to the HCP, as I’d expected to have the test much later in the day and they’d rearranged, this one I’ve had tested plenty of time and it’s always completely normal.

Anyways, it’s enough tangible evidence to make me continue to stick with my hot chocolate for the moment. This type of thing motivates me, appreciate we are all different!

I’m happy to keep posting or start a new thread, I’m sure @Springadorablehad a great thread title idea previously but I’m on my phone and scrolling is hard.

Well done you lovely people x

Huge well done everyone on the massive reductions in alcohol intake. I didn't drink at all in the end but my KFC and Pringles intake skyrocketed, so that's something else to work on in November and beyond. Over the last month I've definitely worked out that with a full time job and 2 neurospicy children, by the evening I'm grabbing at easy ways to treat myself for just getting through the day. So my goal is to redirect that drive away from booze and food!

I think my favourites I've thought of are "mostly Soberistas" and "sip(s) happens"

Helloooooo from Alton Towers, where it’s pissed it down for a solid hour and I’ve discovered just how amazing running gear is. I should be chilled to the bone!

I've made a new thread for anyone who wants to hop on. I love a new sliding door moment, and 1st Nov feels like that. https://www.mumsnet.com/talk/alcohol_support/5437074-mostly-soberistas-heavier-drinkers-trying-to-moderate