200 days alcohol-free- the second thread!

[FeelingLessTired]

Hello!

1000 messages snuck up on me on the first thread!!

@Goandygo

@paintcolourchart

@88expertprocastinator

any anyone else who wishes to join or return you are MOST welcome.

The aim is 200 days AF and/or beyond. There is no judgment here and we are supportive of all of us who wish to change their relationship with alcohol.

I stopped at Day 43 and have been drinking since then but am committed to getting back on this wonderful wagon.

Look forward to the next thread with all our wonderful MNetters.

@FeelingLessTired thank you for the shiny new thread! Just checking in and will be back later x

@FeelingLessTired thank you and I'm here.

I'm 118 days today ( just had to add it up). And strangely, I'm having A Wobble.
We have a busy, celebratory weekend ahead and whilst I know I can celebrate without alcohol, I'm still having thoughts toward it.
Anyway, I spoke to an addiction counsellor and my new phrase is No Matter What.
We can do it, people !
( I'm going to get either Aldis Nozecco / Rose one, or Kylie's pink one. I'll stick a strawberry in).

Love your new phrase @Goandygo . Keep us posted.

It reminds me of the phrase Holly Whitaker has in her books 'Never Question The Decision'.

@FeelingLessTired oh yes, I've heard that one before. NQTD - It makes sense, too !
I didn't cave. Deep down I don't want to - it's just a thought. Had af bud instead with a dash of lime. I'm only 2 days away from 120 and I can speak to the gp Tuesday.
Hope you're ok ❤️

That is so brilliant that you did not cave @Goandygo Good on you!!

Day 44 today. I've stopped counting vegetarian days because I realised I must have started on Sep 1st so I am counting months now. Looking forward to when I can do that for booze.

Hope everyone has a good day. We are going toi swimming lessons (yawn) then an English Heritage place near us. I am looking forward to spending today's not-drinking money on cake. (My new motto... be enthusiastic and fake it till you make it).

see you all later!!

Hi everyone. May I join? I am on day 35 here. I feel so much better than I did before when I was drinking every day! But it is still hard. I nearly had a drink last night. I am planning on doing 100 days initially but maybe I will continue after that too.

I stopped 1 year and 9 months ago due to liver chorrosis. Was wondering today about whether its OK to miss the hazardous drinking days ?

Day 46,apart from a couple of glasses of wine whilst on holiday in Italy. Previously it would have been several.bottles so I'm ok with that.
I read Annie Grace's This Naked Mind and it has really changed the way I view alcohol.

@Namewitheldagain well done on Day 35. It's not easy is it, but I think it's worth it, too. What stopped you last night ? ( well done by the way!). I stop myself by playing it forward. I was tempted yesterday ( not by much, just a thought), but this morning I've had a house of 10 year old girls and who wants to be tired / hungover dealing with that ?!
@Cheese55 I think it's perfectly OK to miss those days. Sometimes though, I'm definitely wearing the rose tinted glasses - it wasn't ever much fun for me. I do know what you mean though. I'm actually really enjoying 0% fizz - I honestly never thought I'd say that.
@Hedjwitch well done on Day 46 - you're doing great.
I did Annie's 30 day experiment about 5 years ago. It was actually one of the first things I did when I realised I had a problem. I enjoyed it, but had nowhere to go after if you see what I mean, so old habits crept back up.

@Goandygo i think what stopped me was how disappointed I knew I’d feel this morning if I had drunk. I had af wine which wasn’t as bad as I was expecting. My boss had given me a bottle of wine as a gift for helping with something at work and somehow I left it in my car boot. I am on my own tonight again and being alone is a big trigger for me so I’m thinking of a plan for tonight!

@Namewitheldagain yes, the feeling of being disappointed in myself has stopped me a few times.
I don't think I could have wine in the house. Or nearby - I'd hear it calling me.
Having said that, I think I'd be ok nowadays ( I mean on previous attempts, definitely not). It's a lot different this time. I suppose I don't want to drink.
Hope you've soon got a plan in place - you can do it !

@Namewitheldagain how did you get on last night ?

Well, 120 days today. I just wrote that in my diary, but actually stopped to think about it. It's a long time for me to abstain.
I feel like I've had some help as straight after my rock bottom moment I definitely didn't want to drink. I think I was in shock. Then I had the medication and that stopped me. The medication stopped a while ago though, and I still resisted.
I think overall I've been feeling too good ! Yes, I've had a few moments when I've lovingly remembered it, but I know deep down, it was no good for me. Nothing but trouble really.
And yes, I'm ( hopefully) getting the antabuse soon ( gp chat on Tuesday), and that's definitely going to keep me off it. I hope I can get it and there are no problems.
🤞
Hope everyone is OK and we've woken up refreshed ( I.e not hungover).
We're out for the day. I'll be surrounded by bars and restaurants but Just For Today, I won't drink.

@Goandygo thank you for thinking of me. Pleased to say I went for a run, cooked a nice but quick dinner, took the dog round the block and watched a film. I had some af wine. I know lots of people find it triggering but for me it gives me the feeling of having a treat that real wine used to. I was in bed by 10 and, if I’m honest, still am! With my cup of tea and marvelling at the morning of day 36!

Welcome @Cheese55 @Hedjwitch @Namewitheldagain !!

I never got on with AF wine myself @Namewitheldagain . Do you one you like?

Day 45 for me. Struggled yesterday but 'Just for today'.

hope everyone has a great day

@Namewitheldagain well done ! That's a great result 💪 and day 36 is brilliant.
@FeelingLessTired well done for not caving. It's so hard when that feck it button is looming, but you won 🥉

@FeelingLessTired to be honest none of the wines are perfect (whereas af beer tastes exactly the same to me). This was a red from Sainsbury’s. It was more about the ritual of pouring it if you see what I mean.

what are people’s long term plans after their 100/200/whatever days. Or, like me, is it too early to say?

@Namewitheldagain af beer exactly same to me.
I'm aiming for 200 days early December, 1 year end of May 2026 and by the time I'm 60, I hope to be freeeee, and 2 years sober.

Hi everyone, and welcome newcomers! Sorry I'm just hopping on quickly as I've not posted for a few days.

Sorry I've been a bit absent since the new thread - been simultaneously busy but struggling. One minute I know AF life is absolutely the way to go but on the other I'm just not sure if I'm strong enough right now. My exams are looming as well as the rest of my submissions and on one hand the slip ups I had reminded me I don't need to drink, it's so bad for me etc but it also did feel like it was a stress outlet which I know is silly and it's actually the opposite. When I was exercising regularly and eating properly it was much easier to abstain and I felt great, but now I've dropped the ball on those things because I'm spending all the time I can on my exam prep/submissions it's like they've all dropped. I was very very tempted last night, but did resist, only because DH talked some sense into me though and not because of my own willpower.

Well done on 120 days @Goandygo that really is amazing!

I would have been on day 85 today, but it's 81/85 days. Still really pleased with myself but my mindset isn't where it was 30 days ago. It's actually closer to 80 days ago except now I know how good AF is. It baffles me that I know how good it is and yet I'm already thinking about a glass of wine tonight.

Hope everyone has a great day and sorry will engage a bit better going forward - I'm having a rare Sunday study day which is normally not possible with DS so making the most of it.

@Goandygo off to bed but wanted to say huge congratulations to you - a massive achievement x

Hall. Sorry for not posting alot.

Best of luck with your exams @paintcolourchart . It is a stressful time.

day 46 for me. Busy day ahead for me. Hope everyon is fine and well.

I had a lovely weekend - but yesterday, I did have another wobble. I was fine on our day out, it was when we got home. But that's not surprising really as that's where I did my wine drinking. I'd come home from a Day Out with 2 bottles of wine and proceed to get drunk.
My af wine was not good. I'm not buying it again - I think it actually triggered me. Af lager and lime is my drink now.
But af wine = no smoking, no talking or texting rubbish, no hangover etc etc, so alcohol free (lager) the way forward.
I also had a moment when I wondered if getting the antabuse is too extreme. I did the Why Me pity party. Why can't I have a normal relationship with it, blah blah ? But I'm ok today.
I'm going to get the antabuse and continue enjoying the benefits of an af life. The alternative doesn't bear thinking about.
Have a great day, folks.
.

Cards on table, @Goandygo I wish with all my heart i had the courage to go to the GP for antabuse. I admire your courage. I have a difficult relationship with my GP for various reasons, so I dare not. (We are on the waiting list for an alternative practice).

I quite like AF sparkling wine- so will get one today because yesterday was hard. The placebos do work for me, I think. Beer though makes me so .... burpy....

You have a good day too.

@Goandygo if the Antabuse will help you abstain then do it. I'm attaching my try dry for this month. You can clearly see that that one initial session has kicked me right back to bad habits. I can't do that again, I really can't. I'm drawing a line under it now and going back to abstaining. We are going to a concert tonight and I won't be drinking. Last time I went to a concert I was in a different (and much shorter) AF phase and the concert was great without. Very much looking forward to it and I'll have a clear day tomorrow rather than writing it off.

Hope your appointment goes ok today - let us know!

Sorry I've been a bit absent from here as well, lost my mojo a bit!

@FeelingLessTired hope you're doing okay x

@paintcolourchart you sound so positive and determined - I'm deflated 😒.
Gp was lovely but they don't prescribe it per se. You have to be under Alcohol Support. Rang them. Basically I'm over the 3 months abstention ( oh thee irony), and lady said even then, it's used sparingly.
Recommended AA or Smart meetings. I don't want a meeting.
I'm feeling deflated as I had my hopes pinned on it. I shouldn't have really, but I don't know how these things work.
Sunday I could have drank. I was hanging on for today.
Now I don't know what to do or even if I can. Seed is planted and in all honesty, if I weren't working today, I'd go out.