Calling Time on Wine - 100 Day Reset | Thread 2: One Day at a Time - Together

[therockingbird]

Welcome to Thread 2 of Calling Time on Wine 100 Day Reset 🍵

If you’re here, you’re doing something genuinely brilliant. This reset isn’t about perfection, shiny lives, or pretending it’s easy. It’s about choosing ourselves one day at a time, even when life keeps lobbing chaos our way.

We’ve already proven we can sit with hard evenings, bad days, stress, boredom, celebrations, and still not reach for wine.

Thread 2 is about keeping the momentum going, supporting each other, being honest when it’s tough, celebrating the wins and remembering why we started when motivation wobbles. Clearer heads. Stronger bodies. 💪

So pull up a chair, grab your tea, water, or AF alternative, and keep going. You are not doing this alone - and you are doing so well. 💛

@BitOfFun2026 I don't know if you use the Action for Happiness App but the daily action today was: if you want things to change take a small step forward. Action is the cure.

That's what youve already done with 3 days alcohol free- you've taken action. In terms of the uni work stuff- the cost to the trust of an extension is financial but the cost to you is your wellbeing. What advice would you give in that situation to a friend?

Welcome @BitOfFun2026 the first week is really tough and especially with all the pressure you are dealing with at work. I started taking a high strength B it complex when I quit and magnesium glycinate. Alcohol depletes B vitamins and prevents absorption.
I deal with quite a stressful job and tend to get put on a lot by colleagues with sloppy shoulders, however since I've not been drinking I've been able to calmly push back a little. I'm not suggesting you are a pushover but I would sometimes just do things because I was so tired and hungover it felt easier.
@Raindancer101 and @SwiftyFifty I hope you get your va va voom back soon from what I've read the exhaustion can come and go in waves and it's all part of the healing process.

I've had to deal with two really intense appointments today and I was so glad I had a clear head. I'm shattered now though but it's nice to get home and the first thing I do is stick the kettle on and change into my pyjamas rather than open a bottle of wine and drink it whilst still in my work clothes.
Life feels, dare I say it normal, instead of chaotic.

@BitOfFun2026
Welcome.to the thread and well done for starting and making it to 3 days. Your work situation sounds very hard indeed - i hope it improves. This is a great thread, full of super supportive and honest people (I'd say women but there may be the odd man - not sure!)

I came on to say im listening to Sarah Rusbatch's Beyond Booze. Someone on here mentioned it but I couldn't find the post. Wanted to give it a go as I feel like I've listened to/read almost everything else (at least the most mentioned books anyway).
I'm really getting a lot from it - especially her take on moderation, but many other points as well- it's made me think about how ive used alcohol as a crutch my whole life even when I was not at all aware of it.
Her focus is on creating an enjoyable.life without alcohol - something I'd desperately like to do!

@Icecreamhelps may I ask which high strength B vitamin you took/are taking? Ive looked at them but feel overwhelmed by the choice!
I'm the same with tea and pj's! :)

Hi @AuraBora of course they're from Holland and Barrett. It was me who mentioned Sarah Rusbatch's "Beyond Booze" it's really helping me too.

Morning all. I’m taking lots of supplements I wonder how bad I’d feel without them! Will give that podcast a listen as need something.
Day 60 tomorrow! That’s like two months!!

Oh haha sorry I couldn't remember! Glad it's helping you too! :)

Ive been taking some Berocca Mind tablets which have all B vitamins plus biotic, folic acid, iron, magnesium ans zinc (but none of those super strength)

Well I made it to three days and then late last night I caved. I have called in sick today but not because of the alcohol... I don't know how long I will be off for tbh as my MH is in the doldrums (I know wine doesn't help!) Been to see the GP this morning about other issues but right now I have a choice between a) stopping HRT and b) struggling with endometriosis....

Morning.

I am SO with you all re the exhaustion! I sleep the sleep of the dead, my sleep has never been better - in fact - it’s one of the best benefits of not drinking, among the many - but I’m in bed by 9.30pm and shattered by then too! It’s hopefully my body finally resting after years of alcohol induced sleep deprivation.

Welcome, @BitOfFun2026. I’m really sorry to hear about the stress and awful work situation, that sounds very hard. Well done for doing the 3 days. May I be honest? My husband had a massive stroke nearly 4 years ago now - life changing - he has many challenges now and myself and the dc are now caregivers. We had our own business too, and for the first 3 years I juggled managing running that, hospital visits, therapy, trauma, my DC’s emotions etc. Being honest, I self medicated with booze. I was very good at that. Wine was my escape and my therapy. Now that I’ve had a couple of months away (and a big reduction in drinking last year as a lead up to not drinking), I can see how much of the anxiety, exhaustion, brain fog (easy to blame menopause, less so admit I had an issue), lack of clarity etc was the booze and not the trauma. It’s taken a lot to admit that to myself, never mind anyone else.

My situation hasn’t been great, but we all have stuff, and my stuff is no worse than others. There are many positives in my life. I’m sadly only just seeing them now I have a calmer place in my head.

It might not be your time to think about giving up booze. That’s cool, you’ve a lot on. I do think you have to be in a place to give it a chance and 2 years ago, I also couldn’t have. I do know that the answer isn’t at the bottom of a glass, I’ve looked very hard - I promise it’s not there!

I’m just about to order some blood tests myself, so I’ll post the results too.

Supplements - magnesium, ashwaganda, some over priced and dubious menopause ones which I won’t bother with when they are gone, omega, vit D, occasionally milk thistle, creatine. 🤣

@needastrongone So sorry to hear about your husband, you and your DCs sound so lovely and caring! (It's times like this I long for a sibling!)

I need to work on my MH alongside the alcohol so I know abstinence is the best option, it's just so hard. I've tried every therapy and every drug out there but I'm still so angry and upset at myself and the world.

Morning @BitOfFun2026 did you get a fit note off the doctor? Can you take a few weeks off just to have some complete rest.
I've stopped and started drinking so many times, but I keep trying and each time I do I learn something new.

@Icecreamhelps I haven't yet as I'd need to be off for 7 days. I primarily went about my HRT but that's opened up a massive can of worms now too

@BitOfFun2026 - I think you know what you need to do don’t you? It’s having the strategies to do that isn’t t it? How about every time you have a craving, you explore why. We have all found that actually, There are very many reasons why we have cravings and you almost need a strategy for every one. So there is ‘I’m nervous is social situations’ cravings, ‘I’ve had a shit day and I deserve a drink’ situation, ‘I’ll just have one’, ‘it’s Friday’, ‘work is shit’, ‘it’s Christmas’, ‘I’ve won the bloody lottery’ - you get the idea. And each one needs you to have a little think about the reasons why you feel you need a drink and then a strategy for each one. I’m sure we can help, we are all learning.

I also agree with @Icecreamhelps

@BitOfFun2026 I had to take a break from Hrt last year because I had some bleeding. I was put on the two week pathway, had a scan and biopsy and thankfully got the all clear but they found fibroids and a thickened womb lining. I did some research and alcohol can cause estrogen dominance because it inhibits the livers ability to metabolise it. I had a blood test too which showed my MCV and MCH were at the very top range this meant my blood cells were enlarged, the main cause alcohol use disorder. I was waking up everyday with dreadful anxiety and extremely depressed. I knew I had to stop drinking and I knew it wasn't going to be easy straight away but once I had all the evidence of the damage I was doing to myself it really was the only sensible decision.
As @needastrongone puts it so well, I could find any reason to have a drink and I still get those thoughts now but my reasons not to are stronger.
In my first week my main focus was to just get through each day without drinking.

Just realised it is day 60 for me tomorrow! Absolutely exhausted today, bailed on an evening in the pub with friends as I although I have no problem socialising sober generally, I haven’t the energy to do anything other than crawl into bed. I guess normally I’d pep myself up with a few glasses of something before I went, but not tempted to do that today, happier cosy on the sofa and then asleep by 9pm!

DHs birthday so away for the weekend in a wee bothy in the country,dinner in local pub. Ideal drinking territory...but really want to get to day 60 on Sunday. Hanging on by the skin of my teeth.

@Hedjwitch hope you are ok and had a good night.

I downloaded this to my kindle and am really liking it.

@BitOfFun2026 the right time will come - it is all part of the journey to put alcohol in its right place in your life. I thought about it for years before getting to this point (not that anyone should take as long as me!)

Congratulations to those of you hitting 60 days! That’s amazing and I hope I might get there too but I’m just taking it one day at a time. I can’t believe I’ve made it to Day 10, it’s been a long time since I’ve even made it this far. Double digits!

I did find it hard earlier this evening, very strange not to be reaching for the wine after work on a Friday night, but once I got through that initial discomfort I was fine and I really didn’t want it anyway.

I’m finding it really helpful tracking how much money I’m saving and how much time I’m getting back. I’ve been so productive this week, ticking off little jobs that I never got round to doing when I was wasting my evenings pouring yet another glass of wine.

Off to bed now, and although I’m not sleeping great, I am looking forward to a hangover-free Saturday!

@confusedlots my sleep was broken for the first month. Now I’m on 60 days I reckon the good sleep kicked in by week 5. That was for ne though for others it was quicker. I am now sleeping like a log though so when it happens, it’s worth it but might take your body a few weeks to adapt.

Day 60! Wow 🤩 I’ve felt pretty solid up until now.

But last night, for the first time since starting the reset, wine popped into my head. Thankfully just… a flicker.

The only thing that’s changed is that I’ve decided to go for a full year. I wonder if my brain clocked that.

If anything, it reminded me how automatic those old patterns were, evening = wine.

Sharing because I want to be honest. It won’t break me 💪

A busy weekend planned and plenty of tasks on my to-do list to distract me if that happens again!

Happy weekend all xx

Morning all on what is my day 59! I also had a brief wobble last night - it was Friday, I was bored (I was on a fasting day too) and felt I “deserved” a glass of wine for my hard work this week. I watched a film with the DC and that took my mind off it. Then went to bed at 9! Even though I’m still getting these thoughts, they’re definitely not as strong and are easier to deal with than in the early days.

I cannot wait to hit day 60 AND two months sober tomorrow - I will be chuffed!

I went out for a big lunch (family only so no social anxiety issues and was easy not to drink) and then fell asleep for an hour at home! I thought I’d be fine without alcohol but maybe eating lots of food at lunchtime also makes me tired, whether alcohol has been consumed or not. I now have that horrid groggy feeling you get after sleeping in the day. I kind of feel like I had a few glasses of wine even though I didn’t. Does anyone else get that? It’s not nice.

Check in . I ve just done my first meet up with friends. Matinee followed by pizza express . There was a very drunk guy who keep trying to barge into the restaurant, around 6.30pm .
Some but not all of my friends were drinking but no one pushing me to . I left them when they went off to a bar . One lucky saint and one mocktail.

Day 55 done and another potential trigger point over come