The support thread for those trying to lead an alcohol free life - Summer 2026

[Lavrander]

Hello and welcome!
This thread is for anyone who is trying to live an alcohol-free life. It was first set up by @drybird and has grown into a safe, supportive space to share thoughts, ask advice, swap experiences, or simply check in as we give up and keep off the booze.
There’s no judgment here – just encouragement. Whether you post every day, once in a while, or just read along quietly, you’re part of the group. Many of us have found this thread invaluable, whether brand new to abstaining or years into AF life.
Wherever you are on the journey, someone here will have been there too. Don’t be shy about posting – we love celebrating successes of all shapes and sizes, and we’ll support you through the tougher times as well.
The only thing we ask is that your aim is complete abstinence. If your goal is moderation or a break, there are a couple of really good threads on this board that will be a better fit. That doesn't mean that slips don't happen, and we'll support you in picking yourself back up and carrying on.
So climb aboard and join the shipmates (as well as our dog mascot Sid!) and see how good alcohol free life can be.

@MagicalCrocodile welcome. Strong start already. Well done so far.

@Lavrander thank you for the book recommendation. I’ll check it out. I don’t like Andy’s voice on headspace (he sounds so laid back that he almost sounds smirking to me, not a generous thought or accurate one, but I can’t help it). I like Kessonge’s. The glow stick, which is not a rave stick, is Rimmel multitasker turbocharged glow.

@REP22 I’m glad you enjoyed the cricket. There must be lots of cricket matches going on. There were some rather glum looking locals on the bus last evening as their team had been beaten at home.

Morning everyone, next month I am 3 years sober and I found this thread on day 1 and have read every post since. It feels like you are all my friends and I love hearing about your lives. This thread has been amazing for me and I’ve never come across anything like it. I don’t have any advice about blips/lapses as I’ve never had one but I think only because I convinced myself 100% that I was going to die from alcohol and have never forgotten how that felt. I no longer have any desire/interest in drinking because I don’t need it to change the way I feel any more. Life is better just as it and all the money in the world wouldn’t make me agree to waking up with a hangover and all that comes with it, not ever! You’re all fantastic and thank you for being here for the last 3 years xx @Lavrander I use By Terry brightening CC serum in sunny flash, it’s gorgeous x

Morning all.

Morning everyone.

Welcome @MagicalCrocodile. Really inspiring @happinesspersonified! How amazing - well done. Not needing alcohol to change the way I feel sounds like an excellent goal. This time one week ago I woke up feeling horrendous and vowed never to do it again. Clocking that milestone.

Hope everyone enjoys the sun today. We’re off to the theatre (not the ideal sunny activity but been booked for yonks). Went to the pub last night and had two AFs. Good night’s sleep and tidied the house this morning.

Happy Sunday, folks.

@happinesspersonified I love a bit of By Terry.
I use a pink glow powder by Bobbi Brown. It really helped when I looked grey.

For those that love a badge on Try Dry - Sober Spring has now been ticked :) oh and Fathers Day after today.

BBQ in the garden for us and I’m going to try and relax and read my book, once I’ve done the cooking :)

Morning all
Welcome @MagicalCrocodile! The alcohol experiment is fascinating isn't it. That and this thread is how I've stopped for as long as I have (almost a year!)
@happinesspersonifiedyou have really made me smile this morning. Thank you for being with us.
And for the cc cream recommendation. I've had the foundation before (the one that is more like skin care - I think it was £80 about 15 years ago - and bloody lovely. It went on the credit card whilst I was racking up debt. Happy to say I'm a budgeter now although the self care budget remains very high!) . I've been recommended the Bobbi Brown one before when a makeup artist used it on me. She said the pink powder is more 'youthful' on me. I tried to take it positively!

We're having a bbq today. First one at home since I gave up. I feel a little twitchy about it even though I know I won't. It's an odd feeling - I'm imagining how it would be and it isn't good and makes me feel a bit sick/ whoozy thinking about it but my brain is still associating it. A bit like how you're full of chocolate cake but you still want to finish it off even though you know it will make you feel awful? Or is that just me?

Anywho.. I won't.. because there's nothing positive about it. Just writing it down anyway.

Enjoy the theatre @Booksandstuff and happy sober Sunday all x

Good morning shipmates,

Hello @happinesspersonified - very nice to see you, and hearty congratulations on 3 years, that's absolutely epic. Brilliant. ❤️

Hope everyone enjoys their BBQs. I am making some soup. My friend from the other night has a relative who sends her random odd things he orders online. When I was there a huge box of veg arrived. My friend lives alone. So we divvied up the veg between us. The swede is bigger than a small baby. Sid is standing by for soup tasting duties.

Strength and courage brave friends. xx

Afternoon all.
Delighted you found us @MagicalCrocodile

Thank you so much for posting @happinesspersonified - your post made me grin this morning. It’s so nice to hear we’ve been useful, and 3 years is amazing work.
Enjoy the theatre @Booksandstuff - I hope it’s one of the cooler ones! Sober theatre is one of those surprising revelations- there’s a second half that’s as interesting as the first! And the need for the loo isn’t quite as pressing when you haven’t had 3 glasses of wine. Who’d have thunk?

Habit is a great deadener, @Lavrander . To live a life that isn’t on automatic is challenging and amazing all at the same time.

We’ve been more honest with the kids this weekend about where my health is at, now that exams are over, but seem to have managed to do this without creating too much panic, so taking that as a win.

@happinesspersonified aww, I love your post. Nearly 3 years is amazing..

@Onewildandpreciouslife so hard having to tell kids not such positive news. So great you don’t have the drinking to add to the pain of this. Sending 🤗

@REP22 look at Sid with the soup!! My dog runs away from veggies - well apart from a little potato and cauliflower when we have a roast - he likes that mixed into some leftover meat. He eats a raw food diet but on the Sundays we roast he gets some cooked meat and veggies

@Lavrander i have a beauty pie subscription and love their highlighter wand.

@MagicalCrocodile welcome!! You’re in great company here

@postcard how was your uni weekend? Which one is your dd at? We go on Friday and I’m really annoyed as for some stupid reason Durham has decided to hold an open day the weekend students have to move out of their halls! It’s a 2 hour drive for us so we’re planning to leave super early. Durham is so small and gets congested quickly. We didn’t know about the open day until it was too
late to swap days off at work. can’t believe dd is done her first year!

It’s been a great weekend- weather so nice!! We had a bbq as well and I ended up buying Heineken zero. I actually can’t believe how much it tastes like normal Heineken- I could not tell the difference! So refreshing and I actually found myself really enjoying each sip rather than just necking it down and going for the next bottle!!

Also today I found that I also don’t need a drink to have silly fun. I put some good tunes on and danced around in the kitchen singing when I was preparing lunch and even after when cleaning up . I used to only do this when I had a drink and was feeling extra ‘happy’ but today I was just full of joy just because I was actually happy. Not sure I’m making any sense but wanted to share.

@FiloPasty I didn’t get the sober spring badge but maybe that’s because I started in May? Also didn’t see a father day one but I don’t mind - I like seeing my day count going up and my little confetti 🎉 each day - 48 for me

Sending 💕 love @Onewildandpreciouslife

@TickleMeElmo1 fathers day is under missions, lots on there, someone needs to invite me to a wedding, although I’d be happy to not attend any funerals.

We had fruit salad for dinner absolutely boiling here. The children have all been told they can wear sports kit to school.

@FiloPasty thank you. I never looked at missions- I’ve ticked a few off now…some could have been ticked more than once 😝

@Onewildandpreciouslife - I'm glad that you have been able to tell your kids a bit more, and that it didn't involve panic. It must have been such a burden, pressing down on you all the time. Sending you much love. ❤️

Your post really made me smile @TickleMeElmo1 - I could feel the joy radiating out of your last paragraph. I am so pleased that you enjoyed your day; Sid and I delight in your happiness. 😀

Sid and I have just finished watching "The Mother of all Cons", a 3 part documentary on the BBC iPlayer. Bl~~dy hell.

We've cracked another weekend lads. Goodnight and sleep well. xx

Hello, shipmates, and welcome newbies.

I've been on my holiday. Four of us in a cottage - three heavy drinkers and me. I will say no more. I am now away again with my husband. He's going home tomorrow for a couple of days, so I will finally have some time on my own, which I'm looking forward to. I need to decompress.

It's not soup weather in these parts - I've just put in a supermarket order for tomorrow, and it's mostly ice cream😀. Sid looks very interested in it, though. I do love a bowl of soup as a rule, too.

Has anyone come across NAC and NAD supplements? I am getting them thrust on me by the spy in my phone. They are supposed to be good for the liver. I got some from Amazon, where they are a lot cheaper than the ones advertised on FB, but I don't know whether they work or not - you never do with that sort of thing, as if anything's happening it's happening inside. The capsules are huge, and you have to take three a day, so it's a bit of a chore, but if they work it's worth it. If anyone has knowledge of them, please let me know?

You are very brave @Onewildandpreciouslife - I hope your children are okay. They're very young to learn that life throws up complications and challenges.

Morning all.

I am shocked to have had an uninterrupted sleep last night.
However I am wearing a Rab C Nesbit vest!

I am excited to have ordered a jewel blue linen jacket to go with the new Mulberry. Hopefully a good match.
I set myself a budget when I gave up drinking (£300 a month for swag because that's what I spent on booze) and although I'm now semi retired I refuse to look ordinary.
I haven't admitted to anyone I consider myself semi retired (only you dear friends) but I really can't put myself through another load of toxic men and corporate politics.
I don't mind a three day a week gig but five hour commutes are a no from me!
Give the job to a 45 year old I say.

My friend in Germany has survived his sepsis ordeal. Dear god what a fighter.

Two cottages to see Wednesday.

Morning!

I've started to wear an eye mask overnight so that I can keep curtains a little open to let the breeze in. Seems to work.
Glad your friend is over the worst Wendy.

@ShyMaryEllena friend of mine who is a nurse (but mostly does aesthetics now - much more money in it!) is very in to all this sort of thing and takes all sorts for cellular support. She was only telling me about NAD the other day although I think that was injectable rather than tablets - more prevalent in the U.S. I do think it's one of those that you'll probably never know and won't do you any harm but possibly snake oil? Your body does make less of it as you age. I hadn't heard it's good for your liver though - more an all over thing. Sorry I know you asked for someone with knowledge which clearly I don't have a lot!

I'm glad your children weren't too panicked @Onewildandpreciouslife. It must be a bit of a relief to have things out in the open with them. They'll appreciate you trusting them and their emotions with it.

Thanks, @Lavrander. According to the ads, either NAC or NAD (or possibly a combination of the two) is what is in a drip that is fed to liver failure patients in hospital. One of the compounds (NAC I think) encourages the liver to 'clear out' alcohol and paracetamol and so on (Bad Things, basically), and NAD encourages cell regrowth. I'm inclined to think that if it were a cure it would be prescribed on the NHS, but it seems worth a try.

Morning all.
Up for a long time in the night due to the storm- or rather trying to keep the dog happy during the storm. He is normally kept firmly in the kitchen overnight but he was so distressed I let him into the rest of the house. He ended up sleeping under our bed, as he obviously decided that was the safest place!

Morning all.
I'm upstairs feeling very sorry for myself.
I ate a huge portion of pasta carbonara yesterday and a lemon mousse. I was/am in agony. What in the lords name made me eat it I have no idea. No booze though.

Very upset to see the 'your house needs gutting' agent has sold a whopper on our development yesterday off market. I know the people and they're lovely but mature and I wouldn't imagine they need the space.
It makes mine look as cheap as chips.
Still no interest and a huge amount of pension going to a house half used.
I'm thinking of selling it empty as it's playing with my mental health.

@TickleMeElmo1 she’s at Leeds, a good 5.5 hours drive from home (short break included). She’s doing a year abroad next, so all her belongings had to come home. I don’t know how she had space for all that in her room as it’s nearly filled a bedroom back here.

@WendyWagon can you afford to move and let your house empty until it sells?

Massive storm here in the early hours. The car got a nice wash.

@postcardIf I buy cottage 1 I can move and and let it. If I buy cottage 2 I need to sell it.
I am not doing well in the heat and no one has been round to view through our current agent. I'll need my therapist back if it goes on much longer!