The Continuing Support Thread for Anyone Trying to Lead an Alcohol-Free Life Summer into Autumn 2026

[REP22]

Hello and welcome. I’m glad you’ve found your way here. We are a bunch of people who are trying to give up and keep off alcohol. No judgement, just honest support and kindness.
The original thread was started by @drybird2020 in 2020 and we have plenty of veterans and newer members who can offer advice, solidarity and signposting. You are welcome here, whether you post several times a day, once or twice and then never again, or if you only just come to read but have no intention of ever posting.

Whatever your stage on the AF journey, and whatever you’re going through, someone here will have gone through it too. We love to celebrate your successes of whatever shape and size - and will support you when things get challenging. We get it, we've been there too. You're here because you are strong and want to pull free. However ashamed and wretched you are feeling right now, as you read this sentence, I can absolutely guarantee that someone here has felt exactly as you do now and knows what you are enduring. It can change. You are not shameful. You are strong and you CAN do this.

All we ask is that you’re genuinely trying to abstain. We don't encourage moderation-only here, as it can be triggering for some to read. If you’re looking to moderate your drinking rather than quitting it altogether then MN has another long-running and very active moderation/abstaining thread that’s always near the top on the alcohol support board. Lots of fine support there from those worthy people too. Keep trying. Sobriety may not be easy - but I guarantee you that it is worth it.

I started trying to give up drink in 2018, succeeded (mostly) in 2019 but had a few “wobbles”, one of which led me here in April 2023. I still struggle sometimes but the posters on this thread have been an absolute godsend of wisdom, support and encouragement, along with my dog - known here as Sid (not his real name), and they keep me going. I hope you find strength and comfort here too. This thread and its wonderful posters has been a lifesaver to many, and have certainly seen me through many good and not-so-good days.

These books were particularly helpful to me and I still go back to them from time to time: The Sober Diaries by Clare Pooley (Amazon - Sober Diaries) and The Unexpected Joy of Being Sober by Catherine Gray (Amazon - Unexpected Joy). Others have found This Naked Mind by Annie Grace (Amazon - This Naked Mind) helpful. There are Apps that help track your AF journey, including Reframe and the ones I use, I Am Sober and TryDry. Podcasts can also be helpful. I have found One for the Road by Sober Dave to be a good listen. But different things work for different people. Feel free to post and ask. There is solidarity, wisdom and support here. This is a safe space where your voice will be heard, understood and valued.

Evenings are drawing in, the season of hot chocolate approaches. Power up with your favourite anthem (The ever-fabulous Dolly is reminding us "Better Get To Livin'"; and the Wilson Phillips girls "Hold On" in hot pursuit) and find your safe space here. Pull up a chair, and make yourself at home. It's going to be alright. x

Evening all!
@LlamaFluffyou've had some good advice on the friends front. I think I might be able to help on the husband.
This is hard to hear but genuinely you do need to suck it up a little - you cannot control the way he feels about it so there is no point trying. That's where I got to. It doesn't last - I would just say I'm taking a break, I bought lots of AF drinks and I just would pour myself that whilst he was having the alcohol. I'd just say that I didn't want it. Eventually he got the idea. But it was hard. I'd say it was the main thing that I'm afraid prevented me from properly giving up for a long time. So I do understand your plight! I honestly was counting on us both doing it for so long and then just realised it had to be just me and only me.
The Alcohol Experiment - I liked doing that as kind of felt like my own journey.
But AF beers and wine is your friend here. And.. once you have a bit of practice with riding through what he may or may not think, it will become less of an issue, and he will get used to it. Mine has.

Good morning.

I think I had about four hours sleep, if that.

Morning all.

Nice evening out yesterday. Sadly I felt poorly coming home.

Sorry to hear that @WendyWagon .

Do you think you’re getting a cold?

I must be a glutton for punishment…I’ve emailed my father to ask how he’s getting on (after his hip replacement).

Hi Everyone,

Hope everyone is well, I will read back and catch up.

I might pop back on here if that is ok day 54. I feel I need the accountability at the moment.

I am up and down like a yoyo. I feel my experience this time round is very different. I read the Allen Carr book again and felt it clicked and now a few days later I am having cravings again.

I know it is no good for me and if I were to drink I would feel like crap but it is so annoying. Last time I had a good stint with being sober I felt a lot more positive, consistently.

Hope everyone else is doing well.

@pinkclouds26 it's the weather!

Hi @pinkclouds26 and well done on getting to day 54 👏👏
I know it’s hard, but try not to dwell too much on your experience last time round- we can only deal with where we are now. There’s lots of reasons your experience might be different. The most important thing is that you are doing it - trust the process.

Run the race you're in

Recieved my order from vino zero today. Looking forward to trying them. Wish I'd ordered more red now that the weather is so brisk.

Morning,

Unfortunately I drank last night, that is why I am now wide awake.

I am going to try to do it differently this time and learn from my blip. I am not going to focus so much on the days but I will keep trying.

Hope everyone has a lovely day.

Morning all.

Up to do a charity interview at 9am!
I might fancy it two days a week but it's up north so a stay over for me. It wouldn't temp me to drink because I would have to drive back or change trains so that's good in a way. I feel it might allow me to apply for other things closer to home as it's a six month gig. I need some recent experience on the CV.

Cottage viewing tomorrow with the DH and DD. Husband positive and DD is chosing her furniture out of the garage before I flog it all.
I am excited but we're due our exchange shortly on our house and my solicitor is chasing. I can't offer until then due to the estate agents procedures. They've brought in new buyers to push me out before. The barn conversation being the latest shenanigan. We always say we're a pacesetter.

Friday and I'm feeling positive. My husband treated me to dinner on Wednesday. The Ivy no less.

I will not drink today
And yesterday when I forgot to post 😳

Morning all.
It’s “feedback, not failure” @pinkclouds26 .

Hope the interview went well @WendyWagon

I will not drink today

Good morning Shipmates! Happy Saturday!

@pinkclouds26 That's a great way to look at a blip - considering what you will do differently next time.

I've got another hospital appointment this morning, then hoping to do something out of the house afterwards. Then this evening I'll get on with a sewing project I've been doing all week. I've been struggling a bit with my mental health as we go into autumn, the darkening days always depress me, and my elderly dad was ill last week which was a worry (he's recovering now) - craft projects really help me as it's something undemanding that I can focus on, it's satisfying and it keeps unhealthy temptations at bay.

The lack of an off button that I have with alcohol also applies to creative projects, I have a 'I'll just do a little bit more' mentality, but in the case of crafts it's quite a positive😁

Hoping everyone has a lovely, sober weekend!

Morning all.
Fuming re our house sale. The buyer hasn't sent the paperwork back.

Morning all.
Yes, being an “all or nothing” personality can get a bit tiring @PhantomOfAllKnowledge , but at least I’m not killing myself or being embarrassing

I’m at the in-laws this weekend- one of the few times I miss alcohol 🤣. Lovely people but a bit challenging. Weirdly I end up drinking more coffee for something to do.

@Onewildandpreciouslife my coffee consumption has gone way up since I quit. I used never drink coffee after lunchtime but now I often think I'd love one. Bought some decent decaf recently and may try that. Dh (non drinker) drinks tea morning noon and night. Apparently tea and coffee are very good for you.

@mermadeincornwall I really like your daily posts simply saying you will not drink. I read them and say "me too. me too"

Can I join please? Up at 430am, necked a bottle of wine last night, 56 in a couple of weeks. Just sick of alcohol and not being able to stop once I start. My parents are heavy drinkers and I just don’t want to end up like them

Welcome, @Winterfane! I, too, am awake (obviously), not because of wine, but a flu jab.

This is a good time to switch to AF drinks, as they will be your ‘go to’ options by Christmas, and you should be settled into the habit by the holidays.

Grab a cabin and settle in - the other shipmates will be here to say hello when the cock crows. With any luck I will be asleep by then.

Thank you for your kind words. I am going to try and get some sleep now and have an honest conversation with my husband tomorrow about my drinking. I honestly scared myself last night with how quickly I drank a bottle and how I could have drunk some more. It seems like alcohol is not touching the sides now and I crave more, which is not a place I want to be

I will not drink today

Morning all.
Welcome @Winterfane - I hope you got back to sleep and don’t feel too rough today.

In one of the quit lit books, there’s an analogy of a fly drinking nectar from a fly-eating flower. At first it sips at the surface and can fly away easily, but then it wants more and more, and gets deeper into the flower, and finds it is trapped.

I remember I reached the stage of going downstairs in the morning to look how far down the second bottle I’d got. Hard days.

But there is a way out, and you’ve made the first step.

Hope you got some sleep too @ShyMaryEllen

Morning all.

Welcome @Winterfane ahoy!

DD and I went for the second cottage viewing.
I was a bit poorly so measured what I could. I felt a bit faint. I did have both my jabs this week which I wasn't allowed last year. Hopefully they are worth it. Both DD and DH have had the flu.

I had a look on my kindle - it’s the pitcher plant analogy by Allen Carr, quoted in This Naked Mind, by Annie Grace (which is a great book to start with if you want to read some quit lit @Winterfane)