Stopping drinking for a while

[Patbutcherismyhero]

Throughout lockdown I've gradually started drinking more and more. I now usually only have one day off a week. Last night I drank way too much and was sick, slept terribly and today I just feel awful mentally and physically. I need to cut back. It's become far too much far too often.

I hate waking in the night with anxiety and having to check my phone to if I put any shit on social media. I don't usually get hangovers but I always feel tired and lacking in motivation. Alcohol has become such a big part of my life but I know it's not healthy and I really need to stop for a while. Anyone else?

Sounds like you had a great time @fluckityfluckfluck and 40 days is great. Well done!

@fluckityfluckfluck well done! Sounds like a great trip. It’s interesting and sobering(!) how much children pick up on. Another thing that spurs me on to being a better role model around alcohol.

Totally go for the night AF. You may be quieter but is that a bad thing? Just get a great outfit that you feel confident in

@Cherrybakewellard I’m thinking of you. The wait for medical results is just blooming horrid. Hi everyone. I’m Day 22 AF today. The big tests this week was my birthday and a night out with a friend to a wine bar of all places, where I managed not to drink. I’m going to 30 days (hopefully) and then will see. I gave my husband a sip of my Becks blue to try and was raving about how close to beer it was and he pulled a face and said it’s nothing like beer. Funny how we perceive it differently. Have started riding my bike again and my clothes felt a tiny bit looser. Hope you all have a good week.

Hi @Darcysshirt! Welcome:)
Red wine was mine too! I enjoy/ed a beer, some prosseco but red was my weakness. However having made the decision to stop I don't miss it. At all. And I don't have a lot of will power! But I'm an all or nothing person so prob why this fits me best.

I hear you cherry on the rainy day/ cooking drinks! I used to do this; think I might make hot chocolate instead tonight! Keeping fingers crossed for you, hope the wait passes quickly x

Amazing Fluckity! Congrats:) Glad you are feeling good on it :)

Happy birthday Spudina!

I think I'm having withdrawal symptoms

What sort of symptoms Cherry? That sounds a bit worrying.

What are you feeling @Cherrybakewellard?

I have a banging headache but I think it's the no alcohol combined with starting linking world again and symptoms from the medical issue. I drank 2 pints of Diet Coke yesterday evening so I think it's probably that too.

Slimming world not linking world

Linking world :D I reread my post yesterday and realised I sounded pissed with all the weird autocorrect going on :D.

Try water and fresh air Cherry - and just rest. You've been through a lot.

Feel better Cherry x

I hope you are feeling better @Cherrybakewellard, like most of us on here my first few nights sleep were bad and I had a dull headache for a day or so , to many fizzy drinks always make me feel sluggish too .
As @fluckityfluckfluck said water and a gentle walk or even just sitting in your garden should help .

I met another parent/kids in the park today with my dc and the dad had brought bottles of beer to share - at 12-15, hadn't even had breakfast. He was utterly stunned when I said no and explained am af free for now.

Made me question lots about myself to think he assumed I'd be game to be honest.

@fluckityfluckfluck wow that’s a bit crazy!!! What time was that at and how many to share between?

I had a chat with someone today who has been AF for 18 months. She said the people who have a problem with you giving up are those that have an issue themselves. Quite interesting!

Ps well done for staying off the beer. 💪🏻

It was just after noon. Made me really . I've had boozy nights out with him but no way I'd ever have beer in the park with my kids at that time

@fluckityfluckfluck

It was just after noon. Made me really . I've had boozy nights out with him but no way I'd ever have beer in the park with my kids at that time

Yes that’s not great is it, especially around kids. I think some people have started drinking quite early in lockdown. Maybe you saying no will make him reflect on it. I would think someone had an alcohol problem if I saw that at midday in the park.

And that’s from me with an alcohol problem

I have to admit during lockdown I have a few friends who would happily sink a drink or two by lunchtime. Hand on heart I never have, that to me sounds like a major slippery slope!

I've never been able to do day drinking, I would be asleep by mid afternoon. Christmas is a running joke with me, if I drink at midday I have to nap before Christmas dinner. Or I don't nap and I'll pass out by 6. It's embarrassing.

Headache still present but I'm powering through. I've got a glass of sparkling water tonight.

@Cherrybakewellard
I am one of them that could sink a few at lunch time , I use to enjoy going out for Sunday ( or Saturday ) lunch and having a few beers with my DB , we would have two or three over a long lunch ( a couple of hours ) and have a good natter but that would be it I would not drink more once I got home.
I would not be drinking in the park at 12 oclock with kids around though.

When I work nights and I often stopped at the local whole market that had a pub next to it . They opened at 3am and did a cracking breakfast it was great to be able to unwind in a pub with other night workers as it was much more like night time than 5am the pub shut at 10 am and reopened at about 3pm for a few hrs .
Anyone passing the pub on there way to work in the morning would give us filthy looks if they saw us leaving drinking at this time of the day tut tut tut but is was night time to us .

I miss that pub , it was full of hard working men and women that knew how to work hard and play hard , there were no airs and grace's in there but they were a great bunch and would help out when ever they could .

@Cherrybakewellard hope you're feeling better today.

@fluckityfluckfluck at the park drinking. That definitely feels like a step too far doesn't it?

I went back to the start of this thread and noticed that my first post was June 27th, so that's over a month (almost) AF for me. Two drinks on my birthday mid-July but apart from that, nowt! I feel really pleased and quite proud of myself.

So for me, after a month, the benefits seem to be:

• more stable mood
• better sleep, kinda. My sleep isn't great but it has definitely improved.
• clearer skin and eyes (also helped by minimal makeup while WFH I think!)
• better able to focus at work
• more energy generally; I would usually be slumped dozing on the sofa at 9pm but now I'm much perkier
• more money!

I really feel as if this is possible now. I know I'm going to drink next weekend when we go away but it's planned and I feel as if I won't go overboard. One of the friends we're seeing is AF too (after an ultimatum from his wife over a year ago!) so I may even join him that night.

I don't think I will ever 'never drink again' but I really love not drinking, too. What a revelation!

@AlCalavicci it's all down to personal circumstances isn't it? I completely get where you are coming from. As an ex-publican I know what it's like doing lates and then being on a different schedule to everyone else.

So far I feel great today. I am in control of the drinking, I am in control of the slimming world and I feel that yes I will have a few drinks at the weekend but I will be more conscious of how much I am drinking and the calories in it. Like I've said, I know I'll never completely quit but if I can just realise it's not normal to drink every night then I am on the right path.

My sons keep reminding me I've done 30 months of not drinking (when I was pregnant with them and their sister plus unfortunately a few early losses) so they're being encouraging in a weird way

I am doing the One Year No Beer 90 day challenge. This is day 17. Although there is a cost, I figured not drinking for a month would cover it and then anything after that is a saving! I am finding it helpful to be part of something.

Like you my drinking (and eating) has gone up in lockdown to the point where I was drinking every night. After a few attempts to moderate or take alcohol free days and failing and after a few particularly bad nights sleep with horrendous indigestion and feelings of anxiety I decided I needed some help and had a google one morning at 4am.

The first few days were tough. I hid any remaining alcohol in the garage. The wine witch appears between 4 and 5 for me. I wouldn’t start drinking until after work obviously but that was when I started thinking about it. I would pour a glass as I finished work or if I was being good wait until I started cooking tea. I

have been recognising the cravings and not acting on them. I have AF beers incase I feel the need but haven’t been having them every day. About 10-14 days in, I have started to sleep better and the cravings are less. It wasn’t instant.

You need to look at why you want to stop drinking. I was journaling for the first week or so but this hasn’t continued for me. Lots of people find it helpful. Also ‘quit lit’. I see some books have already been mentioned. I am listening to ‘Alcohol explained’ and have ‘The unexpected joy of being sober’ ready to start on my kindle.

Hi everyone can I join you? I am drinking a bottle of wine a night and want to stop. I have put on weight which I hate. I am a single mum to 3 and feel like its my treat to have wine at night.

Welcome @LivingMyBestLifeNOT you sound a bit like my kindred spirit. I have 3 kids and was a single mother when the eldest two were under 3 years old.
What are you goals long term?
It's so easy to sink a bottle alone, I could happily do that every night still and until this week pretty much did. So you're certainly not alone x