Being DRY

[Bigglesfliesundone]

This is the fourth thread for those of us who want to abstain from alcohol completely.

It's an arduous path at times, but we're still here!

We know how easy it is to slip, and how hard it can be to stay on the road, but we also know that we can't drink 'just one'.

The thread motto is 'Watch the film to the end'

Come and have a coffee!

Hi NoShow. Course!!!

Hi everyone, welcome AnonyMust and Noshow! Lovely to have you both.

Hope everyone is well. I am struggling. Yesterday was a bad day for me, but got through- just.

Today I am back to babysteps. The focus is just get through the day. Even ifit means going to bed when DS goes at 7 pm. Changing the routine.

Also, the weight is piling on as I binge eat my way around Aldi. I am going to concentrate on 3 square meals today.Nothing more, nothing less.

Welcome no show ! (From a recent new member to this thread :) )

corn I remember those days. An early nigh wth a good book :) or I often went to a meeting- though I know not everyone chooses or needs the AA way. For me they really cheered me up and broke up the day- plus got me out and about!

With regards to the eating- I am the same. I definitely over eat at times - it's a comfort thing for me. Hope today is better day for you :)

Corn, OA recommend three meals with life in between. I USE fruit to cope with the anxiety around the life bit. Means I can snack without putting on weight.

Hi there - and special wave to Corn. No shame in baby steps. You are at an early stage - just do whatever you need. When I feel shitty about anything, I always go to bed ridiculously early. My way of switching off now I don't have the booze option. Nothing to be ashamed of (and cuts out some more time for binging too!!). Please try to be kind to yourself and remember how brilliantly you are doing staying AF. That is the main priority - other things will settle down in time. I agree with Keepon that AA meetings really turned my mood around when things were tough.

Early night with a good book is a pleasure- you're giving your body and mind a much needed rest. I used to use alcohol to make me more hyper and I constantly worked /ran/housework/gardened/whatever then when I was exhausted I opened the bottle. it's been a huge revelation that I needed to stop and rest as much as possible- lots of sleep and lots of early nights. Oh and B vits. Almost sane now.

Good morning everyone. So good to see someone with so many years . I am only 4 months off my first whole year and so desperate to get there!!

I have to say, despite the odd craving, life is 'normal' without alcohol for me now. I rarely look at DH's beer and crave it. I did have a sniff of a lovely cold pint of lager the other night, but bless him) he whipped it away with a stern 'hey!', which was encouraging.

Otherwise, I am not too good :(. Feeling very down and depressed. I have suffered form poor mental health forever really, but thought things were on the up. Don't know if it's my constant injuries, being 50, or just feeling 'is this it?'. Maybe a mix of all 3. I have been on anti d's since ds was born (he's now 14) and think they keep me stable, but am worried things are getting worse. I started counselling a couple of months ago, but to be honest, just felt worse! So stopped after three sessions, maybe a mistake, I don't know.

As I said upthread, AA wasn't for me, good to hear it works for other people though. I read voraciously this time - all the books mentioned and more

Rambling again. Should get on with my work really!!

Have a great day all.

Did it! Stayed off booze yesterday. Not easy for me when I have drank for 2 days to get back on the saddle. still very tenuous. Hi Noshow and Anonymust. looking forward to getting and receiving support fom each other.
Totally agree Guggenheim, early night with a book is lovely - AND if sober don't have to reread last nights efforts!
Planning to stay sober today.

Oh Biggles, I feel for you. I have suffered from depression since I was a teen. It's horrible. Would an increase in AD's help? Hang in there. Hands to hold here

Thank you. I'm hoping it's just reactive, feeling fed up with 'life'. Also I just can't sleep lately, which is making me really grumpy. No idea why, just really restless and wakeful :(.

Hopefully, it'll pass, I don't really want to up the AD's.
Well done for getting through without a drink. The hot days are a bugger!!

I'm joining in.
I LOVE alcohol but it doesn't love me.

Just nipping in to catch up. So many great posts. I feel I am less dependent on the thread now but I do keep reading even if I don't post. Don't want to get complacent either. It would be very easy to pick up a drink and be right back at square one.
All good in my world. Never felt better actually. Ditching booze is the best thing I could have done, and I remind myself of that constantly.
At a BBQ in a lovely park yesterday. Watching normal people drinking normally (ie one glass prosecco, or couple bottles beer). I was glad I wasn't drinking; there simply wouldn't have been enough booze for me! How do they do it?
My drinking dreams are so real now. I actually have to think hard to check whether I did drink or not.
Right, baby yelling.

Welcome newcomers and hi to everyone.

Hi MrsBrownsgirls and Noshow. You are both very welcome.

Just a quick check in from me. Day 9. Planning to get through with baby steps.

Biggles - that sounds bloody hard. Maybe try counselling again / different therapist. I've not done it (but intend to) but I could imagine that at the beginning it's rather like picking off a scab? Apologies for gross visual image.

Hi to all.

Hi biggles I went on ads after my dd - off them now, but they really helped me when I needed them. I haven't been sleeping fab, but that could just be the heat!?

I wish I has stuck at the counselling myself. May retry it!

Hi, Day 1 here

I need to ask something which has been niggling! 'Belle' has been mentioned. To me it seems a bit odd that she charges to give advice? Am I just being dim? Is it like a counselling service?

Hugs Mab. Very very glad you're here.

Biggles - Belle has a blog as I'm sure you know and does a lot of stuff for free (for eg the 100 Day challenge, she will send you a PDF of her entire blog in date order etc). Some extra stuff like phone calls she charges for. She doesn't hold herself out as a counsellor, therapist or anything like that. She does have a background in business coaching and stuff. I think she's just discovered that she is particularly good at helping people with their sobriety. She spends hours upon hours corresponding with over 1300 sober penpals on top of her full time job and I think it's fine for her to value her time and charge for it. I was supposed to have a 25 minute phone call with her but we were on for about 45 minutes so I don't think she is clock-watching etc. It did occur to me exactly what you thought when I first came across it. But then Soberistas charge for full access etc too I guess.

Ah ha! I did have a quick look at her blog. Just wasn't too sure what the charges were all about. Sounds good to me I occasionally look on sobersitsas too, I am a bit slow at times...

Afternoon all :)
Don't know if any of you are aware of the sober blogger Mrs D but she was on TV last night in her home country, New Zealand and I thought you might be interested in watching the interview, so here's the link: tvnz.co.nz/sunday/2014-06-22-video-6009850
She's 3 years sober and has an awesome blog over at livingwithoutalcohol.blogspot.co.uk/. She's been a featured guest blogger here on Mumsnet a while back and has a book out soon too which no doubt I'll be adding to my collection!!
Sober waves to all and need to go dodge the thunder storm to pick up my two from swimming club

Hi Mab, fab to hear you're ok. Not easy is it? Still, at least we're trying, that's got to count for something, eh? Am drinking tea, my daughter tentaviley (I didn't know I couldn't spell that till just now lol!) asked for a lift at 6pm. She seemed really pleased when I said yes as she knows that's my drinking time. Feel nice.
Hi Mrs Brownsgirls, am new too and also love so much about drink. Read Jason Vale 'Quit drink easily' and just couldn't agree that it does absolutely nothing for you and is all a big con. There are benefits for me but the cons outweigh the pros now so here I am. With my tea.

Lucy2610, thanks for the link, off to look at that now

really touched home that Lucy thank you so much.

sonlyme you're welcome :)
Drinking tea here too and raise my cup to all the new people on the thread!
Biggles I second what Haggis said in that starting therapy may have opened some old wounds which are now troubling your depression. Is it worth a trip to the GP to discuss, particularly if your running release is not there for you due to an injury?

Go sonlyme! I'll join you with a cuppa. Cons always outweigh the pros for me too ...

Lucy- thanks for sharing those links. I shall have a look.

Haggis- may I ask what Belle discusses on the phone calls she charges for? Is it like a therapy?

Hi Keepon. I've only had one phone call. So it was centred around how helpful id found the 5 podcasts shed sent mr, my backstory, how I was finding early sobriety. I guess it was a bit like a therapist - but a bit more like a very helpful friend who has been through something you're going through. She told me to keep doing what I was dog, keep it simple and we talked through social stuff I have coming up and how to deal with that. I've avoided social stuff up til now. HTH.