DRY 5

[allhailqueenmab]

Starting this before the old one gets filled up!
this is the thread for the alcohol free.
Join us!

Chiming in on the alcohol free beers and wine question - I drink both at home and out and about. It doesn't trigger the desire to go out in search of the hard stuff so it's okay in my book, but that is just me :)

Interesting that everyone's so different - I am steering clear of the AF wine/beer. I think partly it's because I'm in the whole Jason Vale/Allen Carr mindset that it didn't taste nice anyway, I'd just convinced myself it did over time; but also partly because I'm nervous it'll just start off a confusing loop in my brain

I went to see Kate Bush on Friday (which was amazing) and found it quite interesting being AF. There was a delayed start and the others were going back and forth to the bar and ended up drinking loads of wine before it had even started. It just felt so good to be free of that whole anxiety of having an empty or near empty glass, being inside, knowing there was a massive queue at the bar - previously I would have found the whole evening tinged with slight irritation at the difficulty in having a steady stream of wine to drink. This time I wasn't bothered about having a drink of anything, when my diet coke ran out I didn't care that I didn't have a drink in my hand. All new stuff for me.

Hi everyone. I haven't read the 503 posts yet... But wanted to introduce myself. Invited by biggles. Today is the say I've decided enough is enough and to try and be sober. I'm scared because alcohol is such a huge huge part of my life - but I don't want to feel like this any more. So hi!! I look forward to reading more.

Hooray! Welcome

Thanks biggles! I look forward to positive messages and tips on how to stay sober.

Welcome freshly I'm a newbie too

Teapot so jealous of your Kate Bush experience! Love her. Fab that you could really focus on the amazingness rather than the bar!

Lucy and Biggles I think I'll carry on with the odd AF beer, but not even bother with the wines as a) they're gross and b) wine is my problem drink. Beer has never been the issue so perfectly happy to have one AF beer every week or so without any further temptation. Good to have a variety of "safe" drinks!

This evening has been fine, home late and busy with DSs homework (aged 4!) so not even thought about drinking. Feeling better having made the commitment not to drink, takes the thought out of it! Hope today has been a good day all round.

Marking spot.

Hi all - day 3 here - feel different than Other times I've 'tried' to stop- can't explain it really - but already I feel better - maybe mentally the relief if knowing that's it - I don't know - drinking loads of milk. I suffer really badly with anxiety and am hoping giving up will help with that. How many days in until I start to have an energy surge ?

Hi 70hours. I'm on day 2 and I feel better already too. Good luck to you.

Hi, can I join all of you please? I went to my first AA meeting today. My drinking had got completely out of hand - about two bottles of wine per day. The rest of my life has been spiralling out of control too. It finally dawned on me that I will kill myself, and soon, if I continue drinking. The people were very friendly and warm at the meeting. I have tried stopping on my own before and couldn't manage mainly because of boredom and loneliness (single Mum, no family nearby) so feel that I need the support of AA. In fact, I need all the support I can get!

Great to see everyone here! we seem to have spells of lots of posting and then a pause for some reason Please stay though. You can all do it.

I have spent the day 'up London' today - scary old place dd had an appointment at great ormond street so we went there and then to The British Museum which WS good. Exhausted now!

I am running a 10k on Sunday which is daunting but feel so proud.

I hope everyone is OK. Read and drink nice things!!!

Cindersmeller - big big welcome!

Hi all - I posted on an older thread last year, but didn't actually manage to stop then, but I'm on 80 days sober today! I had a big wobble when I was about to meet new people who are big drinkers, and I'd been introduced in advance as someone who really liked their beer, but then I stopped and remembered just how bad the last hangover was and it helped me pull back. Absurd, though, that I'd be more concerned about what a stranger might think of my not drinking than I was about staying sober!

The main thing now, though, is that I just don't know how to fill any free time! It used to be easy - DD off to bed? Put on a film, drink beer. What are we doing on Saturday afternoon? Go to a local brewery, try one of their new beers. What about Sunday? Go for a walk in town or make lunch and finish off with a beer (or several). So much of my life was about creating opportunities to drink (or sleep it off) and now I'm not doing that, I don't know what to do instead! It's like any inclination or desire to do things has been drowned by two decades of beer...

Oof, sorry for the walls of text...

Yay lots of new sober warriors! Welcome to you all from me too [tea] Biggles snap - I was also in London today and round the corner from the British Museum! :)

oops that should have been

BabCNesbitt I know what you mean. My whole life revolves around activities about alcohol. I need to brainstorm new stuff - I also need to get into fitness again. I find that helps.

Cindersmeller - well done on going to AA. I was on two bottles a day too. good luck to you.

Thanks for the and , Lucy :) And pencils, I agree about fitness - I've basically subbed that for alcohol! Healthier, but not doing much for reducing my beer gut!

Ooh how weird!

Bab, I know what you mean. It seems like it will be impossible ever to fill that time! I was really sort of restless for ages but somehow it does happen.

Bab don't worry about the cake for the minute - I never say or do stupid things after I've had too much cake! Plus if you were drinking a bottle of wine + a day like I was that's over 550 calories so the beer gut will go in time. I'm just over a year sober and I've lost 10lbs since I stopped despite bingeing on cake and chocolate for the first 6 months :)

Biggles now if I found out we were on the same train back I'll be really miffed at the missed opportunity! Start course next week and need to arrange visit for Haggis to our neck of the woods

Thanks for the welcome! Just had a really sweaty night and know I've got a few more of those in store. Luckily I'm single! I watched an episode of Mad Men last night which is verging on masochistic, but I did notice a lot more of the subtleties than I usually do. Have good day, everyone.

We were on the 1.53 from kings cross. Were so exhausted after traipsing around we decided to come back earlier!

Yes, we need to organise that soon

I hope everyone is waking up bouncy today

Good morning all! Night out last night and stuck to the diet cokes... only problem was not getting to sleep until 1am because of the caffeine overload! So knackered this morning but no headache, queasiness, dry mouth - win! Shopping today for lots of weekend treats

Only day 4 here but I can tell I am looking better already :) - This is where I find it hard - walking this morning may needs lot of support later !!!

Lovely to be on here though and reading some of your successes helps. Not eating cake but drinking loads of milk :)