dry september

[raspberrytart]

Good Morning.Wondered if there was a dry september thread going?Thanks

A nice fresh start on a nice new fresh thread sounds good!

I have a couple of social things happening in October. Will give myself dispensation for those.

My main problem is drinking at home with DH.

If I can just knock the midweek drinking I'll be happy. Lunchtime on Wednesdays as DH says! .

Yes it's the midweek here too, I'm determined to kick it out

I think a fresh thread is a good idea. Sober October, anyone? I'm still comfortable within my current drinking pattern, but I think I must just be very lucky in my addictions. For instance, I am properly hooked on caffeine. I only have one mug of filter coffee a day, in the morning, but if I don't get that, I get a murderous headache that only coffee will fix. I know I could quit if I could just hold out for a couple of weeks, but actually one mug daily isn't that much and I really enjoy the taste, am a total coffee snob. So that's one vice I'm going to carry on with.
I found out a couple of weeks ago that I have cataracts in one eye and will need surgery, but I didn't reach for extra booze to console myself - quite pleased with that.

Sober October sounds good.

Pointythings- one mug of good coffee a day seems fine to me. If you think you are addicted and yet can stick to one I think that shows you are in control rather than the addiction.

With wine I don't feel in control. I want to be a normal drinker. If there is such a thing! I want to be able to have a glass or two or even three but remain in control and stop there rather than feeling hard done by if I can't have more.

Last night we had red wine with dinner. Opened a second bottle but I only had one glass from that. Then switched to water. It wasn't great but better than it has been. I made a conscious decision to take one glass in to have watching ttv and then stopped.

Felt OK with that.

Back on the dry now until Saturday.

Oh - sorry about the cataracts. Sounds worrying and a bit scary. Well done for not turning to wine! I'm sure I would have.

I really want to aim for just a drink on a Saturday evening, I'm sitting in the living room just having a cuppa, which is good for me, off to bed now too.

Sorry to hear about the cataracts pointy.

Cider so to sum things up: you fought the bottle and - you won. That's a victory. Every one you have makes the next one that bit easier.

FWIW if I hadn't had the monster cold in May that made me realise I was drinking out of habit, not because of the taste (because, like, you can't taste anything when you're so binged up you can hardly breathe) I would probably still be knocking back too much every day. You guys seem to have come to your decisions to deal with the booze in a much more rational way. I think once you've made the decision, you get there - it's just that resetting habits takes time.

I think I'm over worrying about the cataracts now - I work for the NHS, so will have decent paid sick leave as needed, and it's likely that I will end up with substantially better vision than I've had in some years. It's just an inconvenience.

I'm feeling quite proud of myself, no alcohol last night, I did have 1 vodka after work on Sunday but the fact I stuck to one is an achievement for me also.

Today will be the test, going to the shop, I normally think bugger it and get a bottle of wine but I'm determined not to.

I work for the NHS too pointy, but nothing high up, I'm a ward caterer now, after being a bank domestic.

Nice one, Missy! Once you realise that life is OK without alcohol, you don't look back.

Yes I'm hoping to get to that point

Oh there you all are. I thought I killed this thread mid month, and just came back to have a last look, as tis the last day of September. I have done it! I'm so proud of myself.

I'm still the same person with the same problems. But: I feel sharper, I can get out of bed in the morning feeling fresh, I've saved money, I've been more patient and balanced, my skin is brighter. It hasn't been a miracle cure for everything. I lost no weight, I know I ate too much sugar as replacement therapy, and will have to deal with that now if I want to keep this up.

I won't be fully doing Sober October, as I have a couple of nights out planned, but do now aim to keep the pointless drinking to a minimum for the foreseeable. Habits reset - mission accomplished.

Ham congratulations!

Well done Ham, that's really good.

Just popping into say hello, good luck / resolve to all heading for a sober October.

I made it through the full month alcohol free. It reassured me how easy it was. Partly novelty value, but DH being on board has helped massively. There's no temptation in drinking alone tbh. DH has lost 4 kilos to date, I've lost 2.5. We've both slept better and are much more productive - I've got on with lots of projects I planned to do, but in the past I always wasted evenings drinking and watching telly. Our apartment looks transformed as a result - de cluttered, furniture shifted around and excess sold / passed on. Still no new hobbies yet, That's next on the list.

We're planning to carry on AF for the time being. Maybe Christmas can be the next target? I don't know. I always planned to go back to drinking 'moderately' (whatever that is) but now that I'm here, just not drinking at all is so much more straightforward- no bargaining, justifying, etc to myself.

Good luck all!