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Mumsnet has not checked the qualifications of anyone posting here. If you need help urgently or expert advice, please see our domestic violence webguide and/or relationships webguide. Many Mumsnetters experiencing domestic abuse have found this thread helpful: Listen up, everybody

Original poster

Sober October anyone?

68 replies

ThroughThickAndThin01 · 30/09/2015 18:21

Ok - had a half hearted attempt at Dry SEptember with limited success.

Confident I can do Sober October. I feel like being clean, serene, and giving my body a lovely healthy detox.

Anyone else?

Starting tomorrow, might have a drink tonight, not sure yet.

OP posts:
cojmum · 30/09/2015 19:18

I am going to give it a bash too.

JoeMommuh · 30/09/2015 19:19

Already tee total (preggers) but DH and I are doing stoptober which we decided is no chocolate crisps or sweets eeeek!

Original poster
ThroughThickAndThin01 · 30/09/2015 19:20

Oh brilliant, some company Smile

OP posts:
Meerka · 30/09/2015 19:40

Yes, Ill try.

CheesyNachos · 30/09/2015 21:07

Me. :)

I am on the DRY thread for those who want to be long-term alcohol-free, but have slipped and feel just awful.

Need a new goal.

Sober October. :)

YellowOfficeBlock · 30/09/2015 21:14

I'm doing dry-vember
It's my birthday in October and we're going to London for half term. Couldn't possibly not drink Blush

Original poster
ThroughThickAndThin01 · 01/10/2015 06:52

Hi everyone, had two glasses of wine last night, and now that wine glass will be sitting getting dusty for a whole month.

Cheesy I read the Dry thread from time to time, it is quite motivating and very honest, with some strong support going on. I would say you've had little a blip, and you'll be right back on the dry path again.

Good luck everyone (not that luck should be needed, ahem, it should be easy peasey)

OP posts:
Original poster
ThroughThickAndThin01 · 01/10/2015 06:54

Have a lovely half term Yellow in London. It will be fab if the weather is as good as it has been. Dh and I went out in London on Saturday night; have never seen it so busy, it was absolutely heaving well after midnight.

OP posts:
Missymoomoo197936 · 01/10/2015 07:00

I may not be able to not have a drink but I would like to at least aim for no alcohol during the week and just a couple on a Saturday evening, I'm going to be buying the small bottles instead of the big ones.

Drew64 · 01/10/2015 10:10

These dry campaigns, especially the ones for charity are a joke.
How hard is it to not have a drink for a month ffs

ImperialBlether · 01/10/2015 10:15

Use your imagination, Drew. If someone has a drink most days or feels they're becoming dependent on alcohol then it may well be very hard for them. Of course if you're someone who has a Babycham at Christmas and nothing else, then you will find it easy.

Original poster
ThroughThickAndThin01 · 01/10/2015 10:21

You don't need to join in Drew. For those of us who want to take a break but used to drinking regularly, whether that's once a week or every day, it's great to have like minded people to be motivated alongside.

Obviously if the thread title is of no interest to you, you don't click on it, let alone comment. Normally, anyway.

OP posts:
Drew64 · 01/10/2015 10:23

If you all feel like that I'd suggest that you have a drink problem and giving up for a month isn't really going to help.

I won't join in and will leave you to your thread and stop trolling

Original poster
ThroughThickAndThin01 · 01/10/2015 10:24

Bye!

OP posts:
MTPurse · 01/10/2015 10:30

I'll join, Although I can not promise not to have a drink, I have made a promise to myself to try my best.

It was a year yesterday since my Dad took his own life, although it has nothing to do with me wanting to stop drinking it did make me wake up yesterday morning and think, Something in my life needs to change.

MTPurse · 01/10/2015 10:32

Drew.

There was no need at all for you to even comment on this thread.

Original poster
ThroughThickAndThin01 · 01/10/2015 10:48

Sorry about your Dad MTPurse that must be so hard to deal with. Awful for you and your family.

Trying is fine; all any of us can do is try.

I started running this year, the first exercise since school a long long time ago, found to my absolute astonishment that I'm really enjoying it, so now trying to focus on a healthy diet, losing weight and getting fit and doing a few organised runs.

Not that it has been all laziness and a bad diet, but as I'm getting on a bit now I want a few decades of optimum health and looking after myself before I get really ancient.

OP posts:
Meerka · 02/10/2015 09:03

got through my birthday yesterday with the bottle of wine standing on the worktop .. unopened

pats self on back for yesterday

Family visiting from the UK this weekend though, so that will be a trial to stay dry while they are drinking

thank heavens that some of the 0% beers are pretty good now!

Rachel0Greep · 02/10/2015 09:07

I'd like to join in. I need to lose a stone, and want it gone by Christmas. I usually have wine at the weekends, and crisps, so out with both. I reckon that will definitely help me to lose weight.

MTGlass · 02/10/2015 10:49

Good morning, I thought a Name change would be appropriate for this thread Grin

Thank You ThroughThickAndThin01, My Dad was an alcoholic but hadn't drank for years, He lost his leg years ago after being hit by a train when he was drunk and as far I know never touched a drop till the day he died when there was a bottle of vodka found next to him. My Mum is an alcoholic too, who I haven't spoken to for nearly 7 years.

I know my drinking habits have got out of control and I need to do something about it, I have now had two sober nights and so far have no intentions of buying any alcohol today.

I would love to get into doing some sort of exercise but I am so unfit, I honestly would not know where to start!

Happy Birthday for Yesterday Meerka and well done for not opening the wine
:)

Can anyone direct me to the dry thread? It looks like it may be a good source of support.

Original poster
ThroughThickAndThin01 · 02/10/2015 11:00

Morning all, Day 1 ticked, only 30 more to go...

Happy birthday Meerka, not drinking on your birthday is very impressive - the one time that it's perfectly accepted if not actively expected (along with champagne or sherry at 11am on Christmas day, in our house).

MTGlass very good name. It must have been difficult growing up with alcoholic parents; my parents were both virtually tee total but me and my siblings all drink. I would class myself as a moderate drinker I think, a few days off every week, but a bottle of wine in one sitting on a Friday and a Saturday type of thing. I'm not sure how to link buy Dry8 is also in relationships.

Rachel I'd love to lose a stone too, hopefully I can concentrate on a bit of weight loss this month..

OP posts:
Rachel0Greep · 02/10/2015 13:38

This is great. Looking forward to chatting on here.

Meerka · 02/10/2015 13:47

Dry 8

CheesyNachos · 02/10/2015 20:25

Hi all. :)

Yes, the DRY thread has been a huge support to me.

This thread is good, because it is helping me to get back to the basics. Getting in great subsitutes, changing up the routines etc. Also.... Sainsbos do a good 0% alcohol sparkling wine which I think is pretty good.... have it as a Buck's fizz sometimes.

My aim for Sober October is to not replace wine with sugary foods but to focus on 3 meals a day, healthy eating. I have put on 3 stone in the past 18 months. [shudder]. Need to get back to eating well.

tribpot · 02/10/2015 20:36

MTGlass - walking! You are fit enough to walk because you do it every day.

I completely heart my Fitbit but in the meantime, if you have a smartphone, you can use something like Runkeeper to keep track of your progress. My routine is to have an audio book and head out just to walk round and round my local park.

Despite the learned words from our friend Drew, I think there are some huge benefits to stopping for a month. It is longer than many, many adults in Britain go without a drink. It is long enough that you will be able to feel the benefits in stopping and be able to think about whether there's anything you want to change longer term, whether that's cutting down the number of nights a week, avoiding certain drinks for which you have no off switch, not drinking at home - basically being more mindful about how you drink. It's also long enough to identify your triggers and work out how to manage them. It's the minimum amount of time I would suggest anyone gives up drinking if they want to think again about alcohol.

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