DRY 13

[lilybetsy]

This is the thread for all those who are living, or committed to living, life free from alcohol.

I will quote a sober poster "I'm fitter, slimmer, richer, happier & healthier"

Go sober warriors !

glad onwards :) Hope the extra sober support from therapy is the ticket

Hi everyone,

Today is Day 1, and at the moment I'm feeling very positive and totally certain that staying sober is the right choice for me. But I've attempted it before, the most I've managed previously is only 30 days, so I'm hoping some accountability will help me stick with it on those days when a drink suddenly seems like a marvellous idea!

I was at a big family bash yesterday and am utterly ashamed about how drunk I got - we were staying over at the hotel and early in the evening I had to get DH to take me back to the room as I was too drunk to stay out dancing with everyone else. I'm hoping I will remember how embarrassed I'm feeling in the coming weeks if my resolve weakens.

Something which has helped me with my attempts before has been having a nice cold glass of something fizzy in the evening, so I'll be stocking up this week, and also eating enough in the evening so that I'm full - one of evening drinking habits is to skip dinner so the first glass takes effect 'better' and then snacking on crisps, cheese and crackers etc over the evening. So a proper evening meal and some nice treats will be on the cards.

I haven't got any drinking social events or holidays in the very near future (going abroad in August so hoping a few weeks of AF before then will make a sober holiday a reality) as in the past upcoming events have derailed me in advance as I'll get too distracted with worrying about how I'll get through what ever it is, and then use it as an excuse to give up!

I'm off to bed now to re-read Jason Vale, which I've found helpful in the past, and have also just downloaded the Andrew Johnson app.

You ladies are all doing amazingly and are truly inspirational - it's very daunting to be right back at the start, but I'm looking forward to seeing my numbers build up x

Welcome jellybean :)

Hi everyone.

Glad So good to see you again. Therapy... good idea. You have so much on your plate that I think carving out a time when someone puts your needs as their priority will be very good.

lily also No decisions for now is a good approach. I hope it all goes well.

Welcome jellybean. Good to see you. :)

Hope everyone is fine this evening. I am overtired and should be sleeping, but have tipped into wide-awake-but-exhausted mode. I found this afternoon quite hard. DS called me 'Mummy Grumpy Trousers'. Two huge glasses of fizzy elderflower cordial sorted me out eventually. :)

Night Sober Warriors. KOKO.

Oh... YY to nice treats jelly. Sober treats are where it's at!

Welcome jellybean I'm new too. I find it really useful to 'check in' here once a day or so. Not sure why - but it has helped.

lily congratulations on 100 days. That is such an achievement. Is your Dh a drinker and has you stopping changed the dynamic there, do you think?

I am getting to the end of day 13 which means tomorrow will be two weeks. It's bloody amazing. I can't believe I have managed it. I've probably saved about 100 quid or more. My face and belly have deflated and I am sleeping so much better.

But I feel sad tonight. I am realising how much more there is to it than just not drinking. I realise I have no idea how else to deal with stress, sadness, anxiety, anger or any other feeling I don't like. Father's Day is hard for me for lots of reasons and it's been hard to stay 'sober'. I don't want to drink and I don't want to get drunk, but I don't like being sober tonight. I hope that makes sense.

Had a difficult weekend, but haven't drunk - probably about the only thing I achieved this weekend!

Have 5 weeks stopover, and feeling v down. Sorry folks

finnishbiscuiteater I'm blue too, and misery loves company.

I keep realising that I drank to numb out feelings like this. But feeling like this is better than the shame and hangover I'd have tomorrow morning.

I am trying to remind myself I am a baby in this - just learning, very slowly, to find other ways to comfort myself.

Sleep helps. I'm off to bed now. Good luck to anyone else struggling tonight.

Bugger just lost a big post

Will try again later when on desktop not phone! Still dry. Could have been day 183 but now day 3 instead. But at least I am dry!

Hi everyone,
I'm on day 6 here (again) but feeling good. I'm sleeping like a log - I know this is the norm but what's the reason for it? Anyone know???

Glad - can you believe we're both here again? Stay strong xx

Sorry can't name check as I'm on my phone. I'm reading every day though. I'm not posting as I'm trying to change my habits and break from looking at my phone so much.

I was thinking earlier about how hard not drinking is. It should be easy - it's not like I have to do something, the opposite! Training for a marathon should be hard as it takes time and effort but not drinking booze should be easy as all l have to do is stop.

I'm ok in early stages but end up trying to be one of those people who has one glass with a meal. Next thing I'm drinking at home every evening.

Congrats on your milestones and big numbers. They really do keep me on the right track.

Hello everyone

Quick post before work, well done on all the milestones and welcome to everyone joining in!

I've managed another weekend sober and enjoyed it. Doing a lot of soul searching over triggers and how to cope.

Wishing everyone a peaceful sober day.

Another weekend AF for me too.

I'm think about how to reward myself (as the lemon curd ice-cream is probably not a long-term plan) and was thinking about booking a holiday for next year and then every week paying off what I would have previously spent on wine, I'd say about £35 per week, which will easily pay off the holiday by next summer and might even give me some spends.

I think its doable and will mean we get a holiday next year, but a whole year AF looks pretty daunting from day 16!

Hi and thanks for the welcome everyone.

Girls that sounds like a good idea about putting your drinking money towards a holiday. Once I've managed a couple of weeks I'm going to reward myself with a little treat of upgrading our Sky package to include the Boxsets thing, so instead of drinking wine every night, I can indulge in some good tele instead. I'm loving the sound of lemon curd ice-cream too, where did you find that?! I love ice-cream, I enjoyed a lovely bowl of raspberry ripple last night and am going to stock up on more flavours as an evening treat.

Kept replaying embarrassing snippets of conversations to myself today from my drunken night out on Saturday. Cringe-worthy whitterings and droning on to people about myself and repeating stories endlessly to people etc If I get tempted though, I'll remind myself that wine doesn't make me fun, it makes me STUPID and BLOODY BORING!

I liked the AJ app last night, almost fell asleep right at the end but his loud counting woke me up. Will follow the instructions and listen each day for 3 weeks.

Hope those who were a bit down last night are feeling better today?

Jelly Tesco Finest Lemon Curd ice cream. ...bloody lovely, but I need to limit myself to one 500ml tub a week.

Ooh thanks, I'll be seeking some out this week!

jelly if you set Andrew Johnson to 'sleep' setting instead of wake, you lose the counting at the end

I'm in bed with a posh hot chocolate watching The Affair box set - it's bloody brilliant!!!!

Day 4 :) Still trying not to think it could have been day 184 :( But no, just pleased I am back on it!
About to hit bed with a dvd :)

Evening,

Hope everyone is ok this evening.

hadron I love The Affair although I find Dominic West a bit creepy.

I'm watching OITNB only just started watching so good few to catch up on.

Got a box of gin samples through the post from a friend today so I took them into work and gave them away. being sober has become so important to me I need to help myself to keep this

• posted to soon!

I need to keep this sober feeling because I LOVE BEING SOBER and I'm feeling much happier with the person that makes me.

Efc my sister gets loads of free 'gifts' with work but doesn't drink (never has) so gives them to me! I used to feel it was my duty to drink them as they were always very expensive bottles of wine or spirits.

Ps I know what you mean about Dominic West. I'm not sure if it was brilliant casting or very wrong. I've just finished series 1. I have a feeling I'll get through a few box sets over the summer months.

hadron I enjoyed season 2 even more. I used to be very bad at drinking while watching, then not having a clue what was going on! I'm going to do a sober rewatch of Game of Thrones.

I did a sober re-watching of the film 'The Impossible' over the weekend (Naomi Watts, Ewan McGgregor) Great movie!

hadron this might sound a silly question- what does your sister say when people offer her alcohol? Just 'no thanks I don't drink?' I have tied myself into knots wondering what to say when that it occurs to me it probably really is that simple!