Dry 14

[glad2016]

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

Hi mother sorry to hear your back at the beginning too, I got cocky too

Everyone seems so lovely on here, non judgmental. Read so many posts that resonate with me, makes me feel I'm not alone.

White & 2, I'll check out those links, it'll be interesting to see how it was for you both and may be of some help.

Mother, hi there. Yep, total beginner here trying to get through my first day. I keep trying to find a reason to buy some beers. Top of the list is to counteract the number of energy drinks I've had today (that's a good reason I keep telling myself). Doh!

So I went to the offy and came back with ice, lemonade (and got some lemon n lime from Tesco too).

I think that was Whites suggestion and it's a fab idea to get some a little more exciting to replace it and for now I'm buzzing rather than craving. LONG MAY IT CONTINUE!

I think blogging is proper writing, motherr and I think you should stop putting yourself down!

Hi all. This is my day 1. My drinking has been out of control for about 2 years. Yesterday I fell down the stairs and really hurt myself. I've had to take today off work and feel dreadful. I've been thinking about stopping drinking for a while and now I am going to do it. I've told my partner and 15 year old son. I don't think my 12 year old will understand and certainly not my 2 year old. I feel like I have been the worst mum and partner in the world and have a lot of making up to do. Hope it's ok to join you? x

Welcome alison - I hope you are recovering from your fall - please don't beat yourself up, we've all been there and you're doing a really positive thing by starting day 1 - be kind to yourself. Hello too to falsenails and motherr hope you are all ok and sending lots of support for you for your day 1s

falsenails you sound like me - am not too bad during the week but come Friday when the previous weekends embarrassment has worn off I'm like a greyhound out of the traps ! I was really worried about my first Friday and made sure I had lots of distractions - went out to play tennis after work, took the dogs for a walk somewhere different, new AF drinks ready to try, a nice tea, crisps (!) and before I knew it it was bed time and I had made it through. And - it was actually more enjoyable and nice to go to bed with a clear head and a tidy kitchen.

bigfat sounds like you have new drinks to distract you tonight - good for you. Imagine how good you will feel and how proud you will be of yourself when you wake up tomorrow !

Oh and one and finnish day 2 of the yoga challenge done - I'm liking it

WELCOME newbies!!

yellow I will be doing day 6 tonight. I did day 5 and then repeated day 4 last night because I enjoyed it so much. I really feel like it is making a difference to me. I've been hunched over a computer all day and really keen to get the kids in bed and do it tonight.

Wow one you really are getting into it! I'm glad you're enjoying it. In my class we tend to do one pose at a time - I like Adrienne's as she moves you from one to another in a sequence. It's good to learn something new - every day's a school day !

Thank you Yellow some good idea's, I did similar things last time and they did help. Never really found any AF wine that I liked though, any recommendations?

Hi Alison I fell down the stairs last night too and I don't even remember my husband told me, got a couple of bruises. I feel so ashamed.

What I struggle with the most is acceptance, whilst I accept I have a problem I am resentful that I can't just be a "normal drinker". Even after 18 months sobriety and another 12 of just the occasional drink, that resentment never went. I just want to be sober and happy.

Oh I love Adrianne! I did most of the 30 day boot camp in January (not so coincidentally, that stopped at approximately the same time that I gave up on Dry January)

I might do the camp again when the dc are back in school, it made me feel really good.

WhitePillow I have a habit of putting myself down, self-esteem is definitely on the self improvement list too!

Hello, not been on for I had a bottle of wine last weekend. Felt like I couldn't post as I can see you are all doing so well. I didn't get drunk had it to relax and nothing bad happend. Not had another drink since I know that problems occur when I get drunk..people may think I am in denial but I have admitted I was a typical binge drinker am I wrong for trying to enjoy a drink rather than giving up? I don't know what to do?

Hi there, I would like to join if that's okay? Long time lurker but think I've finally reached the point of no return when it comes to my drinking :-(

I've two young DCs and I'm 32. I've known I've had a 'problem' with booze and drinking far too much for probably 10 years now. This summer has been an exceptionally 'wet' one, with far too much boozey socialising. DH said last night after dragging me begrudgingly away from a BBQ that I need to sort myself out. He's supportive, and I think last night was 'it' for me. I've been waiting for a 'rock bottom' for about 9 years now, yet haven't had one, so have thought it's okay to carry on. It's really, really not.

You know you drink too much when you only feel vaguely tipsy after over a bottle of wine.

I'm just sick of feeling crap, sick of not achieving as much as I could due to hangovers etc, sick of the constant battle and thinking about alcohol, just sick of the bloody stuff being everywhere and at every social occasion.

Sorry, I am usually pretty cheery and have a nice life, but I am DONE.

Just finishing day 1 here for me.

This thread seems lovely, really supportive and non-judgmental- I hope you'll have me?

Welcome falsenails and alison - glad you found your way here. The support on this thread is phenomenal.

choco only you can decide whether to stop completely or try to moderate. Personally I know I can't moderate. Put simply I don't have an off switch. What do you think you want to do ?

Welcome to all the new people.

Falsenails I did exactly the same thing after nearly a year sober, able to moderate for a while before it got increasingly more and more. It's a hard lesson to learn but you're here and have done it before. Do you think there is anything you can do or think differently to combat those feelings of resentment this time?

Know that feeling only too well Scallopy or having one bottle and thinking that's a nice moderate amount to drink in one sitting as usually it's more

Big well done, nice treat drinks make all the difference. As for tapering, when I started posting on the first Dry thread what made me join was counting up how many units I was getting through a week. It was a frankly scary amount. I could get through 10 bottles of wine a week on a bad week and the bad weeks were happening more frequently, good week 4 or 5. I stopped straight off with no effects although I might have been just lucky this time I do know some posters have tapered so that is not advice just my own experience. If you feel you are suffering any withdrawals seek medical attention. This time I caught it before it got to that scary amount stage but that's where I knew it was heading if I didn't put a stop it to sharpish.

I'm the same as vxa choc, bitter experience has told me I can't moderate. Can do it short term but sooner or later I start binge drinking, which then leads to heavy drinking. Everyone is different though, it's your own personal decision.

Haven't been on much as been really busy with the start of term and spending some time much needed time with dp. Stopping smoking (9 days now) too has made me really sleepy so crashing out pretty early at night. Day 24 I think? All going good, get the odd cheesed off day but powering through them hour by hour if needed. Started life after life yesterday and liking it so far

Welcome scallopy - I spent so long typing my post I missed yours! You are very welcome here. It's a wonderful supportive board

falsenails personally I've stayed away from AF wine and beer and gone for completely different drinks instead - Schweppes do a delish blood orange and grapefruit and also tried m&s raspberry and pear last week which was lovely

And motherr yes come and join us in the yoga camp ! If anything it'll make you more relaxed over the next few weeks

choc don't be too hard on yourself - recognise it for the blip it was. I had one on Sunday and think there have been a couple of other blips too. Only you can decide what's right for you. Why don't you just take it one day at a time and do what feels right ?

Welcome scallopy I he you find support here, it really is a great board with lovely supportive people

Good night people - another sober day done !

Day 22 down.
Feeling absolutely exhausted, kind of low, and I've got a dose of cystitis as well for no good reason!!
Into bed. Roll on Wednesday!
Welcome to the new folks - there's a good few of us here now!

Get well soon upyergansey. Cystitis is really crappy.
Big fat I think you should believe in yourself. Just going into the offy and buying a soft drink is a massive achievement!
Yellow dont worry that you slipped, if you don't enjoy drinking it at the time or the feeling afterwards it helps to reinforce why you're going sober, which has to be a good thing. My thoughts anyway.
Welcome others. I havent been here long but it's such a friendly group.
Back from holiday tonight, still dry and intending to continue. Challenge now is to build sobriety into my normal routine ie looking after children on my own all day, going back to work, school run, just general life and stresses. flash point is 5.30-7pm and I have a plan for tomorrow so feeling positive.
DH has cut down his drinking over the last few days and was dry today. I'm hoping he can continue to cut down but think I'm ok with him having alcohol in the house. There's vodka in the kitchen but I know I don't want it.

Welcome newbies!

Having a plan for the trigger times is great, gotta!

Yes slimcheesy my plan is to have a cold soft drink in a nice tumbler with ice, e.g. grapefruit juice and fizzy water. Keep changing activity to keep busy so make dinner, put washing on while kids eating, tidy up dinner, have some snacks out e.g. hummus and pitta (hunger is a trigger), play a game with the children so I'm busy. The urge does pass quickly so I think I'll be fine.

Oh wow! New people. Welcome to all! scallopy and falsenails and alison and anyone else who I've missed. Welcome welcome welcome. :)

choc please don't be ashamed or hide away from us. If you can moderate, I think there's a thread here for that with people experienced at it (I am NOT) that might be able to help you, or at least, help you decide. If you can, great. And if you can't and you decide going sober is the best thing for you, then you can have a day 1 whenever you want.

Did my day 6 yoga last night. It was the lesson on abs and I did not like it at all. I think I carry a lot of grief and trauma in that part of my body and I was a bit upset afterwards. Feel achy this morning, but I slept bloody well and have not been put off. Will do day 7 tonight.

I drank to get drunk last night. I drank everything i could find, passed out and woke up from a complete blackout in bed. I'm shaking, feeling sick and wishing so,so much I'd 'played it forward' as you regularly advise. I feel incredibly guilty. To my dd, she doesn't deserve this. If anything had happened to her I couldn't have been there for her. I feel guilty posting here too. I really want to crack this. I don't want to wake up like this again but I was absolutely powerless to it last night.

vxa thanks for the blog links. I'll get reading.

Welcome to the newcomers. Keep strong.

strongtea I am right here. Don't you dare beat yourself up. Look after yourself physically today: water, good food, rest, a hot shower and some more water. I'm off and about today but will check in regularly. Post as often as you need. You are among friends here.

Thank you so much. That really means a lot to me. I want to stop drinking completely. I haven't had that truly powerless to drink feeling since quitting. It's consuming.

It started with a bottle of wine that wasn't bought by me but it had gone before I'd finished cooking. Then I made the decision to go and buy more. Then more of anything. I was gulping it back.