Dry 15

[glad2016]

For all those sober, or would be sober, warriors. KOKO (keep on keeping on) lovely people :)

Hi all, just checking in at the 'other end' of my day 5 too efc, who & mnaddict. Find early days my sleep is really bad but am always tired :-)

Thanks user, 72 days is great, onward & upward...
Titsy woo, I'm very sorry to hear that - it's very sad for the two kids without their mum. How is your day 1 going?
Lizzy thats great you managed through - this is a tough time of year for many with work parties & lots of social events.
Sober Sarah 16 years is fantastic! I think a one off is more a slip than a relapse - I was off for 4 years & relapsed 19 months ago...
Awks - well done on two weeks.
Gotta, well done on 12 weeks, three months is a real milestone & I'm sure your chuffed about the weight loss. Wise words about not missing it at that stage - encourages us newbies that it get easier & occupies less of your headspace.
Hi Vxa, Lou, Patch & thanks for all your positive words x
LS

LostSoul - the early days are hard on the sleeping...

I always find it hard and sometimes I think that's what started me drinking regularly in my mid twenties. I had a stressful job and used to work really late but know I had to be up fairly early to start the whole long commute again in a few hours time and couldn't unwind when I got home. I found a couple of glasses of wine would get me calming down and being able to nod off and it has gone from there really. I have had a stressful career and have a big job, always been the main earner in the household and manage all finances etc.

Every time I give up the drink I find the sleeping hard and it has put me off trying to go longer term AF in the past. However lately the booze was making me wake up at all hours in the middle of the night, despite being able to pass out at bed time so that really changed my thought process on going AF. I thought well I can't be more knackered than I am now so what the hell! A lot of middle aged women seem to say that booze starts doing this later in life...I wonder if the menopause has something to do with it as I am definitely peri menopausal.

I had some over the counter sleeping tablets that I keep for AF periods, or travel for work etc and they have been good this time, I think a lot of it is all in my head but whatever works in the early days was fine with me! I took them for 8 weeks this time but after about 6 weeks I found I was going the other way and going to bed at 9pm and not waking up until 8 am the next day and feeling really sluggish and heavy etc. So I gave them up a week ago and it has definitely been more difficult to sleep again but not as bad as the early days AF and I am getting there but more importantly not so bad as to be tempted to have a glass of something to help me out.... No easy answer I suppose, maybe if I had gone straight away with nothing my sleep would have fixed itself naturally earlier on but even with the sleeping tabs I found the first week or so difficult and I do need my sleep desperately so I am glad I had them and took them for the time I did. All they are is the US equivalent to Sominex that you buy from Boots so nothing hardcore but almost a placebo!

My sleep was awful for about 8 weeks when I stopped drinking, then it suddenly got much much better. I usually wake once for the loo then go back to sleep fine. Often I manage 8 hours continuous sleep which is amazing for me. After both my children were sleeping through as babies I would lie awake for hours and I used to despair- crashed my car (was not drunk!), dropped the baby etc. Thats one of the reasons my sobriety is so impirtant to me- I knew it would eventually give me better sleep and it has. Sleeping well helps a lot with my anxiety too.

Evening everyone!

Hope everyone is ok. I'm not drinking don't even fancy it. Dh is drunk, I was late in from work and he was already drinking. So annoying. Planning bath and early night with a book.

Sometimes the best times are when you treat yourself a little and just do nothing. Sober with a film on....but think I will be sleeping soon.

Thanks Lou & Gotta for the encouragement - I think the clock change makes Nov & Dec pretty dreary & hopefully come January I'll be at 6 weeks with a bit more motivation & energy.

Glad your having a relaxing night efc, though I'm sure it's hard when your DH is still drinking - though I'm sure you'll feel better in the morning than he will...

You to user, hope you enjoy your evening.

Nearly done with day 6, keep on keeping on
LS

Lost soul, forget about January, think of the rest of today, 90 odd minutes and then you start on another day (with another sober day under your belt)

Day 7. Who'd have thought a whole week has passed since my shameful performance. I didn't think I'd make it this far.

My headache has finally stated to go. I'm generally sleeping quite well when I nod off.

How's all my fellow day 7ers?

Can I join please?

Currently lying on my sofa feeling like death after a bottle of wine on Wednesday night turned into a binge which finished in the wee hours of Friday morning.

I'm on holiday from work for a week after no break since March. Thought the wine would be a good way to celebrate.

Blacked out for most of the day Thursday. I have missed calls and retuned calls to work on my phone, no idea if I spoke to anyone, I'm a senior manager and if I have this won't be good, especially as it's not the first time it's happened.

Feel like an awful wife and mother. I've always drank too much but it's really escalated over the past few years. I can't remember the last time I drank and didn't black out.

It's terrifying.

Who we made it to day 7!

This is the first Saturday in a long while I haven't mooched about with a hangover. Was up at 7 fresh as a daisy! Sober feels so good.

Creepy welcome. The not remembering is awful. I am missing huge chunks of my life over the last few years but this week I haven't forgotten a single thing!

Creepy welcome

Can you speak to anyone to establish if you spoke to anyone at work?

I called up this morning to go over a few things I need them to do whilst I'm off. No one mentioned it but I'm not sure they would. My DH said I didn't appear that drunk at the time but I never seem to whilst in a blackout. He did hang up one of the calls I made, but there were 4.

I was so looking forward to this break and just relaxing. Going to spend the next week worrying.

This is the pattern though, feel shame for a week or so then do it all again.

Hi all, just checking in - Day 7 nearly done for me too, Who & Mnaddict this is great isn't it?! Shout out to you too efc! ☺

Thanks user, I have been using AL again for the past two winters, however even before when AL free, I still struggle at this time of year (winter blues maybe?) So definitely taking it slow & steady...as this will be my first AL free one in 3 years.

Hi & welcome Creepy Pasta - Sorry your feeling so low. After a 'heavy session' I would always have really bad anxiety & paranoia. Your not alone & I'm sure alot of us have come to the realisation that we cannot drink AL like 'normal' & want to do something about it. Be kind to yourself over the next few days & keep reading & posting - the support on this thread is really helpful x

Hiya everyone hope it's a nice sober evening!

Drinking tea and about to head to bed ready for work. Even though I'm in work I'm looking forward to a clear head on a Sunday- for me that well outweighs any "fun" had drinking Saturday night!

Creepy welcome, I hope everything is ok with work, sure it will be everything always seems magnified after a heavy session. I have been terrible at drunk texting and organising things I don't even remember the next day. Just been on Facebook and some of the posts are cringe, mainly due to alcohol I bet!

Hi folks, just in bed - a first for me, going to bed on a Sat night rather than the early hours of Sunday morning.

DS being a bit of a pain today, not listening...and I think me being a mardi arse too....

New day tomorrow, hopefully a better one.

Hello, may I join? I have been lurking for a bit. I am on Day 4.:)

I am away at a work conference this weekend.Yesterday's sessions were from 8 am-6pm. Usually I have to drag myself through the day.Yesterday I was bright and engaged the whole day! And only needed 2 coffees in the morning to get going!

Hi Romanticwalks,

Welcome aboard, so brace to start while away at a work conference.....but bet Sunday will be a lot easier than if you had been out with work colleagues last night.

Hope you have have a good and sober day.

Morning all. I've lurked for a long time on the Dry threads but it's time to post.

I've been dry for 74 of the 78 days since 4th September. The four days I've drank have been disgusting and yesterday was the last time. I never, ever, ever want to drink again.

Hi throughtheviolets - talking helps to stay away from it, even if it is in here.

Seems to be a lot of lurkers on here, -if lurking why not come say hello. I don't think anyone will bite.

Thanks user. I knew I'd be drinking yesterday (expensive wine tasting day that we bought tickets for ages ago!) so wanted to get that out of the way before posting. Maybe that's just an excuse. It feels good to post now though.

Well done all you de-lurkers...I was a long term lurker too, I don't know why, but I think I needed to be ready in my head to say, right that's it, no more booze. Then reading here often gave me the confidence to start. And here I am, 101 days..woo hoo ....you can do it too, one day at a time. I feel like I have built up a bit of momentum now and don't want to stop. Keep on keeping on.

101 days Patchwork - that is absolutely amazing, well done to you XX

Hello newbies and delurkers.

I had an interesting day yesterday when the Wine witch turned up about 3pm and wouldn't go away until we went out. I didn't drink but it was touch and go for a few hours as to whether I would give in or not.

This time of year is very difficult, in 6 weeks the world and his wife will be joining us and everyone will be going dry if not for long periods but at least lots of dry January etc but for now the socializing is ramping up, the fizz is flowing everywhere, the advertising is in your face etc. It is getting hard particularly as I am now nearly 10 weeks in and feeling very virtuous, in control yadda yadda. We all know the drill!

My day 100 will fall on 26 Dec - planning to stay sober and then keep on staying sober for another 100 days. it is very hard this time of year, though. I have lots and lots and lots of sober tools lined up, just in case the first few suddenly fail me.

I've informed OH and my parents that I'll be having a dry Christmas, they didn't bat an eyelid. My PILs will be another matter!

I've felt dreadful today after boozing yesterday. No desire to drink.

Sarah my 100 days is up in the 22nd December