Dry 15

[glad2016]

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

LOU WE DO PICK A CHALLENGE :)

Grr phone! Sorry, not shoutung

Oh blimey this phone screen is pants :( Sorry, all

Ironically I have more Christmas parties and nights out this year than last year- partly because I can afford to go out as often as I want driving and drinking lemonade! Not planning to drink at all over Christmas or after (or ever - whispers). I'm not bothered. My family don't drink much so its not a bit deal to them.
Dh has admitted he is depressed at the moment. I've done everything this weekend so feel really tired. I feel for him though. Trying to be kind. Suggested he has a week off booze to help clear his head- will watch with interest.

Well done to all the long termers.

Day 8, a busy but productive Sunday Christmas shopping. It would normally be out of the question on a Sunday morning I'd be fit to drive myself and be up and out of the house with the dc by 10am.

The weekend is nearly done, using my booze savings to pay for my nails tomorrow. Might as well waste the money on something pretty.

Hope everyone is well.

Well done who. I use drinking money for nails too. I can always see them looking pretty and they cheer me up

Another nail fan here to be honest just feeling nicely groomed and polished is one of my favourite things about being sober.

Keep reflecting on how brilliant I felt before falling off the wagon on Saturday. It's been brought into sharp relief compared to the aftermath of boozing. On my way to work now feeling teary and ashamed, and unable to get a handle on my moods. Haven't felt like this in the longest time and it's the biggest motivator to stay dry for GOOD this time.

Very dark and rainy here. Hope everyone else's Monday is a little brighter.

theoughtheviolets you haven't stopped for good, you have stopped for today...take each day as it comes and deal with what you have to deal with today...pushing for what's going to happen tomorrow or the next day etc won't help.....

Re falling off the wagon on Saturday think of it like this, you fell off but then you got up and got back on, that's what makes you the strongest!!!!

Hi
Please can I join? Day 1 here.

In a sense though day 2 because yesterday was the first day in weeks that I didn't drink at least a bottle of wine. I had one and a half small drinks at a family party, came home and drank tea.

I've been really shaken up by all kinds of things and drinking every single day. A lot.

I'm going to read back a little now and get to know you all a bit.

thanks, sober warriors

Hi all. Thanks for the welcome. :) I am feeling more groomed too. It is less effort in the morning to blow dry my hair etc.

Welcome mudlin and romantic walks it's like the advert - because we're worth it.

It does get easier and the benefits, well just wait.

If coming off a long time drinking check out previous posts about going cold turkey. - it may not be for you and may lead to you cracking under the pressure.

Hi romantic I think its easier to look after yourself when dry, I also find I can make time for hair and majeup in the mornings and I have a shellac manicure every 2 weeks with my not drinking money. My skin is much much clearer and I look younger. All good reasons to keep on keeping on!
Welcome maudlin keep posting if it helps you. Do you have a plan for this evening? Any nice soft drinks you can get and a change of routine around your trigger time are good strategies.

User why would you "advise" people not to go cold turkey? I can't see that its a good idea to suggest it might not be a good idea? People are here for exactly that hence the name of the thread "dry" and we need to support and help through that decision as well as gain support and help ourselves to stay dry and go cold turkey.

Only from a medical point lou if drinking a long time and to the point where you may be dependent then the sudden stopping can be so severe that it can actually kill you.

Some people need to stop either with medication or under medical supervision. I'm not suggesting people shouldn't stop and remain dry but for some tapering is a better option.

I agree lou. I know there are serous risks associated with stopping for some people and if that applies you need to get advice from your GP or alcohol service who can provide a medical detox is needed. But this thread is for people who are stopping rather than reducing so effectively everyone is going cold turkey albeit that some may have some medical support - I had a small dose of diazepam which helped me.

Hi all,

I usually post late evening & 'dip in' throughout the day...but couldn't read & run! Welcome to all the new members, Through the Violets, MaudlinNamechange & Romantic walks to the fridge, glad you joined us - I'm only on day 9 myself but hope to have many more!

With ref. to the 'cold turkey' no choice is wrong, but I understand this thread 'dry' is more suitable for people with a goal of long term abstinence. If someone is aiming for long term moderation this thread www.mumsnet.com/Talk/relationships/2756292-Brave-Babes-braving-the-Autumn may be more helpful ☺

I understand also there are 4 stages of alcoholism & if you are in the 4th & final stage, if an alcoholic abstains from taking alcohol they will suffer the 'dts' (delerium tremens) which is a potentially deadly kind of alcohol withdrawal that takes place unless an alcoholic receives alcohol treatment. Anyone at this point should not attempt to go cold turkey alone & seek medical advice from their gp.

We are all at different points on our journey. I hope we can all find a way that works for us to become sober & hopefully live a more fulfilling life. Haven't met anyone who were happier back in the day, when they were still drinking!
LS

Btw, by tapering I mean reducing over a few days - until totally abstinent.

I honestly do not advocate anyone continuing to drink.

Hi maudlin Romantic Lost Lou vxa and gotta. Really good to know there are people out there feeling the same way.

Got through a tough Monday and feeling much more positive now. Battling the grotty weather to commute home for a cosy night of lemon & ginger tea and an early night.

In a new turn for me I have been totally honest with OH about how I've felt today. He said he's been worried about me which makes me feel guilty but at the same time it helps to know we're on the same page as each other, if that makes sense?

User a very small percentage of people will need medical intervention to help them become dry. This constant fear mongering that people roll out that people are going to die when quitting alcohol really winds me up. People are feeling vulnerable, scared, anxious enough as it is and don't need to be terrified that stopping completely will cause a severe reaction. It's not just here it is peddled out - I keep seeing it all over mumsnet and people giving out advice when they have absolutely no experience is in itself dangerous.

Yes someone on here might need medical intervention at some point but given the tone and content on the last few posts, I very much doubt any of the posters need to get themselves along to a doctor or clinic for medical intervention. Jeez!

However all this is irrelevant because what you actually told the new posters is not to go cold turkey as they might crack under the pressure of doing so, which is entirely different "advice" to what you have now changed it to.

Newbies - welcome again and good luck in your journeys, here to listen and hopefully you are here to help us and give us insights into your own experiences

Violets good that you and DH are talking, don't feel guilty about it...means that there is still love there. I stopped drinking too late to save my marriage I fear.

I hope you find it easier as the week goes on. Keep talking to DH - he can't help or respond if he firs then know what is wrong.

Hello!
Thankyou for the welcome.
Don't worry about me and cold turkey - I have never been physically addicted. I'm sitting here with my green tea feeling physically fine but emotionally a bit bleak.

It's been a tough year for me and I guess I've been retreating into the warm fuzziness of a glass. It doesn't work though, I know it just builds everything up.

I live with my ex who is moving out in a couple of weeks. I'm happy he's finally going but it's been a bleak day. I had workmen in and had to go in his room. It's tragic. It's like a sad college room. I feel filled with regret that things couldn't have been different. Another kind of woman (in another time?) would uncomplainingly have shared a room, tidied up his junk every day, put up with his snoring, not minded that he expects everything to do be done for him. I am not sure which of us I feel sorry for.

then again, another part of me doesn't feel sorry for anyone and just wants to get him gone and hire a Rug Doctor

Anyway. Among my resolutions (the most important one is the no-booze one) is also the seriously-cut-down-on-news one. Gloomy news is a bad habit and it's making me sick and anxious.

great to meet you all.

Thank you again for the lovely welcome

As we are approaching 999 posts, I have started a brand new shiny thread for when this one is full:

www.mumsnet.com/Talk/relationships/2786525-dry-16

Come and mark your place! X

Glad to be here. Day 60 for me - can hardly believe it! The longest period I've been sober since aged fifteen ... maybe even fourteen :/ I'm 35 now.

Anyway. Life is getting better. First week I was on a bit of a pink cloud. Weeks two and three I honestly felt I was in freefall in terms of depression, emotions etc. Knew I couldn't go back to drinking but at the same time was a bit WTF at how raw I felt.

But this past week or two has been pretty amazing! Keep thinking back to this time last year, I was boozing pretty heavily to manage stress. This year I have just as much external stress, but things are going so much better.