Dry 15

[glad2016]

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

Morning all. Hoe everyone is fine.

I'm still here and still sober. Closing in on day 100.

Work is EXCEPTIONALLY busy right now so I just have my head down and powering through.

On day 18 of yoga and headspace and really loving it.

Best wishes to all. I will be back in to check and read and catch up as soon as I can. x

Hi everyone - I've not been posting but have been reading. Hope everyone is ok. This is me on day 15!!!! I can't believe I've managed so long!!! Love waking up in the morning with a clear head etc. Haven't lost any weight but belly seems to have shrunk a little. Xx

What do you do One? (no need to reply if outing)

Sorry to hear you are struggling Tattoo you really helped me when I turned up here last week in a mess. Completely understandable to have a break but hopefully see you here soon, take care of yourself.

Yay for 100 days Onewhitepillow and 15 Alison

It's been nearly a week since my massive binge and I have been eating everything in sight, usually try and watch the sugar but just going with it for now.

Thank you all for welcoming me on this truly inspiring thread last month.
Unfortunately I don't think I'm able to go sober right now so I'm going to discontinue posting here. I'm in the absolute eye of a shitstorm right now and am once again using alcohol to get through it. I can't see myself waking up tomorrow feeling differently.
I will keep on reading and being inspired by all your bravery and resilience but right now it would be disingenuous to continue posting as I've already had a fair bit this evening and have no intention of stopping.
Extra thanks and admiration to onewhitepillow , tattoosand readdresses and glad.

KOKO all of you

Feeling ok and quite positive about the whole not drinking. Iv gone past the guilt and shame of it all just really struggling to sleep. There's been many of times I have been so tempted to have a glass bottle but feel like I have support as my dp has gave up with me. I think he struggled at weekend as his friends was phoning him and wanting him to go out. But he declined and stayed in. Everyone who's doing great well done keep on. strong sorry to hear that- why not wake up tomo and think day 1? X

Sorry to read that strong and sorry things have got so much worse :( Please do come back to us - you know drinking will only make it worse in the long run, but I can understand why you feel it might make things better :(

I'm still here - reading every night.. I just don't post very often. It's really inspiring to hear everyones stories..and really good to hear the new people post - it's easy to forget how the first days/weeks are..

Has anyone noticed relationships in their lives are improving through staying sober?

oh don't go, strong. If you're having a long lapse, well then so be it. But don't give up. How about setting yourself a date, not too far away in the future, where you will restart your sobriety?

Today is mine and pimp's 100 days.

I am BLOWN AWAY.

Here are all my benefits:

my skin looks amazing - I look five years younger, if not more
body - esp. waist and belly - deflated and looks very toned now
energy - so much more
moods on a more even keel, less reactive, less snappy, less prone to catasrophising and feeling depressed
self esteem - so much better. I still have some way to go to work on this, but I have such a strong sense of achievement and a feeling I can do things I set my mind to
relationships - harder and easier. I notice more patterns - in me and others. Less likely to put up with crap. Notice the things I was numbing myself out to. But there's more honesty, and more humour - and flashes of trust and intimacy that have been lacking in years
sex - better. It is.
time - mornings are less hectic because I am awake and ready earlier. Evenings, I have more time to myself to read, rest and recover from the day, Stress levels falling. Time for new interests - like yoga, which I have been doing for 19 days on the trot and really loving.
socialising - doing loads less of this, but I am okay with that for now. Real friends are there, drinking buddies are melting away, but I am okay with that too.
work - seem to get more done during the day - less stressed and more able to take proper care of myself by eating well and having actual breaks when needed.
money - I think I was spending over 300 quid a month on booze. I am ashamed and astonished, and also delighted at how much money there is for fun treats, which are almost always cheaper than booze treats, which weren't treats at all.

There are some things I want to work on and keep up for the next 100 days

excersise - yoga - improving my posture, mood and stress levels immensely. I think I am a bit too shy to go to a class, but will practice at home for the next 100 days then see where I am.
reading - want to read more in the evenings, rather than surf the web mindlessly
relationship - will be having first counselling session this month - am hopeful.
work - planning to apply for a funding opportunity this year. Could be the key to a promotion.

Well done to everyone. Thank you for being there. You are amazing and I couldn't have done it without all of you.

Oscar speech ends here.

What a lovely post One - well done on 100 days!

I have decided that I'm bored of being sad - Having not used alcohol to numb anything, I really went through it - I also found that talking things through when sober means you clear your thought processe out much more quickly and effectively than I did when I drowned my sorrows and went over and over the same old ground.

Strong - you are welcome to rejoin us here whenever you are ready to. I know it took me about 2 years to go from starting to be unhappy with my drinking to actually giving up - and I absolutley hated dry jan this year when I did it - but something is sticking this time around!

misscookie - I've noticed that my relationship with my kids is much better. And I've noticed that real friends are better than drinking mates - quality not quantity!

Thank you to lizzy, Gotta, Pimp, newleaf and Slim - it's been (possibly rather sadly) really helpful to me to get support from you all

I've decided to aim to be single for a year - I really want to focus on me, my kids and my career (not that I've any offers yet, lol, but I'm not going to jump straight back into anything going)

I too am loving yoga - going to a group again tonight with a friend (3rd week in a row!) - I'm not as cool as one - and can't seem to get past day 14 on the online yoga, but I'm finding that weekly yoga class seems to be working for me.

finnish just catching up with your posts. Your ex sounds like a nob. If he really was that over you, he (she?) wouldn't have texted you with that news.

What is your yoga class like? I worry about being obviously useless, or not being able to keep up, or being too clammy and red-faced and embarrassing myself. Some way to go with self esteem, obviously...

Yay!
100 days! Well done you and me one!
I cannot write a speech- I am shattered- but overall, I just feel very proud of myself and that I no longer have a shameful secret. I don't feel happier but I do feel more positive about myself, if that makes sense.

We were supposed to go out as a family for a meal to celebrate 100 days but I couldn't get away from work. Another 12 hour day and I didn't stop, I didn't chat, I didn't get a lunchbreak. I am sooo fed up. I know it will settle down but not by much! No wonder I have a drink problem.

On the bright side...with both of us drinking, we think we have saved £1500 since we stopped. Unfortunately, unlike one, we don't know where it has gone!

That lack of shame is really something, isn't it?

I am still finding it hard to be compassionate towards that former self - but I am working on that.

What I've really noticed is how much quieter my thinking is. I am not always wondering where and when the next drink is happening, or lying to myself about why and how much I am drinking. It's calmer and there's more space in my head.

That's not always comfortable - the sadness is sharper, the stress can be sharper too - but the feelings are more honest, and more manageable, and I feel more confident in my ability to manage them.

So far.

Don't want to get cocky. But today I am feeling celebratory.

Congrats to the Sober Centurions :)

I love the lack of mental chatter both sobriety and Headspace brings. Try it as I have found it amazing and really helpful :)

Well onewhitepillow a speech like that...deserves an ovation. Well done.

Yay pimp

Feeling the changes too..though not the yoga.

finnish you're welcome...and the same to you. Nothing sad about finding support with a group of like minded souls

I was talking with DH a few weeks ago and he made the observation that conventional life is actually pretty hard. All of us, in some way, are taking steps to recognise that and deal with it better.

Over the last four years or so, I didn't like the feeling that alcohol was controlling me, that drinking every day was just something that I did. Still taking it day by day, still trying to challenge the old thinking.

strong you know you are welcome back any time, you will only find support here

misscookie yes, I am enjoying evenings with my kids so much more, and sober evenings out with DH have been lovely.

Anyone I have not namechecked - chops to you all and KOKO.

Wooooo hoooooooooo!

Evening All - well done one and pimp* you must be so proud of yourselves.

Day 14 and think the cravings are easing although I am a little hesitant to say that, as tomorrow they may return.

I was thinking earlier that whenever I have done Dry January in the past, I have just got through the days hurrying towards the 1st of Feb when I could start my drinking regime again. I would alway focus on what I would drink come 1st Feb and how much I was looking forward to that moment to celebrate my month of sobriety.

This time feels different, as I am thinking more about how I feel when not drinking, all the positive things that are happening. Writing these down each day is really working for me and I seem to be taking each day as it comes.

Anyway just thinking out loud.

Hope everyone is ok x

Good thinking tapas

A revelation for me was understanding HALT

Hungry
Anxious
Lonely
Tired

as triggers for cravings. This explained a lot about why I was habitually pouring a large glass as soon as I got in from work.

I think most of us still get cravings, it's just your toolkit for dealing with them gets better.

Good thinking tapas

A revelation for me was understanding HALT

Hungry
Anxious
Lonely
Tired

as triggers for cravings. This explained a lot about why I was habitually pouring a large glass as soon as I got in from work.

I think most of us still get cravings, it's just your toolkit for dealing with them gets better.

Hello everyone....Pimpernella & One really well done ! Sorry you're having a break, Strong, but keep checking in with us, we'll be here when you're ready to join us again. I have found that lots of reading (here, blogs etc) have helped me a lot, especially if I was having a wobbly moment. I do not get on with the yoga though ! And I am trying out headspace...but find it difficult to sit still and empty my head ! Tapas I like your list ...hunger and just habit is my drink trigger in the evenings, but now I am eating chocolate instead. I have just completed 5 weeks AF, so this time next week I'll start addressing the junk intake ! I have volunteered to be the chauffeur on Christmas Day for the oldies, so I guess I may as well keep going until at least then otherwise I'll find it really difficult and there will be an OAP riot ...they all like a sherry or 3 ! Keep it up everyone.

Hello again all Feeling much better so touching base before the weekend wobbles kick in. Have been spending my time finishing Life After Life, Netflix binges, learning Italian, pilates and Headspace. Really starting to enjoy Headspace now even though I'm still on the introductory ones, nice to make a few minutes for myself every day. Furturelearn are starting a mindfullness short course soon I've signed up to as well.

Strong I'm so sorry you are going through a difficult time and thank you for the kind words. I really hope you're still reading and feel sometime in the not so distant future ready to rejoin.

Pimp and One, you rock, both sober superstars

I loved your 100 day post One, reminds me of all the things to gain.

Brilliant going Tapas, well done.

Sshh begone patchwork with your C-word talk . Read today 100 days away - and I've done nothing for it yet, stress!! Usually nearly finished.

Last week hasn't been the easiest. Mood is slowly improving but had some serious cravings. Friend texted on tuesday night asking if I wanted a drink and it did take me a little while to consider my options before turning him down. Then with the unseasonable hot weather I did go so far as to lift a bottle out of the parents fridge before catching myself on and realising a bottle of weak (to me) rose wouldn't cut it anyway

Have been doing lots of playing the tape to the end, mainly centered upon being hungover getting the dc up for school, I walk there so no driving issue, but dropping them in all anxious and sweaty with the booze fumes reeking out of me. The weekend I've plans to meet a friend Saturday so would like to be non hungover for it but still have a sense of trepidation about the weekend. Wish I could go for a run again as I know it would help no end.

Help! I'm tempted to drink. Helping daughter with homework in the kitchen and want vodka

Oh no- just noticed your post. Make ur self a nice refreshing drink no alcohol.
How long you been af for?

Me too gotta, the wine is screaming at me.

Just had to take care of an infestation of flies and pupae thanks to my disgusting son leaving a box of food in his room (had been asking about the smell all week)

I'm going to guzzle a pint of water and make an omelette, right after I have a shower!!! Would food or drink help? Deep breaths, stay strong, you can do it.