DRY 16

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If you're quitting alcohol for a brighter sober future come and join us here. A very welcoming bunch supporting each other every step of the way.

Link to Dry 15

http://www.mumsnet.com/Talk/relationships/2726334-Dry-15?msgid=65047780#65047780

knackered hard to describe the feeling after it, hate saying grounded, but just made me feel a bit more at ease iykwim

Hello all!

Somehow I missed my 200 days! I'm on day 207, and clearly have got to the point where I only check my tracking app every couple of weeks!

Like everyone else, I'm feeling worried about how christmas will be - first sober christmas, family of big drinkers, yada yada...

Am hoping that one day at a time, today I'm not drinking, and a shit ton of tonic water will get me through...

Good idea re the Christmas presents! Was my first night out with no alcohol since I was pregnant (5 years ago!). Class mums Christmas dinner... And it went really well. I was designated driver, wasn't tempted by drinking, drank my San pelligrino fizzy orange in a wine glass to feel grown up and had a laugh. Today I'm tired from a late night but the lack of fuzzy hungover head ment I had loads of patience with my boys this morning and there was no shouting.

Love reiki, I do it myself.... Haven't done it for ages but what a good idea.

Finnish 207 days is wonderful!

Finnish, Wow...impressive :)

Last night was the first of 8 nights out over the next two weeks but 1 down and it was great fun, didn't miss the booze so I know I can approach the other 7 with the same attitude!

Morning all...

Day 12 for me, almost can't believe it myself, but it's true...

Had to drop something off at a friends house last night - her and her husband had been out for a meal and had had 'a couple of glasses of wine' - all i could smell was booze and that was in the garden, so not even an enclosed space. Made me wonder how often previously I have been stinking of wine whilst thinking I was presenting a perfectly sober picture... Felt a little sad somehow - I suppose that I let it get so far, maybe!

Off to visit friend this weekend, and looking forward to the downtime - we've both been burning the candle at both ends a little so are both looking forward to chillaxing a little...

Will report back on the acceptability of the Lidl faux mulled wine

Last time around I had necked a bottle of red wine before I got on the train and two mini bottles on the train but not feeling the need, at all, this time around - although I think there's a real risk of chocolate milk!! or maybe an iced coffee

Had lots of advise to 'just get drunk' this weekend, that somehow that will solve all of the problems - me and other friend.... lots of advise just to ply each other with gin, and it's that enabling, self reassuring thing from others... I hadn't seen it before, possible because it was enabling me, but drink, and encouragement to drink IS everywhere... (and i work in a booze factory - oh the irony) Not sure I've articulated that particularly well, but never quite noticed how much of the daily chatter is drink, drunk, drink, booze, drinking.....

I'm tired today, maybe a little a melancholy - will snooze on the train...

Onwards team, fizzy water here I come.......

BGJ I really notice the smell of wine now as well and have quite a few cringes thinking I MUST have smelt of it regularly. I was very paranoid though and was constantly brushing my teeth/chewing gum etc so I hope not but I suspect I did

I do remember something last summer which has made me cringe right down to my toes and that was my daughter coming into the bedroom one morning and saying very innocently "whats that smell?? Something smells funny, it makes me feel funny like the smell of wine makes me feel funny" I knew it was my hideous morning wine breath but jumped out of bed, brushed my teeth, opened the window and made light of it. It really bothers me that one.....

Hi. Day 1.
feeling really sad and lonely today.
drank far too much at work party and couldn't sleep a wink afterwards.... too drunk to sleep.... lying on my bed in my empty house thinking about how lonely I am and wondering why I have to be alone all the time

trying to pick myself up now. trying to pull myself together. being with people can sometimes give me a bit of a lift. sometimes it just reminds me that they all have close relationships and I don't... we can chat and be friendly but they will go off to real friendships and families and I'll go off to be by myself

I'm terrified. I saw a documentary about alcoholism and a doctor said "however it starts, this is where it always leads: a person alone in a room, with a bottle." That person alone in a room with a bottle is giving me the chills

Hi maudlinnamechange and welcome.... you're not alone on here.....

HUGS...

Some of the best advise is on here - look after yourself, be kind to yourself and take it one day at a time if you can, or hour or minute... You've done the hardest part.

There's always someone around on here - I work shifts so am here at funny times of the day and night - it's a metaphorical 'phone a friend'...

Take care x

Thanks BGJ42. I really appreciate it.

I know I am fucking with my brain chemistry with all this booze and it doesn't help me, but right now the world seems like a very dark place and I can't focus properly on what might change that might make it better.

Is it normal to want to cry all the time?

yep, sounds pretty normal to want to cry all the time. or just be 'stunned' or feel 'stuck' and frozen. that's what the alcohol will encourage.

maud - just the desire to stop boozing should be telling you there is a way to make things better for yourself. and that way starts at not picking up a glass or bottle. As we all know, treating yourself kindly (and not judging yourself as that is a route to only one place) is a necessary step. wanting to stop is your way of saying 'you are too worthwhile to keep doing this'. So please listen to yourself when you express those feelings and thoughts to yourself.

and of course we are all here. x

Thank you, NotToday.

Oh Maudlin love....have a virtual hug.

Booze is such a depressant, it really is. Was speaking to someone else this morning who said the correlation to booze and how it subsequently makes her feel is like flicking on a switch so why she keeps going back for more is a mystery for her but of course we do - that's why we are on this thread. I felt hideously lonely a few weeks ago, even though I am married and have children at home, I think that can be a normal feeling when booze is part of our lives. You are not alone though, you have all of us who 100% get how you are feeling and are with you every step of the way on your journey. I find myself thinking of things during the day or experiencing things and thinking ooh must tell the guys on DRY about this and it does help knowing there are people about for you who do care.

Anything we can do to help just shout X

another virtual hug for you maud sorry to hear you are feeling so down.

its easy to use alcohol to try to rid yourself of negative stuff, but in the end it just makes it worse i think. So you are doing an amazing thing for yourself by giving up.

hello...

i'm also drawing strength from the fact that my Mum gave up smoking at a similar age to what I am now - and I never thought I would see that!!

16 years off the cigarettes - best thing she ever did!!

I know that the two are not the same in societies eyes, or at least I don't think they are... No one ever asked if you're going to smoke yourself silly over the weekend, but it seems perfectly acceptable to ask if you're going to be on the booze...

I do remember Mum saying one of things that kept her going was the thought of disappointing me and my sister (i called her every day without fail...) and the DRY guys have a similar effect, for now, for me... I don't want to have to come on and say day 1 (again)

Mum would also take herself off to bed early as a distraction, anything to physically avoid temptation....... the safe haven of the winter duvet and the electric blanket.

I'm not naive enough to think I will just sail through this and I know that set backs might be a distinct possibility, especially with the forthcoming festive seasons - I said to friend the other day, does it really matter if I bring in new year with a small glass of champagne? and then instantly added that actually it didn't matter if i brought the new year in with fizzy water....

We're all entirely human, and have to do what we have to do to get through each and every day... Be kind, think of one positive thing that's happened in the last 24hrs - there will be something - my boss paid for breakfast this morning so i had a doubler roll

Work is over for the week and I'm off to visit my best friend

Onwards, love you all x x

Have a nice weekend BGJ X

Hi Maud

I'm the man of this forum - literally, and think I am the only one.

I've been where you are now, and I know it's not pretty, or a nice place to be. The catalyst for me to stop drinking was the fact that my dw and DS left after another row, one of many.

Although I was married I had a room where I had PS, TV etc, and basically shut mysel off from the family and drank most nights.

I was eventually left on my own in that room and it took me a good week of drinking to realise that I was taking on board the very thing that was causing it, so yes I did end up alone in a room with a bottle.

Re stopping drinking now, stopping drinking alone will not solve all your problems, but I promise they will get worse if you continue to drink.

Two mantras I live by and the guys on here are sick hearing them

1. Take it one day at a time. You are only starting by staying sober today, not the rest of your life, today. You are only going to sort out todays problems not the rest of your life problems. - if you need to break it into smaller segments like hours do that, but never more than one day.

1. Don't take the first drink. The 3rd/9th/15th drink doesn't get you drunk it is the first one, onc you start then you won't be able to stop. I bet you that you don't get drunk today if you don't take the first drink.

This is day 87 sober for me, if I lift a drink I start day one again tomorrow, and all the shit I left behind when I stopped, it's just waiting to start messing with my head again.

With each sober day life is getting better, I've started yoga, meditation and last night I had my first reiki session, none of which I would have done if I had been still boozing.

You are very welcome and are in good company here.

BGJ. Have a great weekend

You guys are awesome!

Help help help I am craving red wine

Get out of where ever you are. Go for a brisk walk, rely on the things you've done before when craving.
Just don't do it. You will regret every bit of it tomorrow. It's no pleasure. It's a trick.

Hang on in there, make a cup of tea, brush your teeth, walk the dog, wrap Christmas presents... anything to distract....

Just need to avoid that first one, you're stronger than you think or you wouldn't be on this forum

HUGS ☕️🍰🍫🛀📺

And keep typing on here if you can.

I think the kittens need to be brought out and tortured again!!!!

Not the kittens...... 🐱

Yep, it's kitten time, gotta. Torture them before you lift anything to your lips to drink.