DRY 16

[vxa2]

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

H L and T. Now eating dinner and off for a walk straight after. Really don't know where this one came from! 3 1/2 months sober

Yay.

Off out to works Christmas 'do'. Bring it on.

Evening all, gosh it's busy on here ! Gotta well done for ditching the witch, I have a wobble every now and then and my brain gets filled with, "I could have just one yeah right !, where should I get it from, when, what shall I get, how long will 1 bottle last I know the answer to that one bla bla ... my whole head fills with it. Today hoovering up the semi permanent dog hair made the chatter stop, while my tea brewed. Ha witch, take that ! I can't remember who was given the bottles of wine...but I'd get rid ! I hope the kittens are safe for now. BG I hope you have a nice relaxing weekend, well deserved. Maud you are not alone, we are all here for each other. Remember how fab and happy facebook makes everyone seem to others ? Life really isn't that rosy is it ? Be kind to yourself. Finnish that's great ! I have settled now with simple fizzy water, sometimes with a slice of lemon for a treat...celebrating 120 days, which my husband pointed out I'd 4 whole months ! Sorry not to name check everyone, but enjoy your weekend and stay strong.

Thanks for the support. If it wasn't for this thread I would have caved. Walked to shop on my own and bought myself a big box of posh chocolates. Had a shower. Now feel fine so sitting down with herbal tea and chocs. Phew.
Well done patchwork on your 120 days!

nottoday hope you're having a nice evening.

Well done gottalove

gottaloveascam please tell us, are the kittens okay????

Well that was a long evening! Two diet cokes and about 6 gallons of water. AND a colleague kept nipping out for a fag break and returning smelling of tobacco, leaving her packet of Marlboro Lights (the brand I used to consume until 19 days ago) on the table beside me between times. 3 and a half hours in a small space with most people getting slowly pissed and fagging it. And here I am!
It's so true isn't it re the more pissed people are the uglier they become? Even our 'attractive' colleagues lost their sheen. Just awful. And until v recently I was one of them! What helped a lot was recalling the gratitudes I'd written out a couple of weeks ago and just kept mentally referring to them in the course of the evening.
Tomorrow is the gluwein challenge. Let's be 'avin' it.

And massive well dones gotta. Am sure you'll wake tomorrow and think "phew"!

Gotta well done "applauds" that took some real grit and determination to avoid that one and wow you did it!!!! Incredible

I am too just back in after a night out which was okay but one of the women is having a bad time and heard some news which caused a bit of a melt down which ways a bit sad and kind of broke the evening up a bit. 8 bottles of prosseco between 5 of them which had I been joining in would have been 10 bottles but I stuck to my becks blue and it was fine. I do have a friend who for some reason allwYs has to sort of punch nudge you on the arm when she's had a few and she did it On the way home which actually really quite hurt, I wouldn't have even noticed had I had a drink but I wasn't overly impressed. I have a big one tomorrow night that I think will be much better sober or it could completely go the other way and it will drag on and on with me wishing I hadn't said yes....will update on Sunday no doubt!

Not today - bloody impressedyou msnaged to avoid both the fags and booze - you are doing BRILLIANTLY!!

I can report that the kittens are safe and DHs red wine is unopened.

Interesting thoughts on drunk people. Hope they enjoy their hangovers today!

Oh the high horse is out of the stable lol, can I get on it too?

Funny how perceptions change when not drinking. I enjoyed my lay in this morn (look at the time) I'm now up and looking forward to getting the house cleaned, the I'll pick up DS and we will do something together.

Sounds s lot more productive hat lay in til lunch, get brunch play PlayStation and then think of doing something at 2pm.

Celebrating a year booze free here! A year ago I woke up with the most debilitating anxiety I've ever experienced after going out, losing my memory and falling into a bush. It's the hangover that really stays with me. Proper existential doom that lasted days. Paralysed with anxiety and absolutely hating myself. I remember that hangover when I consider drinking again. It's strange as I'd done much worse things when drunk than fall over, but for some reason that hangover made me decide I never ever want to feel like that again. It really hit home how much alcohol can mess with the chemistry in your brain for days.

And it's been fucking great. Life is quieter, I'm much less sociable but it's been calm, healthy, quietly satisfying and I still wake up smug on a Saturday morning!

G.morning to all you shiny, healthy, active people!
'high horse' - yes, user and I want to know if it will go higher. Smug McSmugFace is me. Just had 7 hours uninterrupted sleep and wake with a fresh coffee and new day.
langkaw - it's the calm I really like, after decades of up and down, okay and not okay, reactive to things, being concerned about own behaviour without tackling the root of it. It's still slightly scary as the 'issues' that alcohol and cigarettes masked are still there to be managed, but at least that is what is happening now.

maud - please post and let us know? No matter what is happening. Alone in a room with a bottle is no place for you.

I'm not a fan of horses, high or otherwise, can I have one of the kittens instead?

There you go BGJ Torture that before doing the booze thing again.

Langkaw thank you so much for your thread - I love hearing from the long timers as it gives me real motivation and drive!

As a general rule of the thread can I please ask that we leave the bloomin animals alone? As an animal lover I am finding this talk of torturing kittens quite hard

I cancelled my night out tonight - it's just too much of a trigger. People I haven't seen for years, a lot of people I don't know, nowhere to escape to until 3 in the morning and was going without my husband so couldnt even do the "let's get the hell out of here" so decided it was much easier to just cancel. I was a bit of an afterthought space filler anyway and whilst I am sure everyone would have been pleased to see me at first I fear I would have ended up being "that weird sober mate of xxxx's"

Although I am regularly found on a very high horse (a 17.1 great big lump of a horse) I did want to talk a bit about sober "high grounds" and what people thought about them in relationship to friendships? Are you actively aware not to get on one or are you finding it difficult not to shout from the rooftops how good it is sober?

I have really tried not to do it. Someone else I know gave up last year for about 70 days and in her own words she "turned into a twat" about not drinking and pursed her lips and tutted about others drinking. This could cause an issue and I am really really keen not to be that sober sanctimonious one so
Properly checking myself (even if I do find it hard).

Onwards and upwards peeps!

Langkaw thank you for your post

lou I actively try not to talk about not drinking and a lot of my friends don't know I stopped. Those that do know made a much bigger deal of it than me. I'm quite happy to be around others drinking and have my lemonade but in my head sometimes I think, that person looks a bit stupid. Internal smugness is allowed I think as it keeps us going!
Wish I was shiny and healthy- got another bloody virus and high temperature. Am almost constantly ill at the moment but mainly because I work with young children, have two under 5 myself and school/nursery is awash with germs. I though going AF would magically cure this but sadly not.

fair enough about the kittens, and any other animal available. It can't be nice reading if you feel that way
smugness and associated things? For me I am too little into it (almost 3 weeks) to be really smug. I do feel v self-satisfied though and that doesn't come out or show when talking with others.
I have learned that if ever feelings and thoughts of genuine smugness comes over me, then it's good to immediately convert them in my head to thoughts of gratitude and compassion. No-one likes a smart arse nor indeed a smug git AND thoughts of gratitude and compassion make for a happier life rather than being smug. That usually has a very short shelf life.
all fwiw.

Not today - or was tongue in cheek re the kittens!!! 😂

So was I lou! ha. Get the rack out.

Off for the gluwein challenge. I feels like a weekend of bush tucka trials.

Totally agree with the internal smugness - its there believe me and it really does spur you on...

Go get those stars for the team not