DRY 17

[Loubilou09]

[This message is actually from Sober Sarah! She wanted this thread to start with links everyone will find useful. MNHQ]

If you're quitting alcohol for a brighter sober future come and join us here. A very welcoming bunch supporting ebach other every step of the way. smile
We have put together some helpful info and links, to help you do this Smile tiredofthinkingaboutdrinking.com

Tired of thinking about drinking, Belle's website filled with free stuff as well as subscription courses and an account of her four years sober.

joinclubsoda.co.uk/ Club Soda - to help you make the change you want.
www.sobersassylife.com Sober Sassy Life - A Selection of Articles, Blogs and Freebies to get you unstuck, and on the way to your Sober Sassy Life! Also has paid for courses.
thesoberschool.com/ - an online hub with the mission of inspiring and supporting women who are tired of feeling hungover

www.blogtalkradio.com/bubblehour - podcasts on a huge range of issues relating to addiction and recovery

www.smartrecovery.org.uk/ - an alternative to AA. Meetings nationwide and online.

Useful meditation or relaxation apps
www.headspace.com Headspace for calming the brain chatter
www.withandrewjohnson.com Andrew Johnson stop drinking app
Helpful blogs from people who are sober
sothisissober.com/ our own vxa's blog
www.alcoholfree2016.com our own Lily's blog
www.alcoholfree2016.com our own Lucy's blog
www.sobergrowing/blogspot.co.uk our own Sober Sarah's blog

All of these blogs contain links to loads of other brilliant blogs.

Sobriety counters
meetnomo.com/index.html
www.pilanites.com/streaks/

Hope this helps you ! Love Sober Sarah and Vxa

WIP welcome...

You've done the hardest part - welcome, there's practical and emotional support galore here...

Day one leads to day two leads to day three... in the same way not having the first drink can't lead to the second, can't lead to the third.....

It's good to have you on board....

Thanks BG

Welcome to the thread Work, glad to have you aboard. I've read that book and while it was sensible, I didn't feel like I lost the urge. I think my cynical mind tries to challenge it, Allen Carr never worked for me to stop smoking either despite hearing lots of people swearing by it. Worth a read though, in fact I might give it another go myself.

Hope you're feeling a bit better now Alice, onwards and upwards.

3 weeks today then Rarity, brilliant going How are things going with the sleeping tablets, have you not tried them yet?

I'm joining in the tired club. Anxiety means I'm having trouble getting to sleep and when I do eventually drift off horrific nightmares. Loadsa fun

Hi vidorra I've tried them twice and they do work but I've found it really hard getting up in the morning, almost like a mini hangover. I think I will save them for really bad nights.

Hi WIP and welcome. It's a big step to put your first post on. Well done. I would never have believed I'd be in my third week AF on day 1. One day at a time works for me. This thread has been invaluable as well. I hope you find it the same.

Hi WIP and welcome :)

Evening everyone. Just checking in as 35 days dry. Finding it much easier than when I did dry January, not sure if it's because my 8 days drinking in February didn't establish as a habit or because I'm finding I'm enjoying the benefits more of not drinking. Don't get me wrong when the sun was shining on the weekend the thought of having a nice glass of wine in the garden definately crossed my mind but like a few of you have said the urge then passed. Hope you have a better nights sleep tonight Rarity and Vidorra.

The first step is the hardest WIP and I agree, just look at it one day at a time, it does get easier.

I'm the same with sleeping tablets Rarity, makes me feel groggy and 'hungover' the next morning. Even nytol has that effect on me.

That's brilliant minibinx, well done on your 35 days! The sun shining is always a trigger, wee AF beer sorts it out on this end. Thanks, I have fingers crossed.

Day 2 just finished here. I managed 15 dry days in 'Dry' January.
I found every one of those 15 hard.
I signed up for Slimming World also, focusing on food is distracting I think.

Coming home with DS this evening i really fancied a glass of wine (none in the house). Instead of trying to suppress the impulse I really 'played it forward', to the 2nd 3rd and 4th glass, the late eating, the bad sleep. Sorted out that impulse.

Morning all. :)

Day 2 after my slip. My issue is complacency and hitting the 'fuckit' button.

Hope everyone had a very good sleep.

Thanks for all the welcomes. I am feeling a strange mixture if positivity and sadness. I think my biggest challenge is going to be Friday, haven't had a sober Friday in absolutely years.

I am looking forward to some good sleep, I have always been a bit of an insomniac and drinking has definitely not helped. And surely I will lose weight with a 1000 calorie daily deficit, unless I fill it with chocolate!

WIP I filled it with chocolate, and still lost weight... win/win

WIP I also found in the early days my chocolate consumption doubled at least. I'm finding I'm getting much leaner now. I do think the wine was making me very round with no waist. What with that and all the poor sleep, anxiety, low mood (I could go on) makes me wonder why I drank for so long .

Morning all.

I found I put on weight at first, as I thought not drinking meant I could eat anything I wanted- and I went a little crazy. (loads and loads and loads of junk)

I am now trying to just drink water and black coffee for a bit, so fingers crossed!

Hi all. Hope everyone is having a great evening. I am in bed already. Dh suffers from insomnia and last night was a bad one, so I was up and awake too.

I am feeling in need of some positivity. So here goes;

One thing I love about being sober....

..... driving the day after knowing that I am not still over the limit.

Would anyone like to play?

:)

KOKO Sober Warriors.

One thing I love about being sober....

..... not having to try and piece things together the morning after following blacking out completely!!

I like this game

Hated the blackouts and the next morning pretending like I knew what the fuck I'd done..

My contribution

No horrendous panic attacks the next day. Heart racing, shaking like a leaf with worry that I'd pushed it too far this time, head screaming but trying to hold it all together and act like everything is ok.

Horrible sensation.

Looking at my self in the mirror in the morning and not feeling ashamed at what I might have said/done the night before

Not waking up feeling groggy and dehydrated.
Full memory recall of all events!
Less disharmony and arguments.
Spending more time in the moment not in a buzzy fog.

I could go on!

But my number one (as you asked for one not a list oops)

Being fully in the moment and focused on what's happening around me rather than in a half cut haze.

It is hard to stickto just one Rarity I agree!

This is a bit odd, but when I am sober and I forget things it makes me feel content- because I know I have not forgotten due to drinking the night before!

One of my favourite sober things also - buying a cup of takeaway coffee and watching my DS play in the park.I can really watch him rather than be climbing the walls thinking about the next drink.

I second all those listed but would also add:

Feeling like I'm finally moving forward in my life rather than stuck in a constant cycle which always ended up with me in the same place!

It so good to really feel and enjoy every day that freedom is giving me

Two things really stick out for me as benefits of not drinking (if i'm allowed two) Not lying to my family any more and not waking up riddled with anxiety at 3am and unable to sleep the rest of the night...

KOKO

Starting to like myself. That's what I love about being sober!

I agree with everything everyone has mentioned so much.

I am out tonight but about to go home. Nice evening, but now people are so drunk they can barely speak. I have not felt a single urge all night for a glass of anything except for diet coke. It is so peaceful.

I'm looking forward to home, bed and remembering that the tooth fairy is coming.

Night all.

Morning all. Alice sounds like an interesting night! I went out last night too but people didn't get to the can't speak phase. I did notice them talking over each other though . One person decided to try to convince me to have a glass of wine which went on and on . That could have been tricky but it was fine. Got a headache today (hormones i think). I would normally assume it was alcohol so so pleased I didn't drink. Hope you have a good day all.

Morning Ruby. :) Hope your headache goes soon.

How did you handle the person who went on and on about a glass of wine? How extremely - irritating, boring, annoying! I have been fairly lucky that no-one has ever really pushed it. I got a few queries last night - I have no idea when people started drinking, but it must have been early! I just said I was doing Dry March and considering it was the last day I'd better push on through. Fudging the issue I know, but it worked at the time!

However I am pleased to report that the tooth fairy did make an appearance, and considering DS checked his bedside table at 4 am and came to tell us all about it I am rather glad I was not drinking!

Hope everyone has a great day. :)