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

Morning
Hi Saywhen! Day 3!

What to tell people? - depends who they are. Work people aren't really interested, in my experience. If I need to say something I might imply something vague about my car being at the station, but no one really pushes it. The difficulty comes from me, in that I get bored / tired / stressed and get to the point where I feel like I need a drink / to leave.

I have a work night out tomorrow that I am going to go to and I'll just tell people I'm having the night off. I won't stay late, I'll stay exactly as long as I feel like it and so won't need to drink because I won't get bored or uptight.

for friends I say I am on a diet.

For family.... this is really hard. I always fail around my family. (I mean parents.) I have got used to not drinking at family events where I am driving but otherwise, I just can't manage it.

This is my killer thing. This will be the difficulty - seeing them next in early July. nothing else between now and then has that power to throw me. I hope.

Tinker, I do that too - drink modestly (or not at all) around work people and then cane it when I get away from them. I think it's a reaction to social / work stress.

Bit of a pattern.... also a closet drinker!!

Hi guys,

I've been having a hard time lately and hit the drink hard. I've recently become quite open about it though with certain people. Leading up to me talking to a work colleague on fb this evening and making an embarrassment of myself story of my life ATM. sigh how can I get out of this cycle?! How can I act like a 'normal' person again?!

Drinking is stopping me losing the will to live tbh I'm putting it all out there as I feel I have nothing to lose atm.

Sorry for ranting on here hoping I can get out of this

Good Morning ladies. Welcome to the thread Struggling. I am so sorry you are feeling like this. No apologies necessary...go right ahead and rant away, we're here to listen.

Good morning all.
Welcome Struggling. Don't worry about being open. Most people will have sympathy, or forget. If you have been a bit exposed, it's fine. Honestly.
But you want to stop drinking now? Tell us about it?

Day 4 for me. Easy morning for me today so I set the alarm relatively late (0715) and I felt as if I was drugged when I woke up. I think I am starting to get the first real post binge sleep and it is addictive. Booze binges go hand in hand with massively over drinking coffee for me and together they wreck my skin. I'm in withdrawal from both and having my first "clean" sleep for ages. It's lovely but it feels like I just can't get enough of it.

Before I started bingeing I wasn't sleeping for a while for emotional reasons so now I think of it this sleep has been a long time coming. I had nearly a solid 8 hours, waking up briefly only once last night. I can't remember the last time I had that.

Sorry to go on and on about me. Hope you are all well. Would love to hear from you all.

Have a good day.

Welcome struggling. I am day 4 too (so very early days) It's very supportive, I'm sorry you are struggling.

Thank you all for your advice yesterday about what to say to others.BG I agree about alcohol going the same way as smoking (I hope anyway.) I think I have a plan about what to say. I just need a short term plan, I may be more honest later but maybe not. I have some big triggers middle of June, end of June and first week of July so really need to be on task otherwise I will fall.

Thank you -finding it so helpful posting on here. Being honest on here helps me not minimise to myself.

Antigrinch- I'm the same with the exhaustion. One of the reasons my units increased so rapidly was extended sleep problems with one of my dc I was struggling to sleep as I was waiting for them to wake and then not able to sleep after. Alcohol helped me get to sleep, I always woke up again when they woke but could sleep again until 3 in the morning when I would just lie awake feeling anxious and awful. My dc is still not sleeping great but drinking has been adding to the problem list not taking away.....

Day 4 and not drinking today. One relief is that I don't have the daily question am I drinking today? No. I am not.

Ladies it is great to hear you are neginnong to 'sleep for England'. I'm at the beginngng of week 4 and am still getting that...we must really need that time to recover from all the crap we are going through. I am still not feeling well rested on waking though yet despite the sleep. I've been through the crappy skin breakout phase too...already almost clear. I suppose those are two positive thoughts today but right now I'm still feeling rather all in.

I stayed in last night to avoid temptation and didn't go out with colleagues last night for a work bash. DH thought I was nuts not to go since these things are all paid for and I'd have a good laugh. Instead I said my DH was working late so childcare was an issue. I went for a swim instead to keep me distracted. Fell into bed about 11! One more dry day down.

I've got a lunch with the hungover office crowd today...will make it a soda water (fingers crossed).

Good for you tinker - for staying in and swimming instead. Swimming is a great idea in the evening. You must be getting close to the month? It's awful so much of culture is infiltrated by drinking. I have a work do coming up - of course in a pub.

Drink and drinking is EVERYWHERE...

The irony is that I am sitting in a factory surrounded by booze - we bottle the stuff - hundreds of thousands of bottles a day!!

But the longer I am sober, the more I see it, and the associated messages it sends out...

We are the counter culture - and I love that!

Here to collect my no-booze high 5 from a work night out - no booze - happy evening chatting on a roof terrace surrounded by drinkers and not having any. YAY! [runs around circle collecting high 5s]

For some reason at a crucial moment (just leaving the office, tired, hungry, hot, social anxiety) I suddenly remembered what it would be like to have a happy morning with no hangover as opposed to a tragic sick headachey morning. I think playing the video to the end with the good ending, is more effective (for me) than playing the video to the end with the bad ending.

How is everyone this evening?

Go you Antigrinch!!! Enjoy waking up tomorrow without the hangover!

I had a sucess today too. Late at work and pretty stressful day. Drove past so many places I have stopped at before for wine. Didn't stop. Day 4 sucess!

YAY!!!!

WOW! Ladies you have both done an AWESOME job today may I say!. What a fabulous week 1!
I've had an uber busy day and one that would usually leave me dying for a glass of something to reward myself. I've worked my socks off, and come home to surprise house guest tonight sleeping over in DSs room. I didn't plan for that or doing an impromptu last minute clearout of DSs room to prepare but... phew all done! Time for a big glass of ice cold lime and soda...and bed! I have barely thought of having a drink at all today...first time in a LONG time that has happened.

Struggling

Have you tried the GP, local Alcohol/Addiction centre, AA, Occupational Health, Rehab?

My own experience was that just wanting to stop drinking was not enough. My will power would last a few days, and then I'd have a drink (or seven....).
It was only until I reached out and got help for my drinking that I was able to stay stopped.

I have realised that I cannot stop drinking by myself using willpower alone. I tried that for years.
If you have also tried and have not been successful, try something different and get help.

Good luck

Morning,

Felt the pangs yesterday after a long absence..... but managed to resist, but it did shake me a little! Found yesterday a tough day all round, and not too sure what was going on, but did feel very weepy for a lot of it so either i'm more tired than i think or more hormonal than i think...

Day did improve when i went to Sainsbury (not where i usually shop) and Beck Blue Lemon was reduced £3.50- £2 for six bottles.... bought two packs and giggled that I looked like i had a drink problem!!! There's more 'beer' in my house now than there ever was when it was alcoholic beer

It's Friday, looking like a quiet shift (kiss of death), and i'm off to spend the weekend with my bestie!

Onwards

Good Morning ladies! BGJ43 you have proven you can do this...one day...one week...months even. You've resisted on many really tough days and laugged i the fa e of alcohol many times now... you can do this!
I'm telling my FIL about the Becks offer...cheers! I've ordered another case of AMBAR (GF and AF) because I'm allergic, it is great to have in during this hot weather.
BGJ43 and BurntNorton. I want to thank you ladies especially for the support I've had on this thread since joining. There is no way I'd have got this far without you this time round - the driest I've been for some time. Enjoy your weekend BGJ43, stay strong ladies...we can do it!

Hey
Checking in. Day 5

Not as lovely and dreamy this morning as I had hoped. I have some weird anxiety thing today.
Telling myself that it would be worse if I had been drunk last night.

Skin getting better. Still looks bad but healing up.

Right I am not enjoying this morning so I am going to work like a bastard, get as much as I can out of the way and hopefully enjoy the afternoon a bit more.

Have a good day, all

Day 5 - another lovely night out with no booze
Hope all are well.

Ambar gf/af is really very good, Dh couldn't tell the difference (and he's a real ale buff!)

Hello all!! Day 6! Feeling good right now about the not drinking. My dh brought me home a really nice bottle of wine yesterday - i hadn't told him. So I said thanks but I am having a break and didn't drink it. He and a friend had a glass - still did not have any proud of that.

Feeling exhausted still. The prospect of never drinking again - and I think that is what I need to do, is frightening. Mainly frightening due to all the things I'll have to make excuses for - weddings, hens etc. Thinking about what people will think. When I have said I'm not drinking before I see disappointment. But I have to put myself and my family first.

One day at a time rather than too far ahead. Today I won't drink.

How's your anxiety today Antigrinch?

Congratulations tinker for having a day you hardly thought about alcohol. I look forward to that.

Good Morning everyone. Well done Antigrinch.
I'm becoming more than a little tired of DH saying 'oh come on one won't hurt'. It might well not hurt one day in future, but whilst I'm in the process of getting better and out of a bad habit/addiction, I feel in myself it is better stop completely for at least another few months if I can until my brain tells me I need a drink. Perhaps I always will feel I need one I don't know in which case I don't think I will drink again.
Glad I'm not rough or hunghover today-its a busy weekend of DIY and out shopping for DIY stuff today to get yet more DIY done tomorrow. Hopefully a distraction for this weekend as opposed to a stressor.
Good luck ladies...rock on!

Also I've put on weight? How is this possible? Need to be more careful!

Well done Saywhen for leaving the wine open...I remember when I first did that, leaving it to survive overnight in the kitchen when DH opened one. I felt it gave me a much needed confidence boost and a right feeling of satisfaction...your willpower has been tested and has passed- you can do it!

Saywhen how frequently do you weigh yourself to realise you have put it on? I've been snacking where I usually wouldn't this month, snacking has been a distraction I guess...you are not alone Sayehen. I don't weigh myself- but my jeans are not lying. Are you sure your scales aren't broken? Yes that's it, they must be...tell yourself that enough today until you believe it.