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

I'm now finally seeing shape changes. Previously lost a lot of weight through lo carbing even tho I did still drink. Now I see definite shape and skin changes as well as weight reduction. Tbh more happy about internal improvements both mental emotional and physical that just weight loss

Well Done everyone on your AF achievements. I am 1 day AF. Feeling very anxious at moment. Went to bed at 9pm with a cup of hot choc, to try and get some sleep, as I haven't been sleeping well and am exhausted. Have read a few chapters but unable to settle. My mouth feels very dry. It does get easier right?

yes. Much. what are you reading?

I picked up a book earlier that was recommended called "The Enemy's Cradle". I have reached page 68 but have no idea what its about. Will need to re-read tomorrow. My mouth feels like it is glued together - pretty much like it feels in the morning after a skinful. I have drunk lots of water today but its not quenching my thirst. Is this normal? How long does it last?

Well, did I miss anything?

Sorry I haven't been posting much recently, and I don;t think that I have much of an excuse other than that I am enjoying the sober lifestyle! Im getting to plenty of AA meetings, doing the work and generally life is getting a whole lot better.

DW and I are talking, no sign of moving back home yet, but coffee this morning turned into coffee followed by lunch, we are going to go out togerther with DS this weekend, so we are taking small, b ut good steps.

Now on day 155 KOKO everyone

I found I was really thirsty in the first few days

Totally normal penny, you are probably dehydrated. Maybe try an isotonic drink or one of those sports tablets in water if you have knocking round?

Thank you. I don't have any of those here atm. Ill pick up some tomorrow. Hope it doesn't last long. The first day of the rest of my life......

Wonderful user, I'm glad things are moving in the right direction for you.

Hope you feel better today Penny and managed some sleep, day one in the bag! I find I get a dry mouth when I'm anxious too (anxiety was my familiar horrid friend after drinking) so that may play a part in it.

I agree with Sarah, it's the mental changes I'm looking for.

I did lose half a stone the first month through eating vegetarian to give my body a break but tbh (not a stealth boast), it's weight I could ill afford to lose.

On the subject of mental however, I just feel so happy and content the last few days. Long may it continue!

Evening everyone. Welcome to all the newbies. The support here is fantastic - I would definitely not have got this far without it.

I have posted before about the support group I am setting upon Birmingham. For anyone near me have a look here: https://local.mumsnet.com/Talk/localbirminghammsuttoncoldfield/2850510-CLUB-SOBER-come-and-join-us

316 days today xx

Hello all,

After realising (admitting to myself) that i'm a drunk i've finally tried to tackle the problem and haven't had a drink for 9 days. I've been listening to several alcohol dependency podcasts for a week and looking on line for some help with things and somehow ended up here via several sites and thought i would join in and say hi

Hi Mo55. Great to have you along. Good start with the nine days.

Welcome to the thread Mo55, 9 days is great.

So Friday again. I hate Fridays now, it's the one day/night of the week my cravings are strongest. Plan is pizza, a becks blue, lots of junk food and pjs early tonight. Already went to the supermarket this morning and stocked up as it was trying to snow earlier.

Evening all. Fraid to say I had a little slip up last night. Found out I'd passed an exam I thought I'd failed so got all giddy and 'celebrated' with a bottle of wine. Didn't do anything embarrassing but did fall asleep on the couch waking at 4am this morning and had rubbish sleep - hate doing that I feel like I've been cheated out of a nice sleep!

Had a bit of a hangover but not too bad and am ashamed to say then started planning what was going to drink / when tonight - but I haven't touched a drop. I've made a nice tea, watched tv and had cups of tea and herbal tea and feel ok. Think the cooking definitely helped as a distraction.

Today's sober benefit - the knowledge I am going to get a full nights sleep - in bed !

A slip is a learning experience. Maybe examine why you did it, what were the triggers and then move on. Well done on not having anymore today

Thanks sarah I think it was because I was emotional - which generally seems to be my strongest trigger. It's been a very emotional time since Christmas for different reasons - mostly negative - yesterday was the first positive in a while so just thought I deserve a drink !! Which I know is bad - but I'm pleased I haven't today

Hi all, I have posted before under a different username. Back at the start of January. I only managed 4 dry days then seemed to fall into a pattern of a few days on then off. I really really want to stop altogether. I had the worst hangover of my life yesterday. I've still not managed to eat anything. I'm sick of the shame and the fear and the depression and anxiety. On day two now and I'm determined. But I feel so down and anxious about how I've let it it get so bad. I struggled to get out of bed this morning. Does anyone have any tips to help be kinder to ourselves. I'll look at the links up thread aswell. I have to get ready for work now. Thank you

Hi Fluffy, two tips for you, just for today do not take a drink, any alcoholic drink, not even one. The drink that led to your last hangover wasn't the last one, it was the first one. Remember if you don't take the first drink you won't need the next one.

Take one day at a time, each morning get up and tell yourself "im not going to drink today"

being kind/good to yourself, is best started by not drinking, the rest will come.

Lots of great tips in the links up the top. I recommend Belle in particular and what she says about treats. Lots and lots of treats. Don't have to be expensive! Just keep rewarding yourself for not drinking.

Hi everyone! I am still here and plodding on although I admit to drinking last Saturday. I won't dwell on it as it could be triggering but I had a very special day out to a lovely restaurant and old habits got in the way. It wasn't disastrous and I reigned it right back in again on Sunday but it is not somewhere I particularly want to find myself regularly.

Some positives though is that it didn't turn into more than one day.

I am not going to start the clock back as I think that is quite demotivating....I did 3 months before Xmas and then put the clock back to day 1 again on December 28th so am up to day 45 with one slip up.

KOKO everyone!

Thank you for the advice. I've had a quick glance at belle I'll have a proper ready tonight. I'm at work now so feeling better than I was this morning. No alcohol tonight as I have dd and none tomrrow as I'll be at dps and never drink when I'm there. I just want to be rid of feeling rubbish.

I found babying myself helps Fluffy, treating myself like I do when I'm sick and just being selfish every now and again. If I can't be bothered cooking the world won't end if I get a take away, if I want space I say so etc. I put a lot of pressure on myself for everything to be perfect and it bred resentment and stress. I had a bit of a mental breakthrough last year that I am extremely self critical and talk to myself like rubbish. I wouldn't dream of talking to anyone else the way I do to myself. Easier said than done changing those habits of a life time but I am getting there. Counselling would probably help, but monies

Very down myself today. Had awful dreams, one where I was pissed and I was recognising my change in behaviour and the anxiety of how I would have to start all over again. Wake up and after getting my bearings breathed relief it was just a dream. Fall back to sleep and dream I had a fit caused by drinking. I never have but it was always a big fear of mine as I was with a friend alone once when she did during withdrawals. Wake up again in a panic.

Absolutely shattered today and it's caused my health anxiety to start playing up again. Might try doing some baking later to take my mind off it.

Day 39 AF for me this year, that is the longest in years!

Thank you to everyone for the kind messages last week, I'm still pleased I didn't use it as an excuse to drink.
Reading through the posts I can relate to the huge surge of emotions not drinking has brought, my out of control daily drinking was my coping mechanism from some horrific revelations about DH. In fact I discovered our entire 17 years had been built on lies, the hurt and anger, although verbally vented and in a lot of my not so finest moments whilst drunk did not address any processing of the situation. I subsequently used wine as a great anaesthetic, now 4 years on I have found feelings relating to this, hit me like a train.

I am finding when the hits occur I try and breath deeply, and try to gauge what I'm feeling (if that makes sense). I am taking comfort that in order to grow I need to confront this, and now I'm not in the anger stage this is the first time I can really assess the damage, and hopefully inner peace will follow. There is nowhere to hide, and wine has delayed this for years.

Good luck fellow Dry friends. You are all doing so well. I have said 100 days but I am determined to go much longer. On a positive note, I took a photo on Jan 1st of my face, I was horrified at how round and bloated I was. Well I took another yesterday and in 6 weeks it's gone, I can see some cheekbones and my eyes look alive :)

Hurrah for cheekbones, I know exactly what you mean :)

Also Headspace is wonderful for really calming the emotions so we can examine them in a more critical manner, rather than just reacting to them