DRY 18

[vxa2]

Link to old thread www.mumsnet.com/Talk/relationships/2841743-DRY-17

I’m staying in a highland hotel for the next two nights - the barman looked a bit phased by my joy at hearing they had heineken zero!!

Simple things!!

And brought herbal tea bags - rock n roll I’m not!!

Equally enthusiastic about the unlimited hot water for the bath - my current bath/hot water tank are mismatched 😢

Pleasure in the simple things....

Ah BG enjoy your bath and herbal tea.

Lou hope your last night goes well.

I read Cat Marnell How to Murder a Life last year- very similar to Joy of Sober- she has same job with all the socialising that goes along with it. However she is very good at analysisig where her issues came from. It’s a very sad story and I felt a bit more honest in terms of how hard she has had to work at her addictions.

Evening hope everyone had a good weekend!

Had an odd reminder today how much my mood has stabilised since I stopped drinking. I used to ski and I would get so anxious when I was skiing with hangover.

Anyway I’ve been having lessons at an indoor place with kids and no confidence problems. Felt in control not shaky and worried! Holiday coming up and can’t wait to go and be calm and enjoy the whole thing.

Work not good at the moment but feel refreshed after sober weekend and ready to face tomorrow.

Morning...

Had a great highland break, some downtime, some winter sports...

But had a dream that left me shaken... I was in the gym (I’m not a gym member, and it’s been a while since I was in a gym) and my training wasn’t going well, so the girl in the gym gave me a glass of wine to cheer me up!!! I kept telling her I couldn’t drink it, and she didn’t understand and got a bit annoyed with me... in the dream I was just crying and saying I couldn’t drink it - over and over again.... and then my alarm went off. It was a horrible feeling when I finally de-fogged my sleepy brain!

It’s just a dream, but it did shake me...

Onwards...

Drinking dreams are horrible. They are so vivid and seem to come out of nowhere. Hugs xx

Hope everyone is doing ok.
Its day 200 for me
Ive had a crappy day but feel bloody great !
keep going everyone

200 days. Go you !! Congratulations ! X 🌟

Hello, can I join you please? This will be my 25th day of not drinking this month (I lost will-power on 2nd Jan.) I made a decision on 31st December that I need to definitely sort out my drinking and use dry January to do this. Over the last few years my drinking has crept up from only drinking socially, to only drinking weekends, then weekends and one or two weekdays to every day - and I'm talking on average a bottle, often a bottle and a half and sometimes more. Anyway I feel pleased with what I have managed so far and really think I need to - and kind of want to - make it permanent.
One thing I wondered if someone can answer please? Every morning for the last week and a half I have woken up with a headache. Is this normal? I thought any withdrawal symptom would have stopped by now - if that's what it is.

Welcome trying well done on 25 days - that's brilliant. I think the headaches are normal. I struggled with physical symptoms including headaches for several weeks when I first stopped. It could be PAWS ( post acute withdrawal syndrome) - unpleasant and uncomfortable but normal. Have you got much real life support? X

Thanks @vxa2 gosh I hadn't realised it would last that long! I thought a week or so of withdrawal and that would be it. I've just looked up Paws that's quite scary but makes sense I guess if your body has been used to something that long it's going to take your brain a long time to figure out how to function normally without it and make that the 'new normal.'
(We've chatted on another thread I started.)

trying there is a really interesting episode on the bubble hour about PAWS.

I've been much more clumsy the last couple of months (significantly - think falling over on the kitchen floor over nothing, pouring boiling water on my hand rather than in the tea etc.)

It's pretty scary the impact alcohol has. I hope I have stopped early enough.

Day 89 af. Day 100 round the corner. I am going to get myself a little something to celebrate this. Something small. Something like a mothers day necklace - to remind me how far I've come.... and how much I have to loose - I can not go back.

Today I won't drink.

Thanks saywhen what is the bubble hour exactly please? I've heard other people mention it but I'm not familiar. Well done for 89 days that is absolutely brilliantly! You must feel so good. I've managed January (well I had one day with no will power but that was on 2nd so ages ago. Am going for February now.
My headaches have stopped now. I had an awful one on about day 15 or something then every day I had a horrible headache on waking. However I'm pleased to say I haven't had one for the past three days so fingers crossed...
Was there a time when you looked in the mirror and noticed a difference in your appearance or when you felt really good about yourself.

That's briĺliant news about your headaches trying it's a podcast if you have an iPhone you have a podcast app already (or I did when I had an iPhone!) Otherwise you can install an app and search for podcasts I have podcast addict.

It's really good and mother recovering.

Do you know only recently have I looked different. My face has slimmed down. I've only lost 4lb and nothing recently but my face looks less puffy.

Thanks I have an iPhone so will look later. Well done on the weight loss that's great! I was hoping to have lost about half a stone as have had about thirty bottles!!! Less than usual in January but lost half a kilo lol

itunes.apple.com/gb/podcast/the-bubble-hour/id580501108?mt=2

Hiya everyone, I have been here before and slipped back into old habits. What’s happened is I took stock of my life and decided to end my marriage. I’ve had a few drinks in January but want to rejoin for support as I start the divorce process. So day 1.
Well done everyone so many success stories.

Hi thanks @vxa2 I've found the podcast there are lots of episodes available aren't there? So would you or @Saywhen Recommend any in particular.
Well done @Hadron21 on day one and taking control, I hope everything works out ok for you.

I'm not sure @trying I think I listened to the creating your own bubble and surviving the Christmas holidays first as this was what I was particularly worried about. But I listened to one most days on the drive to work. I also really like mother recovering.

That and reading blogs were really important to changing my thinking about alcohol. That was the big difference for this time.

Recently my best friend didn't complete dry Jan (she is a non addicted drinker she can just have a glass of wine.) She laughed and said well I didn't want to be t total!!! My husband said when I was saying we should eat less sugar "why don't you just start drinking again??"

Drinking is normal not drinking is odd. Listening to and reading all of these sober women talking has confirmed my feelings - there is another way and it's bloody Good!!

Hello, I'm new to the thread, but posting for a little support. I have been lurking for a while and have come to the conclusion that cutting down is no good for me and I need to stop drinking alcohol completely.

DH is out, watching the rugby and I am making dinner and really tempted to open a bottle of wine.

I know that, seeing as it is the weekend, I would finish the whole bottle.

Currently drinking cranberry juice and that is helping.

Is there anyone around to offer a hand-hold?

It's early days for me yet and I am so annoyed with myself that I could be so weak.

I'm here !! I am just enjoying a Diet Coke !! I got quite agitated earlier when I was doing the food shop and I thought they'd sold out. DH and I have been laughing about how things have changed - 2 years ago I would have been well into by second bottle of wine by now.

How are you getting on? It's great that you've reached out for support. That's a huge step - well done you. Do you want to
post more about what's made you think you might have an issue with alcohol ?

vxa2 thank you!

I think I had a little wobble earlier as being in the house on my own is a big trigger.

There's some family history that I don't feel comfortable in sharing; suffice to say I have lost close relatives to alcohol abuse, one quite recently.

I'm an 'all or nothing' kind of person and one drink will set me off.

I was starting to hate how drinking was making me feel. I felt somehow disconnected and decided I had to do something about it.

As I said, it's early days. I will need to pop on here every now and then if I feel that I am wavering.

It's a big help knowing you kind people are here for virtual support .

Good for you This Board can be a bit quiet so if you want to PM any time please do. I organise a support group for women seeking sobriety - if you are anywhere near Birmingham and would like to come along just let me know. I will be 2 years on 31 March . X

Wow, 2 years, that's great vxa2!

Not near Birmingham, but I do find this thread so helpful.

I can relate to so many posts on here.

Hello. You've made a good choice coming on here @Grasse the people are really friendly with good advice and very supportive. @vxa2 I just had another look at your brilliant blog - I had thought I was following you but it seems I'm not (sorry) I'll need to have another look and see what I'm doing wrong. I wish I lived near Birmingham as your support group sounds such a great idea and I would love to meet up for something like that. @lilybetsy I've looked at your blog (there was a link a few posts ago) it's great so am now following you too.
I'm on day 41 now and pleased to achieve this long so far. I was tempted to drink yesterday as my OH was in a really stressy mood and it would have been easy to reach for a bottle, but I didn't, it was difficult though, thankfully after an hour or so I felt a bit more relaxed and was so so glad I didn't give in.

If anyone has looked at my blog (I think I've talked about it on this thread) I have changed the domain. It's now at sunraintea.com/
I was thinking this morning that making the decision to be sober is probably one of the best decisions I've made and one, of not many things, that I have actually been able to (try and) take control of!