DRY 18

[vxa2]

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

Day 4. Heavy day at work! Would kill for a cold glass bottle of wine. But determined to do this. Making me realise just how addicted I am...how you doing @Musti?

Had dinner and a bottle of AF beer . How are others getting on? X

@heyelp well done! Alcohol free here. I went to play badminton this evening so not thought about alcohol. Can already tell in my face and eyes and a little around my waist that I've had 4 days AF. I'm not finding it hard this time because I was only just beginning to go back to daily drinking after being quite good since Sept. But you will get there and it's so nice to be able to enjoy your evening without alcohol, even though at the moment it seems like punishment xx

Great @musti. Yes exercise helps. Well done! Yes am feeling fresher faced. Have a works drinks thing tomorrow as somebody leaving my team. Am going to have one non alcoholic drink and then leave. Next week some boozy friends want me to go out but have made excuses as to why I can’t. I can’t yet put that temptation in front of me. One day at a time.

@heyelp how did it go tonight? Tomorrow is going to be a test because I'm 'allowed to drink because it's a Friday but I don't want to as I'm not going out. Think I may take the kids somewhere that requires driving. Saturday night I'm going out and I will drink and then nothing until the following Saturday.

@Musti ufff badly. Had an after work thing and had a glass of wine and confirmed I am unable to stop at one. Went home and carried on drinking. Just shows I have a problem. And now am seeing DP this weekend. Am back dry. Is the only way. Yes tonight stay strong. Am realising is not normal to drink alone. Am reading the sober diaries and she says exactly that. Drinking alone is not normal. So Day 1 here we go again. Good luck tonight and let me know how the weekend goes.

@heyelp I must admit that when I do drink, i drink to excess. I think you need to do 1-2 months completely dry to break the habit and then allow yourself once a week or something like that. I know I needed that month completely dry and it worked until I had a lot of social stuff around Christmas which got me back into the habit of drinking. But I wasn't drinking anywhere near as much or as offer as before I did the dry month but was heading that way. Because I'd done 6 months of not drinking too much, i haven't found this week hard but still need my app and to come on here to be held accountable.

Well done for being dry most of the week anyway and keep up the good work.

@heyelp well I just had 2 glasses of prosecco. But I'm not opening another bottle which is progress! (I had half a bottle open from last saturday). How are you getting on?

Hello everyone.

I've decided to give up drinking, tomorrow is day 10 for me.

I can honestly say that I don't miss alcohol. Neither do I miss that 'not quite being in control' feeling, or that 'waking up with a bad head or worse' feeling, or not being able to jump in the car at any time.

I had read the Jason Vale and Allen Carr books several times, but what finally made me see the light was going on holiday.

Drinking every day was a drag. And we met some fantastic people, one of whom was a non-drinker and they were the life and soul of the party, despite being sober.

So that got me thinking, and despite a false start / slip up a few weeks ago, it has been such a revelation. I feel so well, clear-headed and, dare I say, virtuous.

Some people in real life have sussed that I have cut down, but no one knows that I want this to become a permanent thing. I'm finding the whole process so liberating.

I didn't drink massively, but maybe four times per week, half to a full bottle of wine, and possibly a couple of shorts on top at the weekend. And, thankfully, no symptoms since stopping, other than feeling so much better.

Thanks for reading .

Day 12, I'm hoping that before long I won't be conscious of the number of days, because not drinking has become a habit.

In the meantime I am finding the Sober time app really helpful.

Hello!
Day 2 here
I Managed 6 months dry 3 years ago and last summer I stopped for 2months- it felt so good and I want to be back in that place.
Both times I thought I could go back to the wine by moderating- but slowly the amount would increase and I’d be back to drinking every evening.
I need to remember that I’m not missing out on anything, alcohol is a drug that has a lot more cons than any perceived pros!

Well done for your previous efforts TENDTO. Apart from pregnancy, I've been a drinker all my adult life.

The benefits of not drinking far outweigh the perceived buzz / confidence / whatever that alcohol brings.

And I reckon I save around £30 per week, at least, by not adding wine etc to the weekly shop.

Hi Astro!

I’m the same, I’ve been drinking my whole adult life apart from the breaks I mentioned above and 2 pregnancies. And yes yes to saving money!! I can happily polish off a bottle of wine in an evening.

Another motivator for me to stop is to loose a few extra pounds. As I approach 40 I simply can’t be slim and drink anymore. The extra calories that wine brings plus the associated snacking makes me slowly pile on the pounds. I’ve got about a stone to loose at the mo!

Yes, yes, yes to your post, TENDTO.

It's not just the wine, but all the associated snacking. Crisps, nuts, chocolate all make an appearance after a few glasses, whether I'm hungry or not .

Another benefit I have found is that I do a proper tidy up and load the dishwasher before bed. After a few drinks, I always think 'sod it' and then have to face it in the morning.

Day22 and counting!

I nearly caved yesterday, sitting in the garden in the sun. I'd normally have a lovely chilled glass of white wine.

But, then I thought what's the point? One glass wouldn't be enough, and more than one glass a bottle would be too much. And then I'd be right back where I started.

So I had an elderflower cordial with loads of ice, and it was lovely. And I went to bed with a clear head and woke up at 7am after a lovely night's sleep, with the whole of the Bank Holiday to enjoy.