Giving up/ Cutting Down Alcohol Thread Part 16

Happy_Monday

11th AFD for me today x

Elisheba

Hello all,

I'm haven't quite gotten my head around how this thread works yet I'm afraid. What's SNC, please?

I wanted to post though to celebrate that it's 3 months today alcohol free for me! Woo! Which considering that period covered Xmas and New Year, is not bad at all!

Three months ago today, I had had a row with my best friend because I'd said too much on the phone after a bottle or two of the old vino collapse. I woke up feeling rubbish and thought 'No, enough. This is not what I want in my life'.

I had noticed I'd been drinking more after a heck of difficult few years. A combination of poor coping strategy and poor boredom mechanism I think. As I come from a family with a great tradition of raging alcoholism I decided that I needed to nip this in the bud completely.

In addition to that I wanted to stop smoking, and I knew I'd never do it if I was drinking. I have also been trying to sort out my mental health and deal with depression. The hangovers and associated anxiety, and the debt accrued from drinking, smoking, and frequent expensive nights out were not helping in the slightest.

So I decided stop completely for 6 months, and then reassess where I am then. In some ways it has been easy, in some ways hard. Surprisingly I find it easy not to drink in the house which is where I probably drank most before. It can be hard going out with friends though. I'll drink AF beer which is nice enough, but without the alcohol you don't get the kick. Also as people get drunker and I am sober, they get more boring :rotfl:. I have also found that without the booze to keep me going I just get knackered and leave early.

Sometimes I have really craved a cosy, boozy night in a pub with and friend and ciggies to hand, or to sit back and really enjoy a bottle of wine, but it's normally not really an issue.

What I am really appreciating and enjoying is the money I'm saving, the total freedom from hangovers and anxiety, and how this means I can commit to activities I have organised and enjoy them without a hangover. I really love it. I feel like I can rely on myself and trust myself completely, rather than doing daft things when drunk.

So all in all, happy days! I'm half way to my initial target, and enjoying it immensely!

Wanna_Bee_Free

Wow, Elisheba, welcome to the thread and thanks for such an inspiring post - good luck with the next half of your challenge!

SNC is the School Night Challenge starting today and finishing on Sunday. People can choose how many days they plan to be alcohol free and report back.

Shaggydoo also runs a monthly challenge which it's never too late to join and Cathybird runs an annual challenge of our totals for the year.

Ages ago someone on here referred to it as a star chart for adults which sums it up really!

Shaggy, please would you add me to the SNC next week. I'm planning 4/5.

Last Thursday I went out for dinner and had a drink. I'd like to squeeze a day in today or next weekend to make up for it. I drank waaaay too much on Friday night and suffered a lot for it yesterday.

Arkers

Good morning everyone,

Welcome Elisheba our team here on the AF thread are friendly and non-judgmental there are those of us who abstain completely and those of us who want to take control of our drinking and cut down or cut out with alcohol free days. Many of us can relate to what you say in your post. Three months is a fantastic achievement and if you have any queries just ask away and one of the more knowledgeable people will be able to assist. You choose if you'd like a monthly target (I pretty much go target free, as any day is a bonus!) and you want to take part in the monthly chart then just let Shaggy know, it's great if you are an occasional drinker and want someone to keep track of your progress. Or if you want to pop in if it helps then that's fine too. Any other questions just ask.

12 please Shaggy
Arkers x

marahouti

Welcome Elisheba, such an inspiring post. Well done on three months dry, I have no doubt that you will complete the second half of your challenge.
11/31 please Shaggy. Thank you. X

cathybird

Morning all, 12/21 for me today please.

lantanna

5/18 for me today please.

Happy_Monday

Wow Elisheba, congratulations that’s an amazing achievement, well done.

Day 12 for me today. Been to B and M bargains and for some lovely cans of Fentimenns mixed drinks, they were only 49p, to buy these in the pub they’re about 2.50. Looking forward to trying one later with my tea.

Hope everyone is having a good weekend x

maggiem

Congratulations Elisheba, great achievement.

I managed to stay AF today - pleased as I would usually have a drink onSunday. However I had checked units and even more shockingly the calories in what I drank on Friday - not surprising I am overweight! So 5/16 and I SNC please.

marahouti

12/31 and 1/5 SNC please Shaggy. Thank you. X