365 days without booze... join me?

[nick_j007]

AcidReflux said:

Just finished a party sober. Feels great. Everybody falling over around me and girls flirting all over the place, and I enjoyed it all. I think I will try and keep this going for a while. Dunno whether the OP is still reading this, but thanks for the inspiration.

Just back from a short break and yes I'm still looking in. Still going strong but would have liked a drop of Champers last night...I never did. Still, bright as a button today and grateful for it. Even doing a bit of work in the office. Lol.

Edited by nick_j007 on Sunday 1st January 20:12

[nick_j007]

boobles said:

I am amazed how so many people can give up alcohol just like that without side effects.
You're body will crave it & giving it up "just like that" is not the answer. Giving it up slowly is the answer.

Quite correct, though it somewhat depends on your intake levels at the time of stopping.

A couple of interesting links I've found :

http://m.wikihow.com/Quit-Drinking-Alcohol

http://alcoholism.about.com/cs/withdrawal/a/aa0001... This one has a questionnaire you can follow re withdrawal symptoms.

Edited by nick_j007 on Sunday 1st January 22:27

[nick_j007]

AcidReflux said:

What do you drink at home instead when you'd normally have had a glass of wine? I'm drinking Coke because it's in the fridge, but I guess I need to find some low-calorie alternatives to alcohol to provide variety.

I love my tea Good coffee in the mornings too. Otherwise plenty of water, I like sparkling organic Scottish Not a fan of coke or similar drinks. Rot your guts out it will...worse than the booze

[nick_j007]

steveT350C said:

Happy New Year all!

I am now on day 5. I think this is the longest time I have gone without alcohol since i was 18 at university. I am now approaching 39.

The last few years I have been drinking daily, primarily premium 5% lager, averaging 5 pints a day. Very occasionally wine, single malt whisky or VSOP brandy.

Basically about 100 units a week. No binging though. I am normally in my local pub by 4:30pm, out by 6, then a couple of drinks at home.

I have had mild cravings early evening but nothing major.

Not sure how long I will carry on, but I do feel much better, more motivated and actually looking forward to getting back to work Tuesday.

Good luck to everyone!

Nice work with stopping. Your units were pretty high mate. Your body will thank you. I'm just a few years older than you and was 70-80 units per week which made me feel pretty rough. It'll be great to have you along.

I'd get a list of us going, but it would be like a recruitment drive

[nick_j007]

oldbanger said:

Well I'm going to join you. See how long I last. I'll aim for 6 months with the option to extend then.

Great! Mark it in your diary.

[nick_j007]

oilandwater said:

I'm tempted to join in, but don't want to 'sign' up for 12 months.
I fancy trying a month first, but you see I really enjoy red wine, too much I think. Every night as soon as 6 o'clock comes around I fancy a glass of red, or two.

If I say I'm giving it up for a month that's OK, but if someone was to advise me to give it up for a month, I'd object.

Now I've written this I think I may see a problem developing in the future if I don't try the month free now.

Fair enough. I've gone month by month in the past. Go for it.

[nick_j007]

oldbanger said:

Well that's day one nearly done though I'm stuck in george best airport with a tired 4 year old at the mo

The first week or so Is by far the hardest. Hang in there brother!

[nick_j007]

Sebo said:

I have issues with alcohol. I am fine up until 3 pints. After that a switch flicks and its a one way train to Armageddon.

Am trying very hard to not drink. Interesting thread.

I find reading this book has helped: Allen Carr's Easy Way to Control Alcohol

Edited by Sebo on Wednesday 4th January 15:35

Interesting. I had some success with hypnotherapy, but in the end I was drinking same amounts again. Personally speaking I came to the simple (yet difficult at the same time) decision to stop for an extended period to create true space and perspective. It's a relationship we have with booze, and she/he can be a difficult partner to manage.

Are you hoping to stop for a set time?

[nick_j007]

cheadle hulme said:

First Friday night of my temporary abstinence coming up!

That, and the Manchester Derby on Sunday are usually my main times for drinking, so it will be a nice little test.

I'm determined to have a break until my first child is born (early May) then wet his little head. I will make a call after that as to where my levels of tolerance have dropped to.

Good luck. Make sure you have some decent tea and milk in. I'm getting a brew on now after a nice curry. Something sweet can help too. A biscuit or two to dunk consoles me Doing something helps too. I might read or get on the web. An early night is nice as I wake feeling great...and slightly smug.

[nick_j007]

oldbanger said:

I drink a lot of decaff coffee, caffeine free coke and also am quite partial to chamomile tea. I generally limit caffeine after 6pm anyway or I'll end up too wired to sleep.

5 days so far, and to be quite frank I've had a couple of really tough days in work this week that would usually result in me buying a cheeky half bottle on the way home.

From a health point of view I feel the carbonated drinks are not at all good for you. The sweeteners alone are pretty awful....Google stuff like http://www.sweetpoison.com/phenylalanine.html

Well done so far. I found it's case of building up confidence in being able to cope with work and Friday and Saturday nights etc that enable you to carry on and build up a few weeks under your belt and to then feel the benefits.

[nick_j007]

JFReturns said:

Just opened a nice cold, premium Cobra 0%. My thoughts?

Ewwww. I would not touch ANY of low alcohol or no alcohol beers or wines etc. Far too close to the real thing anyway. Need to get away from the feeling of holding a cold bottle or can lol. Also, I reckon they're bad ingredient wise.

Cup of tea anyone?

[nick_j007]

Digger said:

The way i'm currently trying to deal with any thoughts of cravings is to imagine a looong list of all the real harmful, dangerous and illegal drugs that have existed and taken by allsorts over the years and simply add alcohol to that list.

Simple, and puts it into perspective that it is just another chemical/drug that my body (& mind) really has no need for.

Edited by Digger on Saturday 7th January 19:23

I have found in the past that the further I get away from drink the more positive I feel about myself and look back with a tinge of regret for all the lost hours hungover or just wasting time by drinking instead of living.

Right now I would LOVE a drink. The OH is sitting drinking wine and I'll be in for another cuppa soon. I can manage that ok. I also remember that tomorrow I'll have the energy and brightness in me to have a decent day ahead

[nick_j007]

Jem0911 said:

Just caught this thread.
Congrats OP.
I stopped in Oct 2010.
None since or again.

I wasn't an alcoholic but similar to you I did drink to much.

I drink sparkling water now if out or at home.

Alot of friends and collegues STILL think I "will have one"!

Do I feel better for it?
I guess so.
I certainly don't miss the acid heartburn and hangovers.

Awesome. Where's the 'Like' button here?

[nick_j007]

Digger said:

Bloody hard at times isnt it. 18 days for me. I dont feel much pride in the achievement so far as taking control of the situation is out of my hands. I could easily down a couple of bottles tonght. Hfff!

Stick with it buddy. It DOES get easier with time. It's an emotional dependency and physical one too in the sense of what you do with your hands, what you're used to doing.

Perhaps I could venture that we all (myself included) drink for various reasons, but I suspect that one of them is to cope with day to day stresses and also for some to just tune out and away from specific issues that are difficult to address when sober. I consider myself to be a regular bloke with no more worries than the average person. I'd say now being in my early 40's I enjoy life and am able to relax into it more than I ever have in the past. I do recognise though that not drinking does allow me to look at various things that have cropped up in my past and to be able to kind of put them straight in my head (in a good way) which would not have been done when drinking each night.

I trust myself more now as well. By this I mean I can talk with loved ones or just good friends about pretty much anything and know that my words are not coloured by excessive emotion caused by drinking. Ah, it sounds like I walk around talking crap when drinking. I don't think I do (or did) much, but had that feeling a few times the next morning when it dawns on me what st I was talking the night before. Hehe.

I mentioned before that I had a list of reasons to stop drinking or the benefits of remaining sober. These came to me without hesitation in no particular order. I take being a dad as the highest!

No hangovers.
No tiredness.
Money in my pocket.
Weight loss.
Look better.
Feel better.
Long term health benefits.
Weight off my knees.
Ease of access to Elise!
Agility, stamina, energy.
Clothes fit better.
More motivated to work.
Optimistic outlook.
A better father.

Feel free to add to the list. It would be interesting to see what other's motivations are. Some of them could be expanded upon easily such as health benefits, weight loss, parenting and work.

There's a few of us keeping dry for various periods now, stick with it folks, I've been dry since the day of the first post

Nick

[nick_j007]

pete a said:

That's fine, I was having three bottles a day, I have not had a drink since December 30th so that's 11 days, so I may as well join you boys in here on the 365.
I have tried many times in the past to stop drinking since my mid twentys to varying degrees of success and lengths of time.
Never managed to stay given up though, tried AA but all the higher power stuff wasn't a bit of me.
I think I enjoy it too much as I get to a point (normally about 6 weeks) and I get really depressed and feel like life is rubbish because I can't havea drink, not long after I reach this point I end up back on the roundabout of drinking again and then trying to stop again when I start to despair.

Good luck all and see you all in here.

I read recently that you need 90 days to allow your body to get back to normal so to speak. I think (if I can say) that that you need to give yourself that long at least to start with. I know I do. It takes time to build the confidence in yourself that allows you to say, 'No, I'm ok, I don't need a drink', and to go do something different.

This part of the forum (or this thread anyway!) is like a load of blokes (no ladies as yet I think) all sitting about drinking tea, coffee and water bemoaning how many days we've been without a drink and debating how long they can carry on like this for.

Personally speaking, it came to a point that I knew I couldn't just carry on drinking so much each day. I value life and myself too much to not turn into some big loathsome pile of st that needs to drink that much every day. NOBODY will come along and save me. The best person to look after me was....me. The best person to look after you is...you

Stopping heavy drinking is really hard to do, but some days now I feel just fantastic, and I tell myself this is normal you know - feeling fantastic. When I'm not drinking I can address my health properly, think about what I'm eating and drinking otherwise and even ensure I get enough sleep in. Drinking aside, I'm keen on 'good health'. Oh the irony.

[nick_j007]

boobles said:

I never thought that 3 bottles per week was alot but according to my family, it is.


Right thats it I am of to the shop to buy a bottle!

I think to some that could be. Some are sanctimonious about the whole drinking thing. A quick google tells me 9 units in a bottle of wine, 27 in a week. 21 for men and 14 for women. God, I would be very happy to be able to stick to 3 bottles per week and be done with it.

Having said that we're all different and various amounts affect different people in different ways.

Nick

Edited by nick_j007 on Tuesday 10th January 21:47

[nick_j007]

johnnybegood said:

didnt have a drink yesturday not a good night sleep at all.

However for some reason I have started to feel very hungry.

It took me quite some time to get my sleeping patterns back to normal when I stopped last time round. Had a few cold sweats too which is not nice, but a reminder that I needed to stop. Stick with it. It'll get better.

[nick_j007]

oldbanger said:

<cough>

(though I generally don't correct people so it's my own fault lol)

Edited by oldbanger on Tuesday 10th January 21:41

So sorry Anna! Pulls out hanky, flicks it across the seat and offer a chair to sit on. Cuppa tea?

[nick_j007]

Sebo said:

Add mobile Chicane to the list or she'll masticate you!

What if I want to be masticated? lol.

[nick_j007]

Sebo said:

There's a queue you know!

How rude of me. So sorry.