I've gone almost a month without alcohol!

vacherin · January 2012

Woo-hoo! I usually do a dry January every year but then I end up going back to my old habits on 1st February, thus making the dry January completely pointless. This year I decided to do something different and give up drink until my 40th birthday which is mid-Oct. I've almost done a month - only 8 and a half to go!

I must say, though, that the side effects have been horrendous. I was expecting headaches, lethargy, sugar cravings etc. but had not expected to feel utterly suicidal for the first 2 weeks of January! I knew it was purely to do with lack of sun and alcohol, but even so it was awful. I'd recommend that anyone who intends to do anything similar, cuts down gradually and does not do what I did and go from drinking a bottle of wine a night to nothing at all.

I have some fab friends on here who are very supportive and encouraging but would like more, so please friend up to me (especially those who knew me in my previous incarnation of petitfilou).

Good luck to everyone in meeting their goals

Vacherin xxx

beduffbrickie · January 2012

last time I had a drop was July 2011, time has gone fast, not missed it one bit

JennieAL · January 2012

Congrats! I haven't had any since November, the week before I got married. Feeling great physically... Emotionally, eh, having some ups and downs. Glad I quit though!

Lesa_Sass · January 2012

Congratulations!

I have one question. If someone you loved, a great deal, told you that they had been doing something and when they stopped, they felt suicidal, how would you feel if they told you they had planned to start up again? Would you want them to? Do you think it would be worth it? Just something to think about.

If you find yourself wanting to drink before your goal date, feel free to reach out and talk to me about it. I have a great deal of experience in this type of situation. One month is a big deal and it is good now that you have detoxed, but beware, your head will try to figure out ways to tell you that you "need" a drink for this reason or that. The best one is getting mad at someone, cause you know, you need to get drunk at them, haha.

Good luck and again, congratulations. 30 days sober is more than many people in this world will ever see.

committomittxoxo · January 2012

Curse this post.. *waves fist in air* ..

jk

I was just thinking about this today.. I work so hard just to ruin it at night by having a beer!! I've gone long periods without drinking, no problem... However, when I am really active I crave it more! Not to mention I have "cured" my restless leg syndrome with super hoppy IPAs.. Maybe I'll give this a shot though... Maybe I'll give it up through February.

O the humanity........

vixxy83 · January 2012

next week ive not had a drink for a month but ive actually had to do it for health reasons as a had a recent hospital stay it aint easy because i do love my drink

weekends off from the kids are the worst because am on my own but i do feel better for it

CouchSpud · January 2012

Alcohol isn;t my problem. But I am a sucker for anything sweets, especially chocolate and cakes and biscuits, so now, I am not eating any, to break my addiction (honestly, it isn;t funny, I have found myself eating nothing but chocolate before...

)
So well done OP and all the others off drink.
I am 21days into my off sweets and boy it has effected my mood, but I am adamant that I won't be ruled by a chocolate bar! So go us!!

AirCircleI · January 2012

Great job! That is amazing! I haven't had a drink since 6 January - had been just planning to do a dry January but I have felt so good, healthy and clear headed that I don't want to go back to it in February. The hard thing is my friends who say that I have now become boring because I don't want to go out drinking.

astul · January 2012

I haven't had anything since 4th Jan 2011 and to be honest I don't miss it one bit! From a Pinot grigio swilling maniac I am well known as a tee-totaller! I feel soooooooo much better, never have those yucky hangovers, bounce out of bed most mornings and don't feel tired like I used to........it could be cos of the weight loss and exercise I'm now getting but I prefer me now as opposed me to me then! Good luck hun....you can do it!!

Ann_72 · January 2012

Well done

I have been off the alcohol for the same time as well, but I was completely out of control when I quit. Did not experience the pain you refer to though, quitting nicotine or alcohol does not make you physically ill, it's all mental. The chemical you're addicted to leaves your body so quick when you quit, I don't believe it's the lack of alcohol that makes you ill, since it's also a poison + depressant. Can relate to the sugar cravings, but I haven't felt better in a long time being off the booze.

Gertie57 · January 2012

Snap! I have been dry since 1st January, home is easy now, but going out is tricky. My old habit of a drink then relax into a social event is not part of my new routine and I miss it. I have decided to keep going without a drink like the writers (I too thought: if I am doing something that gives me a headache for eighteen days straight when I give up, I better not take it up again anytime soon). Any tips on keeping up this effort would be appreciated

ejortega · January 2012

This year similar to past years i gave up alcohol for the first quarter of the year. I have not had a drop of alcohol since January 2, 2012. The side effects are very obvious .Less snoring, better sleep, better eating habits and a whole stronger focus on diet and food selection and portion control.

Unlike many other years ,this time I am thinking why return to it in April?

committomittxoxo · January 2012

Alcohol isn;t my problem. But I am a sucker for anything sweets, especially chocolate and cakes and biscuits, so now, I am not eating any, to break my addiction (honestly, it isn;t funny, I have found myself eating nothing but chocolate before... )
So well done OP and all the others off drink.
I am 21days into my off sweets and boy it has effected my mood, but I am adamant that I won't be ruled by a chocolate bar! So go us!!

Omg BISCUITS!!!!!!!!

JennieAL · January 2012

It might be of some encouragement to those sitting on the fence about drinking again to think about it like this: I don't know anyone who regretted NOT having drank the day before, but I can think of PLENTY who've regretted drinking. And personally, there's never been a time where I thought to myself: I sure wish I'd had those drinks yesterday. But oh so many times I thought I really wanted one right then, you know?

vacherin · January 2012

Thank you so much for the replies - and a big BOO to the "friends" of Aircircle who are calling him/her boring for not drinking! Nobody has said that to me yet (and if they did I would punch them), although I do have one friend who keeps trying to ply with me with "just one glass". Interestingly, it usually happens when she herself is drunk; when she's sober she tells me what a magnificent thing I am doing for my health, and that really she ought to try it herself for a while but can't be bothered. The "Just One Glass Won't Hurt" Brigade are the worst people to be around when doing something like this, especially as just one glass hasn't worked in the past. I have never managed to lose weight whilst drinking in moderation, only ever when I've stopped completely ... and I have a lot to lose (I'm a good 3.5 to 4 stone over my healthy weight).

I have had to avoid the pub almost completely this month, not just because I don't like being the only sober one but because I resent paying the ridiculous prices of soft drinks. My husband and I go to a pub quiz regularly and I don't mind that because the quiz and the food provide a distraction from the booze, but I would never just meet a friend in a pub for a drink and watch them have wine or beer whilst I had water.

One other side effect is that I now have a chocolate habit despite not caring much for chocolate before. I guess this is because my body is used to having sugar coursing through my veins, but I don't feel too guilty about this as a bit of chocolate is better than several pints of beer. And how true about the morning-after regrets - I don't think anyone has ever woken up and thought, "I wish I'd drunk more."

Edited for spelling!

I've gone almost a month without alcohol!

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