The giving up/cutting down alcohol support thread! Part 5

A question about : The giving up/cutting down alcohol support thread! Part 5

Again, the previous thread was getting very very big, so we have a new thread.

That great first post by In Search Of Me is below.

Quote:

Originally Posted by In Search Of Me There are a few of us who want to give up/cut down & I thought it would be good to widen the net to support each other along the way! For me alch & feeling good for the time I'm drinking & then rubbish after go hand in hand. A bit like drinking & smoking & drinking & getting the munchies! Last year I gave up alch & fags for 10 months & then slipped towards Christmas until by Jan I was doing both with alarming regularity. I dread to think how much both cost me financially and I know physically that I've felt rubbish. My lungs hurt, have put on weight & literally none of my clothes fit so I will have to buy more - which means a dent in my budget that I can ill afford. My skin is also yukky & much nicer when I dont drink/smoke! I had my last ciggies the night before last & last wine on Tues. I know I will feel 100% better when I crack it but also know it will be hard. One disadvantage here is that all too often DFW parties tend to involve alcohol so I'm also hoping that this can possibly be a safe haven for those of us who want, or need, to abstain, for now at least! Anway - I hope that this can be a place of real support for people who are sturggling. I do wonder whether there is a link between debt & drinking as from the Jan thread it was obvious that so many struggle to give up! Plus I know for me that I feel much hapier and in control when I dont drink (or drink in moderation) - which of course begs the question why do I do it?! Anyway, I do but will now try not t ad hope some of you wil join in. Some days I know I wil fail, just as I do with my debt free journey and I am more than happy to be given a swift (but nice!) kicking when I do! Hugs all and dare I say... but this time with water!! PS have amended this slightly as I have decided that I will try for the moderation way! That means for me not drinking over the recc limits (bottle & a half of wine for me!) but I know at times this will be a struggle plus I'm aware that others want to do the same.

The previous thread (part 4) is HERE

Part 3 is HERE

Part 2 is HERE

and the original starting thread is HERE.

Best answers:

• Thanks Fermi
  Giving up/Cutting down challenge for September
  69 Chick...........................3/18
  115K...............................7/No Target
  40somethingmum...............12/20
  BHB.................................4/8 ( 118/125 units )
  budget babe.....................7/20
  Catzpaws...........................8/20
  Cazzamazza......................17/27
  DebtMonkey1A..................0/18
  Different Corner.................22/30
  dreamonsu...........................1/2
  Esther.................................15/ No target
  fayjmck............................14/22
  fedupandskint....................12/22
  fluffyb.................................10/10
  ForeverHopefull..................6/10
  gargrave50........................0/14
  geranium72.......................2/18 ( 0/ 90 units)
  gien.................................15/25
  Grey Pilgrim......................16/24
  gromit2303........................0/4
  happyshopper....................20/30
  honeybear........................6/15
  IcelandicMaiden.................9/15
  jo1972.............................18/25
  Lurkio..............................15/26
  maman............................3/No target
  Marru..............................23/30
  Marthasdad......................14/20
  miamoo............................1/22
  Miss Piggy........................16/24
  mollypolly.........................22/1...
  mrsdee.............................22/30
  MrsJC..............................21/30
  mumofboys.......................9/20
  mumofseven.....................4/10
  Nessa56...........................4/18
  price is right......................18/26
  samandsheryl....................10/30
  snowymalone....................15/21
  SoSadAngel......................23/No target
  stroppy............................5/8
  TIME2GROWUP..................10/15
  Wanna Be Free..................3/12
  winebox...........................3/No target
  yellowmonkey....................21/20
  Days pledged.........742
  Actual...................483
  = 65.09%
  ym
• Thought I would post the list as the first post just to give us an idea of where we are
  Nice in here innit
  ym
• Hi everyone! A lovely day today.
  YM please put me down for 16 please!
  And DC, I wholly concur with your sleep comment! I am becoming quite evangelical about it and it's probably getting quite boring for everyone I come into contact with!
  I have a couple of friends who suffer from depression and are taking medication for it. They also both drink alcohol - not what I would call LOADS but certainly some every day. I keep talking to them to just give it a TRY and stop for a few days so they can understand how great it feels to be AF, but they are not at that point just yet, sadly.
  I also feel like I'm performing much better at work/able to concentrate more and be more proactive.
  This month's booze-related savings so far - Ј53.28!!
• is it just you and me in here?
• I'm here too - just jumped over with a bump!?
  I'm on target and 1/2 way there 10/20 for me please YM.
  The sleep thing is so true - I'm sure you get quality sleep when AF as when you're not, you kind of drift into an unconscious state, rather than natural sleep, plus I find I wake up lots more in the night when I'm not AF - just a thought....
  All seem to be doing really well - at least we can say that, if it wasn't for this forum, then we probably wouldn't have had any AFs (I know I wouldn't) so what YM says is right - Any AF day is worthwhile...!
• totally agree - I think this forum is really helping me stay on track. And if I fall off, at least I know that there's masses of support and encouragement here. Before, if I wobbled and drank, that would be the end of it and I would continue drinking. Here I feel I can manage better, if I do have a drink I can kind of "plan to" with my targets, and I'm in control.
  I'm finding some other rewards too - with my extra "time", I am better at keeping in touch with people, can take the time to send cards, call/email, or visit and be thoughtful and I hope caring! so I hope I am being a better friend, spouse, member of my family etc. That's a nice feeling.
  I love being part of this fantastic group of people! Thank you!!
• YM - ref the DaVinci code - loved the book but found the film a huge disappointment even though it stars Tom Hanks and he rarely makes a bad film. :confused:
  Looking forward to the gig - love ya Cheryl!
  Mrsdee/Marthasdad - I agree with you about the sleeping - have stopped feeling groggy now, sleeping deeply and hardly waking up during the night and feeling much more refreshed and full of beans!
  Have a fun w/e everyone
• Found you....
  Are we playing hide and seek...? Nothing to report.. bit early even for me...! Just wanted to say hi as I fell over you whilst floating around the other threads... so thought i'd say hi.... and now i'm saying byeee....
  And defo agree, sleep is much better quality when AF.. problem is just don't want to get up...!!!
  Off now, catch ya later.. xx
  T2GU
• Ooh, a new thread!
  How cosy
• OOH its nice and fresh in here. Thanks for all your words of support and encouragement. I on on day 3 AF Yellow Monkey!! and day 2 of my 100 day challenge. I feel so much better, and like others I have noticed how much better I sleep. I am feeling really positive and with GreyPilgrim and Sad Angel on my side, I know I can do this.
  Good Luck to everyone today.
• Coooo-eeyy
  Us lot spend nearly as much time chatting as we do pouring the bottle
  Note to self ..... more chat - less beer !
  Andy
  x
• Hopefully the new thread will give me a new resolve
  No change for me thanks YM
• Yep in agreement with all comments re Da Vinci code and AF sleep !
  Good to see you Jo. You are def missed when not around, even though it's only a day or so.
• Thought I'd pop on and say hi to you all
  New total is 11 for Sept so far.
  Mood very low these last 2 weeks and CBA fed up style.
  Will be AF tonight but will have a glass or 2 of wine tomorrow with nigel slater's risotto recipe to use the leeks up.
  Sorry for the low post, hoping this mood passes shortly as I am fed up of feeling like this
• Hi all
  Just a quick pop in and out (if you will pardon the expression )
  1 more AF for me so makes 2 AF in total
  Haven't been able to read any for a few days ( no due to A )
  I hope all is well with everybody and you are all where you want to be.
  take care all
  v
  x
• iS THERE SOMETHING IN THE AIR AT THE MOMENT WE ARE ALL DOWN IN DUMPS..........
  WAVES TO ALL HOPE YOU FEEL BETTER SOON FUAS