Welcome 
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There is The Alcohol Experiment on FB it’s an amazing support group and self evaluation
Soberful is another group
Good luck to you
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Thank you for your post. I don’t know what happened that night it was the one I thought I had been spiked by an old friend. I even got the pubs to check cctv and I went and got checked at the hospital. I totally blacked out . I do think in that occasion I was spiked as the friend hasnt spoken to me for a couple of years. Either way I’d left my drank drank gin when I never do (I hate it) and its not the only time I’ve had to piece nights together. First challenge tonight. Meal with friends and children. They like a drink so to say I’m going sober and that I wint be drinking is going to be hard work. They’ll just say “Oh dont be daft”
The more I think aboit it the more realizations I have.
3- 4 of cans at home with the neighbours then run to the shop for more. Then bag up the empties get them in the recycle bin that night so no one sees (meaning if my my parents come although I’m in my 40s with my own home).
Go out for 1 chat to mates ive not seen in years simply as an excuse to basically drink more, head to more bars where I know a mate will be djing. Not to particularly talk to them but so again I have a reason to stay out drinking then wander alone at 1 or 2 am in town for food and a taxi.
I have 1 drink then although I don’t want to get drunk as i might have things to do the next day but I get a greed and can’t stop as I like it
The realizations ive had from.this site have been amaxing. I do have a problem and admitting that on Saturday has upset me, made me feel I’m over exaggerating and its not a problem (when it definately is) and made me positive all in one.
Total sobriety as I can’t just 1 fact.
I also realised if i go to a party (just a regular grown up party / get together ) with adult friends. I take cans and hide some in my bag. I drink cider and although non of my friends do I worry I will run out or they do and drink mine. I went to a friend’s over christmas with 4 cans but swore I’d not drank them all. It was a weird feeling when I opened what i thought was can 3 but couldn’t find can 4 in the fridge . I knew there was a shop at the top of the street but luckily we left before I bought more. The year before I drank that much at my friends I vomited all the next day up until the moment I was going live on air to present my own radio show from home .
I make excuses even now I think mmm do I have a problem really but just asking that and more situations spring to mind. I do. 5pm I’m meeting friebds. If you don’t mind ill check in to say how I’m doing. Thank you all
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You are certainly more than welcome to check in with anyone on this site (if I can permit myself to answer for everyone), and certainly with me, anyway. I try to check in here quite regularly as well, as I find it to be pretty useful.
And rather supporting, in fact.
But I know what you mean about trying to get things into the recycling bin before anyone notices…
If I may paraphrase a book by a guy named Alan Carr (you can find his books on Amazon, very inexpensively), you should try to bear in mind that going without alcohol is not DEPRIVING yourself of anything, but rather FREEING yourself from years of brainwashing by alcohol and marketing companies, and even by (often well-meaning) friends and family members.
I hope that your evening goes well.
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Really good posts here, what @Yoda-Stevie said hit the mark with me. Checking in really helps.
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Thank you so much. I’m going to go swimming this afternoon to remind me that healthy is best and I can’t do these things if hungover. (I hate water but im all about fear fighting this week)
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Well I can certainly relate to not feeling terribly comfortable in the water, I definitely used to be that way… now, believe it or not, I regularly go scuba diving down to 30, 40, even 50 metres !
You can do anything you want.
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That’s fab. I swam 14 lengths …it felt good too.
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I used to be a big swimmer myself. I set a goal to raise some money for a friend’s cancer treatment, and got all of her friends to sponsor me. I swam 10K meters, after 6 months of daily training in the pool. Only reason I don’t swim anymore is rotator cuff issues. Great way to tune out and get some peace.
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So test number 1. Sat with friends inc 1 of my 2 best mates. Having food ive done good. 2nd lime and soda. My mates like “what’s wrong with you” have 1, what about wine. Boring wont invite you anymore. Said to my daughter. Shes fine if she drinks wine isn’t she. God it really is such a MASSIVE thing to people. Even when I said I’m doing it for training to stop the questions. Mmm not going to get support tgere as they think I’m being silly. But I am sticking to my soda my daughter will be proud as am I of me. Just checking in .
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Way to go !!!
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Welcome, glad you found us and shared your story. You will find many stories similar to yours and many vastly different. The main thing is you are here. I learned once I couldn’t stop I had a problem. Stick around you will learn a lot.
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This is a perfect analogy I love it. It perfectly describes my friend. I want their support but they don’t see me as having a problem and just that I’m now being boring.
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But you are out of the bucket, on the dock. They are stuck in the bucket. Claws up and RUN!
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Haha brilliant. Thank you
I’ve screen shot this and your message about the crab to look at when my mates are being unsupportive .
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I hosted the quiz in the pub and although I got really worked up at the thought of going sitting at a bar and not drinking. I did it. 2 x lime & sodas.
It was awful begore I went as i was almost in tears as i wanted to go out and have a drink. I was trying to justify just the one. So glad I didn’t . New day.
Well done everyone keep going 
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You’re doing a great job too ! I know that it’s tough to be with everyone else who’s drinking away, but remember that you’re doing this for YOU, not for them.
Remember, you’re not depriving yourself, you’re FREEING yourself.
But it’s a struggle sometimes, I know that and I certainly feel it too.
87.5 days… creeping up on 90 !
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