On The Wagon... then in 'ere!

mid_gen · 25 Mar 2024 at 08:55

3 months today since my last drink.

Was never intending to go tee total, just did the usual dry January with the other half.....but we've both just carried it on now. Replaced the Friday evening drink with some non-alcoholic alternatives and neither of us are missing it at all. Sleeping better, better mood, waking up early, loads more time to do stuff, more money in my pocket.

Got a few festivals this year and sure I will end up having a drink at some point, but have absolutely zero desire to at the moment.

Got some quite expensive booze in the cupboard that I'll try and offload on mates

{SAS}TB · 25 Mar 2024 at 08:57

mid_gen said:
3 months today since my last drink.

Was never intending to go tee total, just did the usual dry January with the other half.....but we've both just carried it on now. Replaced the Friday evening drink with some non-alcoholic alternatives and neither of us are missing it at all. Sleeping better, better mood, waking up early, loads more time to do stuff, more money in my pocket.

Got a few festivals this year and sure I will end up having a drink at some point, but have absolutely zero desire to at the moment.

Got some quite expensive booze in the cupboard that I'll try and offload on mates

Well.done you!

I'm pretty much accepted now I want / can't drink again.

I even blurted out "oh, I don't drink, I'm T-Total" at a works event a few weeks ago :O

Stu999 · 25 Mar 2024 at 11:24

Just out of curiosity, how old are you guys that are on the wagon (ballpark figure is fine)?

Shikkaka · 25 Mar 2024 at 11:28

Stu999 said:
Just out of curiosity, how old are you guys that are on the wagon (ballpark figure is fine)?

Hanging onto 39.

Will Gill · 25 Mar 2024 at 11:32

I'm 47

Just managed a weekend away with 15 mates for my BBF's 50th birthday, didn't even come close to cracking/caving! I must admit the amount they were smoking made me crave a ciggie!

I'll be 8 months sober next week

mid_gen · 25 Mar 2024 at 11:37

Stu999 said:
Just out of curiosity, how old are you guys that are on the wagon (ballpark figure is fine)?

43

I wouldn't describe myself as on the wagon, I don't feel I had a problem that needed resolving, my drinking has just tapered off slowly over the years, I was down to 2-3 drinks over the course of a weekend for a long time. Cutting down to zero makes a big difference though.

Other half has suffered anxiety a fair bit her whole life and that is quite strikingly improved since cutting alcohol out completely.

Stu999 · 25 Mar 2024 at 11:41

mid_gen said:
43

I wouldn't describe myself as on the wagon, I don't feel I had a problem that needed resolving, my drinking has just tapered off slowly over the years, I was down to 2-3 drinks over the course of a weekend for a long time. Cutting down to zero makes a big difference though.

Other half has suffered anxiety a fair bit her whole life and that is quite strikingly improved since cutting alcohol out completely.

I think I'm going to end up the same as you (a year younger than you). Tend to go "out out" like once a month / every other month. Don't drink too much at home, usually a 4 pack over a Friday and Saturday.

Zatoichi.uK · 25 Mar 2024 at 11:47

Had 2 glasses of red and 1 cider this weekend. Getting to be pretty normal and I like it that way. Good for the wallet and waistline.

{SAS}TB · 25 Mar 2024 at 12:05

Stu999 said:
Just out of curiosity, how old are you guys that are on the wagon (ballpark figure is fine)?

50

:O

[FnG]magnolia · 25 Mar 2024 at 19:56

Some pretty uplifting stories here. Thanks for sharing your experiences ladies and gents

haaammit · 25 Mar 2024 at 20:20

48 in 5 days time. 3 years off the booze come May for me

burtie · 25 Mar 2024 at 21:00

49, Sober for 7 years 2 months, and 25 days.

banja · 26 Mar 2024 at 03:03

I've given up for lent. Done it a few times and find it quite easy. Annoyingly I never feel any benefits whatsoever. I drink a fair amount normally - not really binging, but quite regularly. Yet can easily go without and hardly notice it. Just seems weird that I feel zero benefits at all when I give up. No doubt it is healthier though.

[FnG]magnolia · 26 Mar 2024 at 04:04

banja said:
I've given up for lent. Done it a few times and find it quite easy. Annoyingly I never feel any benefits whatsoever. I drink a fair amount normally - not really binging, but quite regularly. Yet can easily go without and hardly notice it. Just seems weird that I feel zero benefits at all when I give up. No doubt it is healthier though.

Stick with it and see how you go. Expect incremental benefits at a surface level over a short term, especially if you're not a heavy drinker.

andybird123 · 26 Mar 2024 at 06:11

banja said:
I've given up for lent. Done it a few times and find it quite easy. Annoyingly I never feel any benefits whatsoever. I drink a fair amount normally - not really binging, but quite regularly. Yet can easily go without and hardly notice it. Just seems weird that I feel zero benefits at all when I give up. No doubt it is healthier though.

I had to change my diet first. I'd stopped drinking heavily but still had 1-2 on a weekend as it "didn't really affect me" but since changing what I eat daily I was feeling better generally so the weekend beer made me realise what it was doing more and just naturally gave up completely as I stopped liking the way I felt the next day. I've also given up caffeine for the same reason, just don't need it anymore.

moon man · 26 Mar 2024 at 08:12

[FnG]magnolia said:
Stick with it and see how you go. Expect incremental benefits at a surface level over a short term, especially if you're not a heavy drinker.

I never experience these benefits so i fail every time, its not an issue i find with veganism, i enjoy a drink, life is short, i may get a week of weird smugness in abstinence that seems to be a thing (vegan, pot, kettle, black, you say)
Having said that when i have felt down in the past i always felt worse the day after but even that's not a thing now
I know your all doing the right thing, just adding some light and shade to get a clearer picture that some of us struggle to WANT to do this

{SAS}TB · 26 Mar 2024 at 08:15

moon man said:
I never experience these benefits so i fail every time, its not an issue i find with veganism, i enjoy a drink, life is short, i may get a week of weird smugness in abstinence that seems to be a thing (vegan, pot, kettle, black, you say)
Having said that when i have felt down in the past i always felt worse the day after but even that's not a thing now
I know your all doing the right thing, just adding some light and shade to get a clearer picture that some of us struggle to WANT to do this

Just an observation that, for some of us, it's not "wanting" to but "having" to

moon man · 26 Mar 2024 at 08:20

{SAS}TB said:
Just an observation that, for some of us, it's not "wanting" to but "having" to

A bad liver scan would maybe make me sit up and listen but it seems to be lots just having the odd weekend tipple, its the way society is moving, just stop anything that is enjoyable.

{SAS}TB · 26 Mar 2024 at 08:22

moon man said:
A bad liver scan would maybe make me sit up and listen but it seems to be lots just having the odd weekend tipple, its the way society is moving, just stop anything that is enjoyable.

Wow

moon man · 26 Mar 2024 at 08:26

{SAS}TB said:
Wow

tell me your meat consumption and have the wow right back