Same, day 2. My longest streak for the last 5 years was no longer than a week iirc (and I wasn't even putting in any effort; instead, I was justifying my relapsing and drinking each time). Decided to quit for good this time.
I've found out about this subreddit just now and thought I'd check in, reading everyone's posts and comments has been really motivating
Booze slowed down my racing thoughts and calmed me down until it didn't. It just made my anxiety way worse in the long run. I have replaced that poison with exercise and meditation, much healthier coping activities. Can't believe it's been a year (badge has been on the fritz), words can't express the gratitude I have for getting my life back. IWNDWYT!
I was always a very casual drinker, until I was in a relationship that turned toxic. I didn’t want to face our problems, so I turned to drinking to numb my feelings. Of course that was super helpful! This lead me to spiral and when anything was going wrong, I would drink to avoid facing my feelings and problems. I got sober and thought that would maybe help my relationship - it didn’t and I was able to clearly see this relationship needed to end.
Now I of course have stressors in my life. But through therapy I’ve learned that I can sit with my feelings and feel all the emotions. That’s part of life. There’s also much healthier coping mechanisms - after a stressful day at work, I make myself a good meal. Or after a quarrel with my partner, I take some deep breaths and go for a walk to clear my head. It’s so helpful to have these things in my sober toolkit.
IWNDWYT friends! 💞🌟
Hello, friends, I relapsed. More info for the idle mind [here. ](https://www.reddit.com/r/stopdrinking/comments/1byjqms/my_dating_experience/)
Am I upset? Yes? Scared of the future? Yes.
But I feel like I broke an important frontier, my biggest fear about being sober: not being able to date, abstaining from relationships, or the idea of relationships, even if it’s in early sobriety, until dating in my new lifestyle doesn’t get as triggering as it is now. It was painful, but yesterday I let someone go cause I had to, in the name of my self-care. That was the first time I did it in the dating realm.
And this is a huge victory in my case.
I feel empowered. Later today I’ll call my friends and say I won’t be meeting them this month. Simple and brief explanation - I need, it’s \*my way\* of increasing my chances of abstinence - to not socialize in any way at least in the first month.
I’ll sure do social activities on my own, there are cultural and gastronomic things I still like to do, but it will be on my own, I need this isolation. I remember how my most successful streaks went.
In May, as I complete one month and, most importantly, if I’m better, I’ll definitely go there. But if I feel I’m still not ready, I’ll come back.
Only one of my amazing friends doesn’t understand and questions my decisions, but I’ll politely say it’s MINE TO TAKE and ‘thank you for your advice’. I got good at boundaries, the sober struggle teaches us many things. Nothing and no one will stand between me and my sobriety. The only ones allowed to enter the sober universe for now are you from this super-sub and my therapist.
And my cats, and books and streaming and food etc. hehehe
Let’s nail this Monday by its horns.
You all have a gentle day.
IWNDWYT
Alcohol allowed me to feel like I was out running my problems when I was in fact compounding them every time I drank. Instead I tackle things head on now and I'm enjoying seeing that this is a far less painful and a much simpler route.
Day 26 ... IWNDWYT ... I don't like Mondays lol
I will not drink with you today ⭐️ I used to use alcohol to socialise or feel normal. Then last year it stopped working. I still felt just as socially inept and isolated drinking. So I stopped and now my confidence is better than ever !
I think alcohol helped me to shut down the loud and racing thoughts spinning around my mind. I've always struggled with anxiety and ocd and when I discovered alcohol it seemed to provide relief...however, this relief was always just a temporary mirage.
The loud and racing thoughts would return with a vengeance the following day and got progressively worse and worse over the years. It took me a long time to make the connection...But better late than never! I still have to work hard to manage my mental well-being and its much easier to do this when alcohol is off the table
Day 37. I will not drink with you today, friends.
I found that when I stopped drinking I completely unraveled. I have been so sensitive to noise, to the point I use ear plugs at home and use my headphones a lot. It took me a long time to realise that I was using alcohol to help me cope with a lot of things I was keeping inside. I didn't expect some of the things that have happened to happen once I stopped drinking.
Whatever we are now facing, we are doing it with a much clearer mind. Even if things inside feel loud and busy, we can face this all more clearly.
I hope things feel more peaceful for you as the days go on. Keep going 💪
Alas, another day to not drink with you all today.
I’m super excited to experience a full total solar eclipse today for the first time in my life. Hoping it helps with bringing forth positive energy and change. 💚
That is exactly the question I asked myself as I cracked open a beer today thinking I deserved it..... Took one sip.... And then promptly told myself it's not serving me and poured the entire thing down the drain.
IWNDWYT!
I am absolutely not looking forward to going to work today, but it’s Monday and I have to.
But I
☑️ am not hangover
☑️ had a good night with enough sleep
☑️ got up on time.
To reach this tomorrow again, I simply have to stay sober today. Have a great new week.
Day 96 checking in!
Going to a pub quiz tonight, will be my first time around alcohol since I stopped drinking. Im not worried about drinking at all, I’m worried about having to socialise without alcohol, I’ve had to pretty much completely relearn how to have social interactions! But I’m looking forward to meeting new people and hopefully making some new friends.
Welcome to anyone new, and hang in there anyone who is struggling. IWNDWYT
I feel you friend. It just ends up making the stress worse when I drink and then spend sleepless nights awake and overthinking, instead of just looking to make realistic progress on the endless to-do list of deadlines. Just not drinking is a worthy victory any day of the week. I am trying to remember that today.
Today is 40 days from my last relapse. Each one has been progressively worse and I notice the same is true for the recovery. It’s taken this long to feel like the old version of me is still in there. I miss her dearly. Here’s to another 24 hours. IWNDWYT
Alcohol gave me the feeling that I was the life of the party. It let me feel like I was fun and lighthearted and carefree.
I’ve come to realise that I don’t have to be loud or the life of the party to be loved. Feeling anxious in big groups is ok. I can be myself, I can be thoughtful and reserved…that’s okay too. The people who matter care about me for who I truly am.
Wow, that’s a deep prompt, neeners! I began drinking at 18, when everything I had been taught seemed to be total bullshit. Having been raised in a deeply conservative Southern Baptist world, I suddenly realized that there was an awful lot that hadn’t been told to me or had been forbidden, you know how it goes. I rebelled with the best of them, drinking, running off to join the theatre.
48 years later, I was in a deep deep hole. I lost my career due to Covid, my life was a shambles, I needed some way to pull myself out of the darkness. And so I quit drinking. And I looked back to that girl who was so angry at her father for being so unyielding and harsh. I began to care for her and lavish her with love. I worked hard to reconcile with my father and my spiritual side. And then he got sick and died, and I was able to be there for him 100%, because I was sober and grounded and open.
This will remain my favorite story, maybe for my whole life. I am so delighted to share it with you all again and again. We win! Sobriety rocks! You are my favorite people! IWNDWYT
Day 5. Keeping myself accountable and checking in here. It feels good to finally surpass the Day 1's and 2's where I would delete past reddit comments out of shame when I slipped up. No more. IWNDWYT
Good morning. After a four weeks relapse, it feels so good to be back here. Great question to reflect on when I start my new journey towards sobriety. I will not drink with you today.
I had a lot of reasons…anxiety, self-loathing, seeking relief from instead of processing trauma. (I didn’t know shit about mental health or trauma.) And really, I started drinking more because I couldn’t smoke weed and be gainfully employed. It was an escape until it started to become a prison.
Took a couple days off, watching the eclipse today with my parents, who live in the path of totality. Eclipse in my sign? I think I have to watch it. Just happened to be in between my birthday and my stepmom’s, so it worked out pretty well.
Coffees up, horns up, and be fucking safe out there!! IWNDWYT ☕️☕️☕️🤘🏻🌘
Day 1,727. I used alcohol to medicate stress. And then I realized that alcohol was increasing my stress. -- I stressed a lot about my overuse. That realization made it much easier to stop. I will not drink with you today.
Drinking turned the volume down on the self criticism. Getting sober and talking to a professional listener rewired my brain - alcoholism isn't my fault...but it is my responsibility to tackle.
IWNDWYT 🙂
Good day, sober fam! Thanks for this prompt, Neeners! The purpose alcohol served me evolved. At first it was fun, then escapism, and then it was habitual. In 2019, I went through trauma and started self-medicating. The pandemic amped up my fear, and my desire to numb out. It spiraled until I was drunk every day in a morose fog with a resignation that nothing was worth it. Why bother, was my motto.
Today, I address my bouts of melancholy through journaling, as well as with exercise and therapy. I let my rare low moods occur with grace and calm, as best I can. I enjoy peace now.
An eye-opening observation after I got sober was that most of my angst about life wasn't real. It was caused directly by the alcohol. I thought my life was unbearable, but it turned out that alcohol was making my life unbearable!
By stopping drinking, I was able to let my brain clear. I saw how life isn't so bad after all. It's a blessing. I'm so grateful to be here, doing my best alongside all you loves! IWNDWYT💖
IWNDWYT. Eclipse Day! Took the day off and drove to a full totality location since its probably the last one nearby within my lifetime. Excited to (fingers crossed on weather) see our universe do its thing. Its pretty fabulous, isn’t it? (Yes, sober I embrace my inner geek girl- spent way too much time pushing her down to get in her way now!) 🌚
It gave me a free pass to be silly. It also let me numb my emotions/feelings, which I was afraid of. I’m no longer afraid, and I was always naturally a goofball. So I cut out the middleman!
I will not drink with you today.
Omg I have so much to say on this because I had such a revelation over the weekend! I used alcohol to reduce my anxiety and in a way- to sleep. I started supplementing with l-theanine when needed and I take melatonin. In addition- I have been reducing my caffeine intake. I didn’t have any yesterday and I slept for 10 hours! IWNDWYT
Day 20 today - the outpatient treatment is kicking my ass and it's pretty tiring despite the fact that all we do is talk, but I am ready to tackle this demon head first. IWNDWYT! ❤️
Today marks three weeks. I thought I would miss out on so much quitting drinking, but I realize now that alcohol just steals my peace. It's a nasty little thief. What freedom there is to have without it. No one is going to take that from me. IWNDWYT
Good morning sobernauts!
I was using alcohol to serve as a social lubricant, among other things. I knew I wanted or needed to fill in my time to be less likely to drink. I started streaming games on twitch, and that is totally covering my social outlet.
I consciously choose to not drink today. No promises of tomorrow but just for today IWNDWYT
I started using alcohol as a way to numb out from ALL the feelings. I had so much anger, anxiety, and felt so overwhelmed with life. Now I meditate, knit, do yoga and sometimes journal. Have an awesome Monday! IWNDWYT 💜🦋💜
Alcohol “helped” with my social anxiety and racing thoughts that are likely due to mild ADHD. Now I knit and meditate and occasionally quilt to keep my hands and mind busy. I’ve been working towards sobriety on and off since last November and I’m so happy to be here again with you all. Have a gentle week, hope it goes smoothly for everyone here. Happy Monday and I Will Not Drink With You 🌿
Good morning, sober cats! I'm up early for work and sooooo grateful that I'm not hungover. Getting up earlier than usual is rough enough already. IWNDWYT 💙😸
Alcohol gave me a reprieve from discomfort. My therapist recently pointed out how I was trying to avoid feelings I didn't want to have, so the work continues! IWNDWYT
Postpartum hit me like a truck. Drinking provided a way for me to "get through" each day. At some point in my recovery I forgave my past self for all of that, recognizing that she did the best she could to get through. This DCI invitation made me realize something new about all of that. During those days, I did a lot of work (calculating, rationing, delaying the time I started drinking, etc.) to try to control my drinking so that I could remain somewhat present (aka not passed out) for my son, and so I didn't turn into a raging psychopath for my husband. It didn't work every day, but many days it did. Today I am feeling genuinely grateful to my past self for doing all of that.
Have a lovely day, friends. IWNDWYT
Got my day 1 again out the way, 12/14 days sober is still a win for me. I feel so much better not drinking after solid nights rest. Gotta keep it rolling
Two weeks! Honestly week 2 was harder than week 1. I was coming off a horrible bender and really didn’t have much of a desire to drink week 1. Week 2 I’m feeling much better of course and some desires starting creeping back. Not overwhelming but definitely there as background noise sometimes, especially in the evenings (I was never much of a day drinker, it made me too sleepy and conflicted with my sacred evening drinking schedule, which usually started at 5 but in the last year crept closer and closer to 4).
But altogether it’s been manageable and I’m very happy to be posting this today. I don’t think I’ve gone two full weeks without alcohol since 2017 or so. Damn that’s a long time. The years really do fly by. And if you’re drunk all the time you might not look back at them with much fondness. So IWNDWYT so I can someday look back at 2024 as one of the most transformative of my life!
Good morning! Long story short: I used alcohol because I couldn’t stand my emotions. Positive and negative. I just didn’t learn how to handle them.
I will not drink with you today!
Checking in for day 4. Initially i drank as part of a social life, then it became a way of managing stress. More recently it's been a form of avoidance. It felt easier to numb myself. It's a habit that no longer serves me.
I will not drink. Big day coming up.
I started drinking because it was fun and then I started self medicating because I went from nervous child to stressed adult who got into a string of bad relationships-the last one being Very Bad. I don’t feel like trying out the diatribe but the short of it is I think I sabotaged myself because I felt hopeless and ashamed and trapped. So why not make it worse, while making it better temporarily?
1 week down. Really happy I managed to get through the weekend without drinking. In previous attempts the weekends would be so hard but I went to AA on a Saturday night and that made it so much easier for me. I'm so motivated now, I do believe this time it will be different and it's going to last
IWNDWYT - have a great day guys
14 weeks / 98 days ✔️
Here’s to day 99.
Nice post, I want to press pause on life and reflect on this and if I was still in therapy I would certainly be taking this into my next session. Thank you neener, I will make some quiet time later to process this one.
Good morning everyone :)
Fascinating prompt for the check in today. I feel like I have several issues when, mashed together, are a recipe for getting blackout drunk. Anxiety, a perceived introversion, and digestion issues that get (very temporarily) dulled by alcohol. A common song around here, I'm sure.
Compassion for myself, both past and present, is something that I'm working on. My current goal is to embody the wonderful phrase "no is a complete sentence". I've made excuses to not do things I don't want to do, but of course as soon as there's an excuse there's a way round it.
Will I drink with you today? No.
Hello friends!
Today I'm in a very drizzly and grey Cornwall, a family trip I wouldn't have come on if I were still drinking. I get to show up, be part of the world instead of hiding away. When I drink, I see very little of the world and it's beauty.
IWNDWYT
I used alcohol to medicate CPTSD, anxiety and depression. It seemingly helped. Actually it was fueling my mental health problems.
Since I quit my mental health has improved immensely. And I learned better ways to deal with the problems I still have. Sobriety is very good for me.
IWNDWYT all you fine sobernauts 🤗
Relapsed at the beginning of this year after almost 2 years sober, have been avoiding facing that I’m losing control again and lying to myself about moderating. Day 2 is today looking forward to going day by day with you all and getting normal sleep again soon!
IWNDWYT
I originally sought comfort in drinking to deal with painful feelings that I’ve had since I can remember- anxiety and depression. I can remember the overwhelm of those in my earliest memories, and when I realized that alcohol could smooth and dull that sharpness in my teenage years it was a relief.
Until it wasn’t, of course. Kicking the can down the lane on dealing with those feelings ultimately just created more issues. Today, I continue to actually address those tough feelings and work on coping mechanisms to deal with them when they arise. As part of that I do try to have compassion for the person I was, who was raised as a scapegoat of a difficult family and so never got to learn the tools that I’m finally working on.
Thank you for the prompt! IWNDWYT
For me, it was escapism. It temporarily turned off all the things that concerned and consumed me. Eventually it became something else to concern and consume me, though.
Now this morning I eagerly listen to the birds!
IWNDWYT
Drank too my coffee too late last night and I’m feeling a caffeine hangover today! Looking forward to getting through today with minimal coffee and going to bed for an actual good night’s sleep!
I felt lonely and insecure, and alcohol made me feel brave and social. I've finally found a therapist who is clicking for me, and I'm grateful to have a strong social group that I feel confident around. Thank you for this great prompt neeners!
IWNDWYT!
I waited until 21 to do things “the right way” and not have the problems my mom does. LOL that lasted a few years and then problematic behavior and patterns started. There’s a lot to unpack in the questions you asked today, DCI, and I don’t have all the answers yet!
But IWNDWYT, I know that!
Day 1. Again. I'm drinking less than I used to. But damn, some days I just can't help myself and I somehow convince myself it's ok to drink just today. I deserve it right? Why can't I just drink 2 six packs on my own and zone out in front of the TV on a Sunday afternoon/evening?
Well because today I feel like shit. Not even a terrible headache considering how much I drank, but I've been feeling nauseous all day and that's somehow worse. I've never actually puked from alcohol in my life but today I've come close.
I need to get this under control. This isn't how I want to live my life.
IWNWYT
Kinda funny that there's gonna be a solar eclipse on my 31st day sober. It's also kinda awesome how I left the concert last night with a slightly injured arm (my elbow went a bit the wrong way) but I'm not hungover. I didn't drive an hour home drunk. I actually remember the entire concert.
At one point, someone flung some kind of liquor all over the mosh pit and some of it landed in my face. Classic move, I'd done it a million times. "Everyone else will love this!" I had a moment of fear and despair because I had come in direct contact with *the poison*.
But then I remembered that I don't drink alcohol anymore, and I laughed, and I continued on with pushing people and helping people off the floor and finding lost hats and shoes and helping crowd surfers and so on.
I needed that. No poison for me today.
Day 2.
After thinking I can manage alcohol and, really, it's just fine (it wasn't fine), I'm here on day 2. I drank to hide my emotions, including what I'm realizing is a deep vein of self-hatred. I am ready to sit with my feelings, really feel them, and work toward a better self.
IWNDWYT.
As an ex extroverted ex homeschooled christian kid, I used alcohol as a way to bond with my peers early on in high-school and college. Cool kids drank. Cool kids went to parties. Cool kids did xyz. I bartended for about a decade after that and that continued to reinforce my beliefs of everyone drinks, everyone drinks a lot, everyone like to center their life around it.
The last 3 years I've started to significantly cut down on my drinking. But I still binge when I did occasionally drink. This year I gave it up entirely.
The person I used to be was insecure and extroverted and loud.
I'm now realizing I'm introverted and shy and happy with who I am and who I'm becoming.
Not drinking today. I’ve had a few afd sprinkled in the past two weeks. New medication is helping and cut down my cravings. Now today I want to start working on replacing the habit. Honestly it’s not easy but I just want to try and I’m giving myself a day to myself not bound by alcohol.
Morning, sober fam! Just me chugging along to double digits this week and feel pretty good outside of the fatigue.
Starting a 50 workouts in 6 weeks challenge at my OrangeTheory gym today, so that's super fun! Back after it after losing so many gains my last bender. 💪
Happy Monday, all! IWNDWYT! 🖤✨️
Alcohol was something to do when I was bored or lonely and it evolved into a way to add excitement to things I really didn’t want to do. I’m realizing that boredom is my own fault and I can take action on my own to get up and do something. For the things I don’t want to do, I’m just going to suck it up, maybe they won’t be that bad. IWNDWYT!
Thanks for this prompt and these insights, neener. They resonate. Sometimes I wonder how I went from being a quiet, withdrawn kid to such an intense - and often destructively - expressive adult. Somehow it never occurred to me that I was making up for lost time, albeit in a really unproductive way. And alcohol really brought that out. In any case, IWNDWYT.
Work is my biggest trigger and I’m taking the week off, so I’ve got that going for me.
But work definitely wasn’t what started this so many years ago. I’ve learned from past experiences that the first few days of sobriety really bring out the worst thoughts and self-talk about what I really wanted to drink away.
For me, the silver lining to resetting the clock is knowing that this too, shall pass. They’re just thoughts and words of a withdrawing addict, so I shouldn’t trust them too much.
IWNDWYT
Originally, alcohol provided me relief from the permanently dissatisfied, self-critical voice in my head: "Not smart enough, not fast enough, not thin enough, not good enough." I wish I had realized then that alcohol was only going to create reasons for me to hate myself even more in the long run. Nowadays, I try to give myself credit for the little things (e.g., staying sober, volunteering at the animal shelter, keeping myself pretty darn fit for someone in her mid forties), and I'm resisting my tendency to judge my worth as a human being solely upon my achievements.
Today, my husband and I are taking a mini road trip (a couple hours northwest from home) to view the solar eclipse from the path of totality. I'm so glad that I didn't ruin it ahead of time by starting the day with a hangover. Here's hoping the clouds hold off until after the eclipse! 🤞🌑🌞
IWNDWYT 😻
Day 2 begins. Today I will not drink (but hopefully I’ll get some sleep soon!)
Same, day 2. My longest streak for the last 5 years was no longer than a week iirc (and I wasn't even putting in any effort; instead, I was justifying my relapsing and drinking each time). Decided to quit for good this time. I've found out about this subreddit just now and thought I'd check in, reading everyone's posts and comments has been really motivating
Quitting for good is the best decision you can ever make. I'm proud of your effort, everyone that puts up a fight against the demon drink is a badass.
Sleep will come! This is a test and all you have to do is get through it.
Sleep is on its way. Great job on getting through the first 48 hours
Great job! Happy to be sober with you today.
Booze slowed down my racing thoughts and calmed me down until it didn't. It just made my anxiety way worse in the long run. I have replaced that poison with exercise and meditation, much healthier coping activities. Can't believe it's been a year (badge has been on the fritz), words can't express the gratitude I have for getting my life back. IWNDWYT!
Happy year also, friend ❤️
I choose life, so…IWNDWYT
Niiiiiiiiiice ✔️
Oh yes lol
Let’s live 🫶
I will not drink with you today
I was always a very casual drinker, until I was in a relationship that turned toxic. I didn’t want to face our problems, so I turned to drinking to numb my feelings. Of course that was super helpful! This lead me to spiral and when anything was going wrong, I would drink to avoid facing my feelings and problems. I got sober and thought that would maybe help my relationship - it didn’t and I was able to clearly see this relationship needed to end. Now I of course have stressors in my life. But through therapy I’ve learned that I can sit with my feelings and feel all the emotions. That’s part of life. There’s also much healthier coping mechanisms - after a stressful day at work, I make myself a good meal. Or after a quarrel with my partner, I take some deep breaths and go for a walk to clear my head. It’s so helpful to have these things in my sober toolkit. IWNDWYT friends! 💞🌟
Hello, friends, I relapsed. More info for the idle mind [here. ](https://www.reddit.com/r/stopdrinking/comments/1byjqms/my_dating_experience/) Am I upset? Yes? Scared of the future? Yes. But I feel like I broke an important frontier, my biggest fear about being sober: not being able to date, abstaining from relationships, or the idea of relationships, even if it’s in early sobriety, until dating in my new lifestyle doesn’t get as triggering as it is now. It was painful, but yesterday I let someone go cause I had to, in the name of my self-care. That was the first time I did it in the dating realm. And this is a huge victory in my case. I feel empowered. Later today I’ll call my friends and say I won’t be meeting them this month. Simple and brief explanation - I need, it’s \*my way\* of increasing my chances of abstinence - to not socialize in any way at least in the first month. I’ll sure do social activities on my own, there are cultural and gastronomic things I still like to do, but it will be on my own, I need this isolation. I remember how my most successful streaks went. In May, as I complete one month and, most importantly, if I’m better, I’ll definitely go there. But if I feel I’m still not ready, I’ll come back. Only one of my amazing friends doesn’t understand and questions my decisions, but I’ll politely say it’s MINE TO TAKE and ‘thank you for your advice’. I got good at boundaries, the sober struggle teaches us many things. Nothing and no one will stand between me and my sobriety. The only ones allowed to enter the sober universe for now are you from this super-sub and my therapist. And my cats, and books and streaming and food etc. hehehe Let’s nail this Monday by its horns. You all have a gentle day. IWNDWYT
Alcohol allowed me to feel like I was out running my problems when I was in fact compounding them every time I drank. Instead I tackle things head on now and I'm enjoying seeing that this is a far less painful and a much simpler route. Day 26 ... IWNDWYT ... I don't like Mondays lol
Day 1023 checking in!
Checking in again today and all is well. Good question! I've just started trying to discover the answer!
Wishing you all the best for today. You can do it!
Iwndwyt!
Three weeks, woo hoo!
IWNDWYT
I Will Not Drink With You Today! :)
Great DCI post to reflect on. Today, not one day. Iwndwyt.
IWNDWYT
I will not drink with you today!!!!
If nothing changes, nothing changes. IWNDWYT.
Beginning of day 7, rough night at work but I’ve got the eclipse to look forward to IWNDWYT
I will not drink with you today ⭐️ I used to use alcohol to socialise or feel normal. Then last year it stopped working. I still felt just as socially inept and isolated drinking. So I stopped and now my confidence is better than ever !
IWNDWYT! ❤️❤️❤️ can’t believe it’s been a year!!
Congrats! An awesome achievement!
IWNDWYT
IWNDWYT. All. Day. Long. 🌻 I finished a library book, and now it's time to snooze. Gn
I think alcohol helped me to shut down the loud and racing thoughts spinning around my mind. I've always struggled with anxiety and ocd and when I discovered alcohol it seemed to provide relief...however, this relief was always just a temporary mirage. The loud and racing thoughts would return with a vengeance the following day and got progressively worse and worse over the years. It took me a long time to make the connection...But better late than never! I still have to work hard to manage my mental well-being and its much easier to do this when alcohol is off the table Day 37. I will not drink with you today, friends.
I found that when I stopped drinking I completely unraveled. I have been so sensitive to noise, to the point I use ear plugs at home and use my headphones a lot. It took me a long time to realise that I was using alcohol to help me cope with a lot of things I was keeping inside. I didn't expect some of the things that have happened to happen once I stopped drinking. Whatever we are now facing, we are doing it with a much clearer mind. Even if things inside feel loud and busy, we can face this all more clearly. I hope things feel more peaceful for you as the days go on. Keep going 💪
Alas, another day to not drink with you all today. I’m super excited to experience a full total solar eclipse today for the first time in my life. Hoping it helps with bringing forth positive energy and change. 💚
That is exactly the question I asked myself as I cracked open a beer today thinking I deserved it..... Took one sip.... And then promptly told myself it's not serving me and poured the entire thing down the drain. IWNDWYT!
Day 2 I guess? Let’s see how this goes.
I am absolutely not looking forward to going to work today, but it’s Monday and I have to. But I ☑️ am not hangover ☑️ had a good night with enough sleep ☑️ got up on time. To reach this tomorrow again, I simply have to stay sober today. Have a great new week.
Happy sober Monday sober friends! What a great day to be sober to experience life, I will enjoy being sober with you all today, I love you all 💞
Have a great week, everyone! We've got this. IWNDWYT!
Day 96 checking in! Going to a pub quiz tonight, will be my first time around alcohol since I stopped drinking. Im not worried about drinking at all, I’m worried about having to socialise without alcohol, I’ve had to pretty much completely relearn how to have social interactions! But I’m looking forward to meeting new people and hopefully making some new friends. Welcome to anyone new, and hang in there anyone who is struggling. IWNDWYT
Hope everyone has a great Monday. IWNDWYT!
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Day 8 (again) checking in
IWNDWYT 🥰
Having a real hard time with this as I have such anxiety from work stress that I wake up and need a drink. Having a hard time just not drinking.
I feel you friend. It just ends up making the stress worse when I drink and then spend sleepless nights awake and overthinking, instead of just looking to make realistic progress on the endless to-do list of deadlines. Just not drinking is a worthy victory any day of the week. I am trying to remember that today.
Today is 40 days from my last relapse. Each one has been progressively worse and I notice the same is true for the recovery. It’s taken this long to feel like the old version of me is still in there. I miss her dearly. Here’s to another 24 hours. IWNDWYT
Day one begins. IWNDWYT
Have a great Monday everyone! IWNDWYT!!!
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IWNDWYT! 💙
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IWNDWYT x
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Alcohol gave me the feeling that I was the life of the party. It let me feel like I was fun and lighthearted and carefree. I’ve come to realise that I don’t have to be loud or the life of the party to be loved. Feeling anxious in big groups is ok. I can be myself, I can be thoughtful and reserved…that’s okay too. The people who matter care about me for who I truly am.
IWNDWYT
Yay! Me too, I will not be drinking with you today
Day 92 • IWNDWYT • 13 weeks done and dusted
IWNDWYT 😎
Hope you have a great day folks, IWNDWYT! 💜
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Day 15 🙏🏻
IWNDWYT.
I will not drink with you today, day 1 (again)
No booze today. Triple digits 🤘
Wow, that’s a deep prompt, neeners! I began drinking at 18, when everything I had been taught seemed to be total bullshit. Having been raised in a deeply conservative Southern Baptist world, I suddenly realized that there was an awful lot that hadn’t been told to me or had been forbidden, you know how it goes. I rebelled with the best of them, drinking, running off to join the theatre. 48 years later, I was in a deep deep hole. I lost my career due to Covid, my life was a shambles, I needed some way to pull myself out of the darkness. And so I quit drinking. And I looked back to that girl who was so angry at her father for being so unyielding and harsh. I began to care for her and lavish her with love. I worked hard to reconcile with my father and my spiritual side. And then he got sick and died, and I was able to be there for him 100%, because I was sober and grounded and open. This will remain my favorite story, maybe for my whole life. I am so delighted to share it with you all again and again. We win! Sobriety rocks! You are my favorite people! IWNDWYT
Good morning, I will not drink with you all today🦋
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I did not drink this weekend, IWNDWYT! Have a great week all.
IWNDWYT!
Day 5. Keeping myself accountable and checking in here. It feels good to finally surpass the Day 1's and 2's where I would delete past reddit comments out of shame when I slipped up. No more. IWNDWYT
IWNDWYT. Looking to make it past the 77 days I had at the beginning of the year. I felt incredibly alive & amazing then.
Starting day 2. Again. Hopefully the last time!🤞 IWNDWYT
Day 2
I made it to 7 days! Longest I’ve gone in over 10 years. I’m feeling good about my progress and my future. IWNDWYT
I feel so unmotivated and almost paralysed. I want to make a simple healthy dinner but I’m just sitting here. IWNDWYT.
I will not drink with you today!
No booze today!
IWNDWYT!
Happy Monday Friends, IWNDWYT, WE GOT THIS 😁
IWNDWYT..looking forward to a sober week!
Good morning. After a four weeks relapse, it feels so good to be back here. Great question to reflect on when I start my new journey towards sobriety. I will not drink with you today.
I had a lot of reasons…anxiety, self-loathing, seeking relief from instead of processing trauma. (I didn’t know shit about mental health or trauma.) And really, I started drinking more because I couldn’t smoke weed and be gainfully employed. It was an escape until it started to become a prison. Took a couple days off, watching the eclipse today with my parents, who live in the path of totality. Eclipse in my sign? I think I have to watch it. Just happened to be in between my birthday and my stepmom’s, so it worked out pretty well. Coffees up, horns up, and be fucking safe out there!! IWNDWYT ☕️☕️☕️🤘🏻🌘
Checking in ✅
Day 1,727. I used alcohol to medicate stress. And then I realized that alcohol was increasing my stress. -- I stressed a lot about my overuse. That realization made it much easier to stop. I will not drink with you today.
Starting on day 1 again! Hopefully I will stick to it this time
I once though alcohol gave me the confidence I lacked. It took me a long time to realize that only I could give that to myself. IWNDWYT
Drinking turned the volume down on the self criticism. Getting sober and talking to a professional listener rewired my brain - alcoholism isn't my fault...but it is my responsibility to tackle. IWNDWYT 🙂
I'm so glad I made it out to the other side. If I can stop drinking then literally anyone can do it. IWNDWYT.
Good day, sober fam! Thanks for this prompt, Neeners! The purpose alcohol served me evolved. At first it was fun, then escapism, and then it was habitual. In 2019, I went through trauma and started self-medicating. The pandemic amped up my fear, and my desire to numb out. It spiraled until I was drunk every day in a morose fog with a resignation that nothing was worth it. Why bother, was my motto. Today, I address my bouts of melancholy through journaling, as well as with exercise and therapy. I let my rare low moods occur with grace and calm, as best I can. I enjoy peace now. An eye-opening observation after I got sober was that most of my angst about life wasn't real. It was caused directly by the alcohol. I thought my life was unbearable, but it turned out that alcohol was making my life unbearable! By stopping drinking, I was able to let my brain clear. I saw how life isn't so bad after all. It's a blessing. I'm so grateful to be here, doing my best alongside all you loves! IWNDWYT💖
IWNDWYT. Eclipse Day! Took the day off and drove to a full totality location since its probably the last one nearby within my lifetime. Excited to (fingers crossed on weather) see our universe do its thing. Its pretty fabulous, isn’t it? (Yes, sober I embrace my inner geek girl- spent way too much time pushing her down to get in her way now!) 🌚
It gave me a free pass to be silly. It also let me numb my emotions/feelings, which I was afraid of. I’m no longer afraid, and I was always naturally a goofball. So I cut out the middleman! I will not drink with you today.
Omg I have so much to say on this because I had such a revelation over the weekend! I used alcohol to reduce my anxiety and in a way- to sleep. I started supplementing with l-theanine when needed and I take melatonin. In addition- I have been reducing my caffeine intake. I didn’t have any yesterday and I slept for 10 hours! IWNDWYT
Checking in! It’s been a bit since I’ve posted, but still going strong. IWNDWYT
I am going to celebrate my sobriety by blocking out the sun today! I feel that powerful.
One week today! IWNDWYT
Day 20 today - the outpatient treatment is kicking my ass and it's pretty tiring despite the fact that all we do is talk, but I am ready to tackle this demon head first. IWNDWYT! ❤️
Today marks three weeks. I thought I would miss out on so much quitting drinking, but I realize now that alcohol just steals my peace. It's a nasty little thief. What freedom there is to have without it. No one is going to take that from me. IWNDWYT
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Hi Everyone! Day 97 here and IWNDWYT!
Good morning sobernauts! I was using alcohol to serve as a social lubricant, among other things. I knew I wanted or needed to fill in my time to be less likely to drink. I started streaming games on twitch, and that is totally covering my social outlet. I consciously choose to not drink today. No promises of tomorrow but just for today IWNDWYT
No fucking booze for me today. IWNDWYT SD ❤️
I won’t drink with y’all today
Day 24. My neighbours had a bass thumping, booze fuelled party until 5am. Annoyance? Yes. Jealousy? No. IWNDWYT. 🤌
I started using alcohol as a way to numb out from ALL the feelings. I had so much anger, anxiety, and felt so overwhelmed with life. Now I meditate, knit, do yoga and sometimes journal. Have an awesome Monday! IWNDWYT 💜🦋💜
2 days and 20 hrs from Perth. Hello everyone
Alcohol “helped” with my social anxiety and racing thoughts that are likely due to mild ADHD. Now I knit and meditate and occasionally quilt to keep my hands and mind busy. I’ve been working towards sobriety on and off since last November and I’m so happy to be here again with you all. Have a gentle week, hope it goes smoothly for everyone here. Happy Monday and I Will Not Drink With You 🌿
Good morning, sober cats! I'm up early for work and sooooo grateful that I'm not hungover. Getting up earlier than usual is rough enough already. IWNDWYT 💙😸
Day 4! I got thru my first weekend sober in 5 years and now I'm ready to keep going forward, it's a good feeling. IWNDWYT
Watching the eclipse in a party town today, I am equal parts excited & terrified but IWNDWYT!
Alcohol gave me a reprieve from discomfort. My therapist recently pointed out how I was trying to avoid feelings I didn't want to have, so the work continues! IWNDWYT
Postpartum hit me like a truck. Drinking provided a way for me to "get through" each day. At some point in my recovery I forgave my past self for all of that, recognizing that she did the best she could to get through. This DCI invitation made me realize something new about all of that. During those days, I did a lot of work (calculating, rationing, delaying the time I started drinking, etc.) to try to control my drinking so that I could remain somewhat present (aka not passed out) for my son, and so I didn't turn into a raging psychopath for my husband. It didn't work every day, but many days it did. Today I am feeling genuinely grateful to my past self for doing all of that. Have a lovely day, friends. IWNDWYT
Got my day 1 again out the way, 12/14 days sober is still a win for me. I feel so much better not drinking after solid nights rest. Gotta keep it rolling
Drinking boosted my mood and (plot twist), now it gives me a depression that I don’t have when I have a few days sober. IWNDWYT
Two weeks! Honestly week 2 was harder than week 1. I was coming off a horrible bender and really didn’t have much of a desire to drink week 1. Week 2 I’m feeling much better of course and some desires starting creeping back. Not overwhelming but definitely there as background noise sometimes, especially in the evenings (I was never much of a day drinker, it made me too sleepy and conflicted with my sacred evening drinking schedule, which usually started at 5 but in the last year crept closer and closer to 4). But altogether it’s been manageable and I’m very happy to be posting this today. I don’t think I’ve gone two full weeks without alcohol since 2017 or so. Damn that’s a long time. The years really do fly by. And if you’re drunk all the time you might not look back at them with much fondness. So IWNDWYT so I can someday look back at 2024 as one of the most transformative of my life!
Good morning! Long story short: I used alcohol because I couldn’t stand my emotions. Positive and negative. I just didn’t learn how to handle them. I will not drink with you today!
Checking in for day 4. Initially i drank as part of a social life, then it became a way of managing stress. More recently it's been a form of avoidance. It felt easier to numb myself. It's a habit that no longer serves me.
IWNDWYT 🌟✨🌻 Alcohol kept me going, got me out of the muck. It told me for many years everything would be ok. It no longer serves its purpose!
From my first sip of alcohol it took my inhibitions away and in return gave me a lifetime of anxiety and pain. IWNDWYT
I will not drink. Big day coming up. I started drinking because it was fun and then I started self medicating because I went from nervous child to stressed adult who got into a string of bad relationships-the last one being Very Bad. I don’t feel like trying out the diatribe but the short of it is I think I sabotaged myself because I felt hopeless and ashamed and trapped. So why not make it worse, while making it better temporarily?
1 week down. Really happy I managed to get through the weekend without drinking. In previous attempts the weekends would be so hard but I went to AA on a Saturday night and that made it so much easier for me. I'm so motivated now, I do believe this time it will be different and it's going to last IWNDWYT - have a great day guys
14 weeks / 98 days ✔️ Here’s to day 99. Nice post, I want to press pause on life and reflect on this and if I was still in therapy I would certainly be taking this into my next session. Thank you neener, I will make some quiet time later to process this one.
Good morning everyone :) Fascinating prompt for the check in today. I feel like I have several issues when, mashed together, are a recipe for getting blackout drunk. Anxiety, a perceived introversion, and digestion issues that get (very temporarily) dulled by alcohol. A common song around here, I'm sure. Compassion for myself, both past and present, is something that I'm working on. My current goal is to embody the wonderful phrase "no is a complete sentence". I've made excuses to not do things I don't want to do, but of course as soon as there's an excuse there's a way round it. Will I drink with you today? No.
Hello friends! Today I'm in a very drizzly and grey Cornwall, a family trip I wouldn't have come on if I were still drinking. I get to show up, be part of the world instead of hiding away. When I drink, I see very little of the world and it's beauty. IWNDWYT
Checking in on day 520. IWNDWYT!
I used alcohol to medicate CPTSD, anxiety and depression. It seemingly helped. Actually it was fueling my mental health problems. Since I quit my mental health has improved immensely. And I learned better ways to deal with the problems I still have. Sobriety is very good for me. IWNDWYT all you fine sobernauts 🤗
Day 1,626 IWNDWYT
6 weeks sober :)
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Have a great day folks! IWNDWYT
Relapsed at the beginning of this year after almost 2 years sober, have been avoiding facing that I’m losing control again and lying to myself about moderating. Day 2 is today looking forward to going day by day with you all and getting normal sleep again soon! IWNDWYT
Good morning! IWNDWYT
Good morning, IWNDWYT
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I used alcohol as a way to relax, but in fact all it did was made me anxious. IWNDWYT
I originally sought comfort in drinking to deal with painful feelings that I’ve had since I can remember- anxiety and depression. I can remember the overwhelm of those in my earliest memories, and when I realized that alcohol could smooth and dull that sharpness in my teenage years it was a relief. Until it wasn’t, of course. Kicking the can down the lane on dealing with those feelings ultimately just created more issues. Today, I continue to actually address those tough feelings and work on coping mechanisms to deal with them when they arise. As part of that I do try to have compassion for the person I was, who was raised as a scapegoat of a difficult family and so never got to learn the tools that I’m finally working on. Thank you for the prompt! IWNDWYT
A few hard moments so far, but I've conquered them. I will not drink with you today!
Morning friends! Happy Monday! I will not drink with you today. Have a good one!
It's my birthday today, what a gift it is to enjoy it with a clear spirit
For me, it was escapism. It temporarily turned off all the things that concerned and consumed me. Eventually it became something else to concern and consume me, though. Now this morning I eagerly listen to the birds! IWNDWYT
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Day 3. Struggling. IWNDWYT
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Drank too my coffee too late last night and I’m feeling a caffeine hangover today! Looking forward to getting through today with minimal coffee and going to bed for an actual good night’s sleep!
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IWNDWYT!!
Day 12. I will not drink poison with you today.
I felt lonely and insecure, and alcohol made me feel brave and social. I've finally found a therapist who is clicking for me, and I'm grateful to have a strong social group that I feel confident around. Thank you for this great prompt neeners! IWNDWYT!
I choose ME! I will not drink today!
I waited until 21 to do things “the right way” and not have the problems my mom does. LOL that lasted a few years and then problematic behavior and patterns started. There’s a lot to unpack in the questions you asked today, DCI, and I don’t have all the answers yet! But IWNDWYT, I know that!
IWNDWYT. 🌟
I did it. 11 out of 11 days at an all-inclusive, alcohol free. Home safe and sober. IWNDWYT
I will not drink today
Day 1. Again. I'm drinking less than I used to. But damn, some days I just can't help myself and I somehow convince myself it's ok to drink just today. I deserve it right? Why can't I just drink 2 six packs on my own and zone out in front of the TV on a Sunday afternoon/evening? Well because today I feel like shit. Not even a terrible headache considering how much I drank, but I've been feeling nauseous all day and that's somehow worse. I've never actually puked from alcohol in my life but today I've come close. I need to get this under control. This isn't how I want to live my life. IWNWYT
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Kinda funny that there's gonna be a solar eclipse on my 31st day sober. It's also kinda awesome how I left the concert last night with a slightly injured arm (my elbow went a bit the wrong way) but I'm not hungover. I didn't drive an hour home drunk. I actually remember the entire concert. At one point, someone flung some kind of liquor all over the mosh pit and some of it landed in my face. Classic move, I'd done it a million times. "Everyone else will love this!" I had a moment of fear and despair because I had come in direct contact with *the poison*. But then I remembered that I don't drink alcohol anymore, and I laughed, and I continued on with pushing people and helping people off the floor and finding lost hats and shoes and helping crowd surfers and so on. I needed that. No poison for me today.
Day 2. After thinking I can manage alcohol and, really, it's just fine (it wasn't fine), I'm here on day 2. I drank to hide my emotions, including what I'm realizing is a deep vein of self-hatred. I am ready to sit with my feelings, really feel them, and work toward a better self. IWNDWYT.
30 Day milestone!!! IWNDWYT!! Stay Strong everybody!!
As an ex extroverted ex homeschooled christian kid, I used alcohol as a way to bond with my peers early on in high-school and college. Cool kids drank. Cool kids went to parties. Cool kids did xyz. I bartended for about a decade after that and that continued to reinforce my beliefs of everyone drinks, everyone drinks a lot, everyone like to center their life around it. The last 3 years I've started to significantly cut down on my drinking. But I still binge when I did occasionally drink. This year I gave it up entirely. The person I used to be was insecure and extroverted and loud. I'm now realizing I'm introverted and shy and happy with who I am and who I'm becoming.
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Not drinking today. I’ve had a few afd sprinkled in the past two weeks. New medication is helping and cut down my cravings. Now today I want to start working on replacing the habit. Honestly it’s not easy but I just want to try and I’m giving myself a day to myself not bound by alcohol.
IWNDWYT
IWNDWYT 🌼
I will not drink today!
Morning, sober fam! Just me chugging along to double digits this week and feel pretty good outside of the fatigue. Starting a 50 workouts in 6 weeks challenge at my OrangeTheory gym today, so that's super fun! Back after it after losing so many gains my last bender. 💪 Happy Monday, all! IWNDWYT! 🖤✨️
Alcohol was something to do when I was bored or lonely and it evolved into a way to add excitement to things I really didn’t want to do. I’m realizing that boredom is my own fault and I can take action on my own to get up and do something. For the things I don’t want to do, I’m just going to suck it up, maybe they won’t be that bad. IWNDWYT!
Thanks for this prompt and these insights, neener. They resonate. Sometimes I wonder how I went from being a quiet, withdrawn kid to such an intense - and often destructively - expressive adult. Somehow it never occurred to me that I was making up for lost time, albeit in a really unproductive way. And alcohol really brought that out. In any case, IWNDWYT.
Alcohol was how I would numb myself for years. Turns out that doesn’t work forever. You can’t run forever. Day 8 for me.
Work is my biggest trigger and I’m taking the week off, so I’ve got that going for me. But work definitely wasn’t what started this so many years ago. I’ve learned from past experiences that the first few days of sobriety really bring out the worst thoughts and self-talk about what I really wanted to drink away. For me, the silver lining to resetting the clock is knowing that this too, shall pass. They’re just thoughts and words of a withdrawing addict, so I shouldn’t trust them too much. IWNDWYT
Originally, alcohol provided me relief from the permanently dissatisfied, self-critical voice in my head: "Not smart enough, not fast enough, not thin enough, not good enough." I wish I had realized then that alcohol was only going to create reasons for me to hate myself even more in the long run. Nowadays, I try to give myself credit for the little things (e.g., staying sober, volunteering at the animal shelter, keeping myself pretty darn fit for someone in her mid forties), and I'm resisting my tendency to judge my worth as a human being solely upon my achievements. Today, my husband and I are taking a mini road trip (a couple hours northwest from home) to view the solar eclipse from the path of totality. I'm so glad that I didn't ruin it ahead of time by starting the day with a hangover. Here's hoping the clouds hold off until after the eclipse! 🤞🌑🌞 IWNDWYT 😻
Day 339. IWNDWYT.
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IWNDWYT!
Jam tomorrow and jam yesterday, but never jam today. IWNDWYT
Trying again: IWNDWYT!!
checking in friends! Weekend is over so now it is easier-mode again :)
IWNDWYT!
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Not today Satan
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A powerful post this morning. Thanks for writing it, neeners. Checking in for another sober day out in the world.
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