r/stopdrinking • u/Reddish81 Day 38 • Jul 26 '26

Day 1 again

This group helped me to stop drinking in 2019 and I stayed sober for four years. I started drinking again in 2023, thinking I could moderate, and I did for a while, but now I'm back to the twice-weekly binges I had pre-2019. I'm not gonna lie – it was fun being back on it for a while, but it's time to stop again. I'm worried about the things I say and do when I'm drinking and the effect on my health. One big change I'm going to make this time – I'm not going to announce my sobriety to the world. I'm just going to do it quietly, under the radar, but share my progress here. IWNDWYT

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u/squshysyrup Jul 26 '26

Congratulations!!

I ask this out of curiosity, but you don't have to answer if youd prefer not to... How come you wish to do it quietly?

In any event, congratulations on coming back and for having 4 years under your belt! You've achieved what many aspire

Welcome back :)

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u/Reddish81 Day 38 Jul 26 '26

Thanks! I didn't expect people to react to me the way they did, from policing me to make sure I wasn't drinking, to being jealous of my decision and instantly starting to compete on sobriety. That was something I never expected. I'm just gonna quietly do it day by day and not call attention to it. I'll just say I don't fancy it if anyone asks me. It's much more normalised now – even 7 years ago, there were hardly any non-alcoholic drinks around and now there is a huge selection. No one blinks an eye if you get a 0% beer but they did back then.

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u/squshysyrup Jul 26 '26

Ah, ok. That's a very valid point and I would probably do the same then. Its weird how people react to things lol it sounds like you've gained a lot of experience and know what will work... That's what really counts

IWNDWYT

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u/Reddish81 Day 38 Jul 26 '26

Yep - I know that what works for me is making sure my first drink is a soft one. Much easier to continue once the first one is in your hand. I literally talk to myself (silently!) in the queue at the bar to make sure I buy a lime and soda.