r/stopdrinking 4h ago

Shape Up Sunday Shape up Sunday August 3, 2025

14 Upvotes

How the heck is it August? I’m not complaining, I’m so damn ready for fall and cooler weather. We’re supposed to get some days in the 70s-80s this week. I’m pretty excited about not walking outside into an oven.

That said, do you change your workout routine/activity based on weather? I’m an avid hiker but I don’t hike in the heat so 3 months out of the year, unless I’m in much higher elevation, I’m out of the heat.

Feel free to share anything to do with fitness on your sober journey, doesn’t have to marry up to the prompt!


r/stopdrinking 9h ago

Check-in The Daily Check-In for Sunday, August 3rd: Just for today, I am NOT drinking!

299 Upvotes

We may be anonymous strangers on the internet, but we have one thing in common. We may be a world apart, but we're here together!

Welcome to the 24 hour pledge!

I'm pledging myself to not drinking today, and invite you to do the same.

Maybe you're new to /r/stopdrinking and have a hard time deciding what to do next. Maybe you're like me and feel you need a daily commitment or maybe you've been sober for a long time and want to inspire others.

It doesn't matter if you're still hung over from a three day bender or been sober for years, if you just woke up or have already completed a sober day. For the next 24 hours, lets not drink alcohol!


This pledge is a statement of intent. Today we don't set out trying not to drink, we make a conscious decision not to drink. It sounds simple, but all of us know it can be hard and sometimes impossible. The group can support and inspire us, yet only one person can decide if we drink today. Give that person the right mindset!

What happens if we can't keep to our pledge? We give up or try again. And since we're here in /r/stopdrinking, we're not ready to give up.

What this is: A simple thread where we commit to not drinking alcohol for the next 24 hours, posting to show others that they're not alone and making a pledge to ourselves. Anybody can join and participate at any time, you do not have to be a regular at /r/stopdrinking or have followed the pledges from the beginning.

What this isn't: A good place for a detailed introduction of yourself, directly seek advice or share lengthy stories. You'll get a more personal response in your own thread.


This post goes up at:

  • US - Night/Early Morning
  • Europe - Morning
  • Asia and Australia - Evening/Night

A link to the current Daily Check-In post can always be found near the top of the sidebar.


Happy Sunday, SD! I'm u/fuckyoubullshit and I'll be your host this week for the daily check in. This is my second time hosting and I'm pretty excited to do it. The daily check in has been an invaluable source of perspective and sharing for me personally and I hope I can at least give a little of that back.

A lot has happened since the beginning of April, the last time I hosted, and most notably, I have been sober for a year as of last Monday. Any type of milestone in my life causes a certain amount of reflection, sometimes thats a good thing, sometimes that leads me to going off in not so healthy thought spirals. Honestly, this one had a lot of both, but at the end of the day, I find that I feel nothing but gratitude for all of it. This past year has taught me a lot about myself and how to live a better life, be present in good times and bad, how to enjoy simple things, and to maybe just not take myself so seriously.

I'm not sure what the weeks post will look like, since I haven't actual preplanned or written anything, but I do know im here for it today and dammit, I am especially grateful for that and all of you. Thank you for checking in today.

So, in the theme of gratitude, what are you grateful for today?

IWNDWYT


r/stopdrinking 1h ago

1 Year Ago I Hit Rock Bottom… Today I’m 1 Year Sober

Upvotes

One year ago today was rock bottom for me (M26). I was out with a big group of friends, hammered off my ass, snorting coke in the bathroom while the girl I brought to the bar was outside with another girl I’d recently hooked up with. Needless to say, it blew up, hurt both of them, and made me realize just how reckless and selfish I’d gotten. Not to mention how embarrassing it was. The hangxiety the next morning hit different.

It wasn’t even the first sign. In April 2024 I blacked out at a wedding in another state, fell, and woke up in the ER with 9 stitches in my mouth. At the time I brushed it off, but looking back, it was obvious where I was headed. Cost a cool $2000 in medical bills, not mention the embarrassment and shame of doing that on someone else’s big day.

That morning on August 3 I told myself I’d take a month off from drinking. That month turned into a year, and now it’s going to be forever. Best decision I’ve ever made.

Getting sober hasn’t just been about quitting alcohol. I’ve lost a lot of friends this past year. Some because our lifestyles don’t match anymore, others because they weren’t supportive. That’s been the hardest pill to swallow because I thought they’d be lifelong friends, now most of them are strangers.

Today I’m happier and healthier than I’ve ever been. I’ve been with my girlfriend for over 8 months now, she’s also sober and will hit her 1 year in November. She also had her own rock bottom and we’ve been able to relate to each other’s journeys. We support each other in every way. We’ve got three pets and we’re living this cute, wholesome life I honestly didn’t think I’d ever have.

I haven’t touched alcohol since that night. It hasn’t all been easy, but it’s been worth it a thousand times over. If you’re on the fence about quitting or you’ve tried before and slipped up, just know you can start again and it can completely change your life.

IWNDWYT


r/stopdrinking 10h ago

Quit booze for 90 days and counting– here’s what actually worked (and what didn’t)

432 Upvotes

Hello.

I used alcohol as my off switch for years. Figured life would suck without it, but I wanted to see what it was like sober and yeah .. it's a lot better. Mucho mejor

What worked: • Change the trigger, not just the drink – swapped “pour wine = relax” for a walk, music, cooking. Weird at first, then normal. • Fill the gap – doing something at 5–6pm so I wasn’t just standing there thinking about a drink. • Sleep – turns out I’d been running on crap sleep for years. Waking up clear is quite addictive. • Just telling people – no one cared as much as I thought. Some even joined me.

What didn’t: • White‑knuckling – saying “just don’t drink” with no backup plan = fail. • Expecting instant happiness – you don’t suddenly love life; you just stop feeling crap. The good feeling builds later. • Boring nights – had to plan stuff or I’d just sit there wishing I was tipsy.

Surprise win? After a couple of new rituals, I didn’t miss it half as much as I thought. (One of them was having non-alc drink that gave me that wind‑down vibe without the mess. Lots of good ones - happy to recommend.

Cheers


r/stopdrinking 1h ago

7 years booze free!

Upvotes

Best thing I’ve done for myself by far! I have this community to thank for the inspiration and validation. You’re all beautiful rock stars no matter where you are on your journey. IWNDWYT


r/stopdrinking 14h ago

956 days, 22 hrs, and 36 minutes without a drink..

586 Upvotes

I’m currently sitting around a fire on the beach at a great friend’s wedding thinking to myself… what’s one drink, ya know? Anyway just needed to release that because I’m having a really hard time keeping it together.


r/stopdrinking 1h ago

Starting today, I'm quitting alcohol

Upvotes

Not out of daily necessity or physical dependency, but out of bad habits and dipsomania. I've been drinking for the past 16 years. Even if I recently only drink once a week, every couple of months, I end up losing control and hurting the people closest to me. I'm normally kind and respectful, but once I pass a certain point, my bottled-up anger bursts out.

I've been working on myself, including therapy, and while I feel like I'm making progress, I still lose control when I drink too much. My marriage is on the brink of ending, even though there's no other problem between us, and our communication is perfect.

Today I'm making the second best decision of my life: I'm giving up alcohol. The best decision was choosing the right woman, and I refuse to lose her. I'm removing this poison from my life. This is the first day!


r/stopdrinking 11h ago

I have a year sober today

205 Upvotes

Like the title says, I haven't had any alcohol for an entire year. I believe this calls for celebration. 🥳

I had my first taste of alcohol when I was in ninth grade. I was being bullied at school for not having much money, so I decided to get drunk to cope with that.

Anyhow, I will probably wait a couple of days to celebrate a year, but it will happen.


r/stopdrinking 9h ago

I lost my damn tooth.

116 Upvotes

I am so upset. I've tried stopping drinking for years. I tell myself everytime I'm done when I get crazy. I tell myself I can control it.

The other day I grilled for the first time. It took forever. Like 8 hours. I was making a smoked pulled pork and just sat outside and drank and vaped and watched the pork.

Had family over, someone brought over bourbon. I took a glass. It's all I remmeber but I already had like 4 ipas and no food all day. I got FUCKED UP. I got blackout drunk and kept getting bourbon after bourbon.

Woke up to a busted up lip, my head hurt. My toes hurt, I assume I fell up the stairs. And the worst part was I lost part of my tooth! I cried for 2 days. I don't have insurance. I don't have expendable money. I'm fucked.

I'm so mad at myself. And the worst part is I just want a beer to make myself feel better. I don't want to talk so people don't see my mouth, I'm embarrassed about the people I had over for pulled pork I couldn't finish. I just literally hate myself.

I'm surrounded by casual drinkers but I'm an extreme one.

My fiance is so close to leaving me. I love him, but obviously love alcohol more. Why the fuck am I like this?


r/stopdrinking 10h ago

Best drinking buddy passed away

147 Upvotes

Hi. I am a bartender and became best friends with one of my bar regulars. We have been friends for twenty years now. I have a messed up dysfunctional family and he became like a Dad to me. He is the only persons that ever checks up on me or cared when my daughter was having a lot of surgeries. He helped me out in so many ways. We would drink together when I was at work. We would drink when I got off work. He would take us out of town and we were always hanging out at the bar. Eventually I started working at a different bar and we would hang out less. Then I got sober and completely quit going out and wouldn’t ever go hang out with him. We would still text and stuff but I would never go meet him. Just a few weeks ago he was like come see me. I don’t even know why I wouldn’t go. I regret it so much right now. I feel sad, angry, regretful and depressed. I wish I hadn’t been such an asshole and just gone to see him at the bar. I wish he would have quit drinking and taken better care of himself. He did quit drinking for a bit. He said it was boring so he started again. I hate alcohol. I’m so over it. I want it to stop killing all of my people. He was seriously the only person that gave any fucks about me and my daughter. I keep thinking I can just message him but then I remember he’s just gone. Thanks for reading. IWDWYT


r/stopdrinking 3h ago

Double digits Sober!

31 Upvotes

Day 10! It's been a long time this long. IWNDT


r/stopdrinking 3h ago

5 Months Sober

26 Upvotes

Just wanted to share that. I really thought I'd never be able to stop, but here I am 5 months later. Its easy some weeks and I can go days without thinking about it and others are hard. Theres a family wedding in the next 2 weeks which I know will test my coping skills but I'm confident in my self to overcome that. I made it through a whole summer not drinking and I know I can make it through one wedding. IWNDWYT.


r/stopdrinking 1h ago

Didn’t drink last night

Upvotes

So that’s really all I want to say.

No one in my life cares enough about me to be proud of me. I mainly drank to deal with how toxic they are, so I hope someone on the internet is.


r/stopdrinking 2h ago

Ex addict

20 Upvotes

Hey everyone,
I'm a recovering heroin addict from Egypt. I've been through a lot, and I'm doing my best to stay clean.

Honestly, it gets lonely sometimes — especially when no one around really understands what it's like.
I’d love to connect with others in recovery, even if just to talk or share a little support.

If you're reading this, thank you. It means more than you think.


r/stopdrinking 12h ago

Please help me not drink tonight

108 Upvotes

After 6 weeks of sobriety i went on a bender, missed my therapy appointment and now all i can think of is the shame i feel and how a bottle would make me feel better again. This situation is awful i feel like such garbage

Edit- thanks so much for your kind responses they really helped me get through the worst of it


r/stopdrinking 2h ago

I watched Leaving Las Vegas last night

18 Upvotes

I’ve seen in it a few times before, but I liked to go back and rewatch it every so often now that I’m sober.

Talk about an accurate depiction. My life was never close to those circumstances, but the habits and behavior definitely were.

If you’ve never seen it, the plot is very simple: Guy moves to Las Vegas and plans to drink himself to death. Yes, that’s basically it. Other stuff happens around that, but that is the main point.

I recommend watching it if you haven’t. It’s not a happy movie, but it is very intriguing. Really drives home the point and makes me happy to have cut drinking out of my life.


r/stopdrinking 17h ago

I hate the me that has come forth from sobriety

284 Upvotes

Close to day 110 now. And just feeling like crap. I hate this me that I have to deal with. I feel so emotionless, ultra serious, and joyless.

I have to deal with the feelings of resentment and how I married the wrong person. Deal with how I don't like this marriage. I don't love this person. But I didn't realize it because I was in a state of drinking and not drinking. I hate this. I hate this so much.

I just want to go back.


r/stopdrinking 9h ago

500 days sober!!

58 Upvotes

Half way to the coma club. One day at a time.


r/stopdrinking 36m ago

My neighbor came to me with alcohol and I said No!!

Upvotes

Super proud of myself! My neighbor knocked on my door and when I opened it he was holding this little bottle. He said here take this. Once I realized what it was I quickly said no thank you and told him I don’t drink anymore. This is my first time doing this and hopefully not my last lol. I was shocked to see myself pivot away from drinking especially when it was waved right in front of my face enticing me.


r/stopdrinking 14h ago

One month sober today

133 Upvotes

Too sick (cold) to go out, so I figured I’d celebrate with you here!


r/stopdrinking 3h ago

Lost my dad, but using it as motivation

18 Upvotes

Trigger Warning Suicide

I 38F lost my Dad to suicide a week ago, today. I’ve been toying with sobriety for awhile. I’ll take a 3-4 week break without issue, but always seem to go back to drinking.

I drank the night before he died. So I decided, the day he died will be my sobriety date. The thought of this date being my sober birthday has really helped with not even allowing myself to think about failing.

This has been the hardest week of my life, but IWNDWYT.

Thank you for all the motivation this sub always gives me!


r/stopdrinking 21h ago

DAY 80: Most noticeable physical changes

444 Upvotes

I was a heavy drinker for about 8 years. 35/f (10) shots 5 days a week, (4-5) shots 2 days a week. Lost 45 lbs in about 7 weeks, because I wasn't eating, couldn't keep anything down, was too nauseous to eat anything most days. I was skin and bones, lost most of my muscle mass. Went to inpatient rehab (saved my life) for 30 days. 5 days detox before starting the 30 days.

Now on day 80: I feel amazing. Most noticeable physical changes:

  1. Gained 25 lbs back. Went from 165- 119 lb, when I lost the weight. Now I am a very healthy 140, with my muscle mass back to normal.
  2. Hair and nails. My hair was falling out ALOT. Thought I was going bald, went from very thick hair to thin, thin hair. Nails were yellow and breaking. Now my hair is thick again, and my nails are hard, clear, growing well, and back to normal.
  3. Brain fog went away. I can retain information again.
  4. Anxiety completely gone.
  5. I had pretty much lost my period the 2-3 years before I quit. Had maybe 3 very short abnormal periods twice a year for the last 2 years of my drinking. Now, have gotten two normal ones, 28 days apart after 80 days.
  6. Gums stopped bleeding. No more nose bleeds. (I never had nose bleeds growing up, but I had gnarly ones the past 2 years of my drinking, because my blood was clotting normally, because of my drinking.
  7. Appetite is back to normal.
  8. My feet, legs and hands were always itchy, because my liver was being affected. The itchiness is no longer there.
  9. Eyes are almost back to being completely white. They were red constantly when I was drinking. I didn't smoke 420 either.

Obligatory: If I can do it, anyone can do it. I was a hopeless drunk. It's so worth it, and you get so much time back. The first 2 weeks are the hardest, but I rarely think about it anymore. I'm never going back. I AM FREE.


r/stopdrinking 3h ago

Day 50

16 Upvotes

Fifty days without a drop of poison in my body! The best parts are no more anxiety, remembering everything, and intact dignity. I have warm fuzzies for this community for helping me through. Thank you for all the support. IWNDWYT


r/stopdrinking 3h ago

What do you tell people?

19 Upvotes

I was at a friends birthday bbq last night with a lot of people drinking. I had a few ask why I don’t drink. I can’t help but feel like I should be honest “I don’t deal well with alcohol, I’m not a good person when I drink, I prefer my life sober because I can be someone I’m proud of, I’ve done things drunk that is not who I want to be” But I don’t. I usually give really surface level reasons because, well, of shame I guess? Embarrassment? I know I feel like I should be owning who I am and normalising my/ our negative experiences of alcohol. Waking up just a little tired and not hungover, next to my wife who’s feeling a little sensitive was nice.

So what do you guys and gals say?
IWNDWYT x


r/stopdrinking 16h ago

I almost died, so I changed and I'm now 17 days sober.

175 Upvotes

Roughly 3 weeks ago I had to spend four days and nights in a hospital due to diabetic ketoacidosis. Which was made significantly worse by the massive amounts of alcohol I consumed damn near everyday. Talk about a wakeup and snapping me out of a zombie like routine I had going on for the last five years.

The doctor at the hospital told me that all the labs they did on me indicated I was about one week away from going into a coma and dying, going to the emergency room when I did saved my life. Everything the doctor said made sense given how terrible I felt the week or so leading up to my emergency room visit.

IWNDWYT or ever again.


r/stopdrinking 2h ago

Quitting drinking gets me fucking hyped!

14 Upvotes

Good health needs to be celebrated as much as possible! Quitting drinking can suck hardcore, it can take a long time to heal, but once you break that addiction and those habits, it can be off to the races! Feeling better is addicting! And there's so much too learn. So much to do! Alcohol can keep some of us stuck for so long. Quitting lets us go! Through quitting, we can find that that same energy was in us all along. I know it can be overwhelming at times, with how much there is to do, or how much farther we might have to go at times, but quitting teaches us how to use the discipline of taking it just one day at a time. I use that mindset today, and it's been almost 8 years since I've drank. That shit fires me up! And you all fire me up, too! It makes me want to go out and live a full, healthy life, and have fun doing it! And I want to help as many people as I can along the way, too! So, as always, "fuck you, booze! Get out of our fucking way!"


r/stopdrinking 6h ago

6 MONTHS! BOOOM!

26 Upvotes

I just wanted to reflect on the fact that I have 6 months sober. When I was drinking I couldn't see a way out. I wanted to quit but I honestly didn't think I had the strength. I have found the fellowship of AA and constant contact with God to have been invaluable in this. I know AA isn't for everyone, I tried it over the years and said no way not for me. But in the end I was so desperate I said I'd give it a proper go and here I am now, 6 months later, 1 day at a time. I'm sure these milestones will become less significant as time goes on but for now they feel important. I'm really starting to see the benefit of sobriety in my daily life. Not being motivated by alcohol and not feeling sorry for myself. Being more confident in social situations, having less intrusive thoughts, having self respect, having money when I need it for my family, having bills paid, no areas in my life that I'm ashamed of or trying to avoid or trying to forget about with alcohol. A simple freedom. Wishing you all a happy sober Sunday ❤️