SoberDawn

This time of day is the hardest for me. It's the time when I would pour my first glass of wine to enjoy while I cook dinner. This is the time of day when I feel the saddest. I miss it so so much.

But

I am feeling much better. I know I am getting healthier every day. I know I can do this.

Do you have a witching hour? Any tips on how to make it easier?

Soberwolf

Hey Soberdawn your doing great reaching out i suggest interacting on other posts

have you joined the class of march its a class of ppl who got sober at the same time as each other

Hang in there it will get easier

Buggirl

It will get easier and soon the habit/routine of those things disappears and you will forget that it used to be your ritual! You will do other things instead.

Cowgirlie

My witching hour is 9-10pm... kids finally down and a last tiny window of the day to enjoy ME time! Except now I'm using that time to discover a new TV channel, use face masks in the bath, message family or go for a run!

I spend a lot of my days distracting my kids to sidestep toddler tantrums; now I spend my evenings distracting AV from the same

HeartsAfire

I had to change my routines. My witching hour was from the second I got home until I passed out. I changed every part of my evenings - even the way I drove home from work! It's all about creating a new (sober) life.

Keep talking & reaching out as well. That's a huge tool!

Proud of you!! It gets a little better each day - promise.

AnotherLife

8pm That's my big danger

I can be sure I'll stay sober, and then 8pm comes round and I've got three bottles of wine in as carrier bag, wondering what happened.

I'll listen to what's been said, and try to build a new pattern at that time.

Charlie117926

I have to agree with hearts. When I left the office it was on. It was to the point I was leaving work early to get started. That and many other reasons is why I said enough is enough. I don't think it's so much as the hour as it is habit and routine.

Change it up and focus on your life as alcohol does not have to be involved with the new you!

Pondlady

My witching hour was once I got home and changed into casual clothes. I had to change up my routine...took lots of walks a, cleaned the house, ran errands etc. I found the urge passed after an hour or two.

SoberDawn

Same here!!! I could just TASTE that first sip all the way home...couldn't wait to get there. That too was a big red flag for me.

Venecia

SoberDawn,

I hear ya about that first one.

Problem is, for me anyway, that first one was the first of many. I don't miss that. I don't miss that at all.

Hang in there. You can do this.

Marcher13

I have a witching hour of 6pm when I'm cooking dinner. I have a nice glass for my evening chinnotto with ice, I really look forward to it.

Isn't it peculiar how we notice the witching hour but not the hour when we crashed out? If I am laying in bed reading at 11.30 I don't feel a need to stagger into the bathroom and make futile attempts at washing my face with two uncoordinated hands!

PinkGstring

2 pm is my hour that's when the bottle'o opens here in town.
I would buy two cartons of 24 at the time cos it's cheaper.
Drinking till I end up in bed or on couch blacked out.
Sometimes 4-5 pm if I had photo shoots on in the afternoon.
There's only one road from town to my house so I can't change the route.
I finish work (second job) at 1 pm so
I used to wait in town till 2, now I just go home right away or do my shopping if needed and try to avoid the bottle o that is locayed at the supermarket grrr

lakeofglitter

I can totally relate to the witching hour! For some reason Fridays are particularly bad for me. Doesn't make sense considering I used to drink 4-5 days a week.

When Friday rolls around I start feeling sorry for myself and lonely. Is it possible for you to get out of the house? Maybe go the store for a little while?
I started doing my weekly grocery shopping on this day and it helps!

If you have children maybe getting them involved with helping with dinner?

Stay strong...we can do this!

KateL

I watch a comedy on the telly with a few nibbles. I've said this a hundred times on here but it always seems to work for me xxx

FeelingGreat

My time was just arriving home after work. I replaced the wine with tea.

mecanix

I did my shopping on a thursday so my witchy friday didn't happen .

As soon as i got home i took my clothes off and got in a long shower , then put on my dressing gown , even if it was only 5 pm anything that put me further away from drinking , sometimes i'd allow myself to go to bed with tea , chocolates and a good book or films to watch .

Brushing my teeth and pickled onions in vinegar seemed to help too . (not at the same time ! ) …. ( urrgh! )

I bought a video games machine and used that to distract myself .

Keep on , m

ccam1973

when i finally quit, my witching hours had negotiated their way into the afternoon hours while i was still at work and went until i passed out around 10pm. how sad is that. life is so much better without booze in my life.

great job soberdawn! keep up the god work.

Lovesunrises

I couldn't wait to pour that first glass of wine everyday after a long day at work and that would usually happen within 5 minutes of getting home! I used to stop and get my nightly bottle of wine on the way home from work, so I just go straight home now. I had to change routines too. I usually have something to eat as soon as I get home now and that seems to help. I've started exercising a lot too. This has helped me feel better mentally and physically.

doggonecarl

We miss what we can't have. Change your perception. Being denied your "first" glass isn't punishment. Sobriety isn't punishment. Sobriety is a gift we choose over the enslavement of alcohol.

By the way, you may miss the first glass, but it's the 6th, 7th, or 8th glass that brought you to SR.

Venecia

Carl's post prompted me to rethink what I wrote earlier.

The 5th, 6th, 7th, etc., glasses never felt good. They felt like enslavement.

One of the many things that brought me to SR: I reached the point where the FIRST glass felt like enslavement, too.