October Challenges: Go Sober or Stoptober?
October, as well as being Breast Cancer Awareness Month, is the month for a couple of challenges relating to health and wellbeing.
First off is Go Sober. Run by Macmillan Cancer Support, it's a challenge to go sober for the whole of October (or even just part of it) to raise money. The charity helps provide support to people with cancer and their families in all stages of diagnosis, treatment and afterwards. It can be on your own, in groups, with workmates or anything else.
The slightly better known one is Stoptober, where people are challenged to quit smoking for the month of October. According to the NHS, if you can stop for 28 days you're five times more likely to be able to quit smoking for good, which has amazing health benefits for both you and the people around you.
Which will you do?
This thread can be used for discussing what you might be doing, for supporting other people and for talking about anything else related to stopping drinking, smoking or either challenge. You don't have to do them for the whole month, anything you can manage is good! Most of all, good luck!
Please note you can post anonymously in this thread
First off is Go Sober. Run by Macmillan Cancer Support, it's a challenge to go sober for the whole of October (or even just part of it) to raise money. The charity helps provide support to people with cancer and their families in all stages of diagnosis, treatment and afterwards. It can be on your own, in groups, with workmates or anything else.
The slightly better known one is Stoptober, where people are challenged to quit smoking for the month of October. According to the NHS, if you can stop for 28 days you're five times more likely to be able to quit smoking for good, which has amazing health benefits for both you and the people around you.
Which will you do?
This thread can be used for discussing what you might be doing, for supporting other people and for talking about anything else related to stopping drinking, smoking or either challenge. You don't have to do them for the whole month, anything you can manage is good! Most of all, good luck!
Please note you can post anonymously in this thread
Not getting drunk is now a formidable charity goal
Well, I suppose I can't really do either of these now... good luck to anyone giving them a go though!
Original post by LibertyMan
Not getting shіt-faced is now a formidable charity goal
A difficult one at that!!!
I did Go Sober last year and raised £150 which was awesome! I can't drink with meds now and I don't smoke, so I feel like doing it this year would be a bit like cheating 
It's really good to do though and I'd love to do it again in the future
It's really good to do though and I'd love to do it again in the future 
I quit smoking last October, just gone past one year smoke free.
Original post by mobbsy91
Well, I suppose I can't really do either of these now... good luck to anyone giving them a go though!
You can start either at any time! Can have days off from it too- the official site gives people 'golden passes' but the intent is there
Original post by BurstingBubbles
I did Go Sober last year and raised £150 which was awesome! I can't drink with meds now and I don't smoke, so I feel like doing it this year would be a bit like cheating It's really good to do though and I'd love to do it again in the future
It's really good to do though and I'd love to do it again in the future I'd forgotten you'd done that, £150 is great! But yeah, I'm the same
that said, if anyone wants to use this thread for other health-related challenges or start their own then feel free!Original post by Wilfred Little
I quit smoking last October, just gone past one year smoke free.
That's an amazing achievement! Any advice you'd give to anyone trying to quit? I'd imagine a lot of the standard stuff starts to become a bit cliche after a while so it would be nice to hear from someone that's actually done it
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Original post by furryface12
That's an amazing achievement! Any advice you'd give to anyone trying to quit? I'd imagine a lot of the standard stuff starts to become a bit cliche after a while so it would be nice to hear from someone that's actually done it
Cold turkey is the best way to do it which worked but I would always fail when I had a drink as they go hand in hand. Would go 3 months here and 5 months there, feel safe then have a pint and fail. So stopping drinking really. I wasn't a massive smoker but I've saved just under £1,000 now.
Vaping helps when I have a beer. I still vape but I've not had a single puff of a cigarette in the last year and will look to stop vaping eventually.
Neither. Research into cancer gets a hell of a lot of support, but the people who run my local pub only have a roof over their heads and food on their tables if their business succeeds, and if their business doesn't succeed then I need to find a new local.
Research into cancer will get funded regardless of my choice, but my choosing whether or not to get rat-arsed has a higher likelihood of affecting whether or not my local will continue to operate than it does to stop people from getting cancer. Probability and ****.
Sounds ridiculous, but that's my argument and I'm sticking by it
Also, I stopped smoking a few years ago. To stop again would be counter-productive (it's a double-negative, essentially I'd be taking up smoking again).
Research into cancer will get funded regardless of my choice, but my choosing whether or not to get rat-arsed has a higher likelihood of affecting whether or not my local will continue to operate than it does to stop people from getting cancer. Probability and ****.
Sounds ridiculous, but that's my argument and I'm sticking by it
Also, I stopped smoking a few years ago. To stop again would be counter-productive (it's a double-negative, essentially I'd be taking up smoking again).
Don't cheat days defeat the object? I'm sorry; but that's just ridiculous.
If you're having to get people to sponsor you to give up drinking for 30 days, you've got issues, imo. If you want to do something challenging, try something like a half marathon. That's challenging. (and something I've just done)
As mentioned above, cancer gets a lot of research money. Meanwhile, those of us with other serious health problems, there's virtually no research money into them.
As an asthmatic whose triggers do include other people smoking around me, it would be wonderful for everyone to give up. But I know I'm dreaming.
If you're having to get people to sponsor you to give up drinking for 30 days, you've got issues, imo. If you want to do something challenging, try something like a half marathon. That's challenging. (and something I've just done)
As mentioned above, cancer gets a lot of research money. Meanwhile, those of us with other serious health problems, there's virtually no research money into them.
As an asthmatic whose triggers do include other people smoking around me, it would be wonderful for everyone to give up. But I know I'm dreaming.
Haha, considered this but I already stopped the smoking, and I can't drink because of medication. I like the idea of health related challenges though so I'll have to look into it more
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Original post by chelseadagg3r
Haha, considered this but I already stopped the smoking, and I can't drink because of medication. I like the idea of health related challenges though so I'll have to look into it more
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'grats on the smoking
Original post by Tiger Rag
Don't cheat days defeat the object? I'm sorry; but that's just ridiculous.
I think there are two reasons for this.
1. If people have the option of a cheat day they are more likely to be honest about their success and won't have to lie if they fail
2. If you drink without the cheat days, you might just give up going sober instead of trying again, so if you're still 'in' people don't have to stop sponsoring you
Original post by Wilfred Little
Cold turkey is the best way to do it which worked but I would always fail when I had a drink as they go hand in hand. Would go 3 months here and 5 months there, feel safe then have a pint and fail. So stopping drinking really. I wasn't a massive smoker but I've saved just under £1,000 now.
Vaping helps when I have a beer. I still vape but I've not had a single puff of a cigarette in the last year and will look to stop vaping eventually.
Vaping helps when I have a beer. I still vape but I've not had a single puff of a cigarette in the last year and will look to stop vaping eventually.
That makes a lot of sense, it's really good you've stopped drinking most of the time too! The money saved is good too- I think that's a good incentive in a way.
Original post by Pungiish
It's freshers month, we are not supposed to be sober
Not everyone is a fresher, and not all fresher's drink! But yeah if you're both then probably not this year
I agree in a way about cancer charities, although Macmillan support people with it as opposed to research. There's nothing to stop you doing it for another charity though, it doesn't have to be for them! Also agree about the cheat days but as Wilfred said if it gets more people involved and stops them giving up as soon as they have a drink that can only be a good thing. No I wouldn't do it but I don't drink or smoke anyway. Interesting to hear different people's opinions on it
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