I’ve drank like a b%$tard for a lot of 2018, going to do my first complete dry January as of tomorrow. Join me?

[Exisonfire]

As it says in the title.

2018 hasn’t been kind to me, and the drink has been relied upon far too much.

I’m fed up of moping, and want to kick start a better year with my first ever complete dry January tomorrow.

Who’s in?

Freezing leftover wine, good idea! I will do that. DH has helpfully poured it into a glass for me - guess he's going for a damp Jan rather than dry!

Frozen! Does it count if I licked up the drops I spilled 😮

Lovely thread! About 10th year doing dry January - first year was the worst - it usually resets my relationship with alcohol but last year was bad and for various dull reasons that now sound like pathetic excuses I have probably drank most nights, at most managing only one night off a week and feeling like I deserved a bigger glass the following night.
So I started on NYD - planned day off for anniversary and apart from that it's been plain sailing. Explored lots of alcohol free beers & wine last year and apart from not really enjoying them - the desire to find one messed with my head and increased my desire to have a proper drink - this year I'm sticking to water.
Plan to only drink weekends and holidays after January.

leaveby we have a similar rule - high days and holidays - but I found that when times get tough it's remarkably easy to ignore.

Leaveby and fetchez, that sounds like a great plan, although DH suggested that we never drink in the house at all. (Which I think is going a bit too far, probably because it would just make me want to go out every night).

@FetchezLaVache I agree but with a fair wind, I'm hoping we make it to the summer holidays - this is all just a really bad habit and I am fed up with it. I don't get withdrawals - the cupboards are fully stocked with booze and I am not tempted in the slightest...I kicked a very big sugar habit last year and can now enjoy sugar moderately...I can do this too! Although apparently sugar and alcohol stimulate dopamine release in your brain - so maybe I just drank alcohol rather than having the sugar - maybe worth more thought.

@Screamqueenz - I know a couple who have a no drinking in the house rule - they are frequently the drunkest people in the pub - embarrassingly so - maybe that's a small price.

I’m starting tomorrow. I’ve always done dry January but I have a shitty anniversary to get through today. So I start tomorrow, first week is lonely, second week is meh, third week you sleep, fourth week you feel amazing. I’m going to try a hundred days this time, help me!

I think mine is about £1500 a year. What a waste of money! Day 6 nearly over.

Yay day 1 complete!!

Well done Orlando!

Another decent sleep. Checking back on my fitbit I've gone from averaging just over 6 hours a night in November and December to over 7 hours 20 minutes.

7 days in and it really does seem to be making a difference to the way I am feeling. Much more able to cope with the stresses of every day life (Which ironically is the main reason I was reaching for a bottle of wine at the end of every day).

I also think I've lost 2.5lbs (I am also sticking to the WW programme, so its probably a combination of them both. But as I'm only 5lbs off goal weight this is a massive shift in a single week for me).

@Screamqueenz decent sleep will stop you feeling so hungry as well! Congrats on the weight loss.

Day 6 for me and I was feeling great... Until 2 of my kids didn't want to go back to school and cried and screamed at the school gate (They are really young).

Then I got to work upset and stressed out (my first day back too) And my boss had left a bottle of Champagne on my desk that she'd meant to give me before I went on holiday.

I immediately thought, "brilliant, I need that after this morning".

Please keep writing your comments of success and positivity. They are really keeping me going.

I'm also impressed with the people experiemcing weight loss and improved sleep. Hasn't happened for me yet, but I'm still hopeful.

Keep going bloody, I felt awful last week, but feeling much better now (however, first full week at work might change that).
I've got a bottle of champagne waiting for a catch up with friends in February. Can you plan an event where you can drink it after January to give you something to look forward to?

Slept better last night. Only had to get up to the bathroom once - which is normal for me. Only lost 1 pound but given I am only on day 3 wasn't expecting much more. Back on weight watchers from today. I am currently 12 stone and want to get down to 10 but I lost nearly a stone last year (massively helped by 3 weeks not drinking) so i am hoping a full month without the drink will help with that.
Keep going with it Bloody it will get easier

Love reading everyone's posts

Had only 4 hours sleep, I need about 7 usually.
Took about 3 hours to get to sleep and then woke up twice in the early hours. Mainly due to stress/anxiety (I have 6 very stressful situations I'm trying to deal with atm and even just one of them is enough to keep anyone awake)
However, I feel more awake and alert today than I have for absolutely ages.
I also didn't have Ugly Morning Face - you know how your face doesn't wake up for ages & it's all puffy &/or wrinkly with tiny blurry eyes!

Thanks Screamqueenz and Dragongirlx

It gives me a boost to read all the comments. People in the same position as me. I've got nobody I can discuss this with as my friends either hardly drink, or are happy to keep drinking.

Looking forward to all the benefits!

Back to work tomorrow, so this is Day 1 for me.
Am also shunning the chocolate and cheese, etc. Am feeling on a bit of a downer, to be honest! But I'm hoping I will start to feel better after a few booze free days and some healthy eating.

Everyone is doing really well, let's keep up the good work!

I've just checked and my resting heart rate has come down from 78 to 68 in just 7 days. I've always just claimed to have a fast heart rate - it seems not!

How much damage was I doing to myself???

I've cheated twice. Both times I felt desperate in terms of coping. I'm a single parent to 3 kids and no support. No space, not 5 mins without children at me, one autistic.
So the first I bought 2 bottles cider. Damage limitation so I couldn't drink more. The second time a bottle of wine and drank it all in an hour.
Today I woke up utterly craving the next bottle, it's all I look forward to but I won't drink tonight. I will buy some coke or something.
It's so hard and I don't know if it will ever get easier. I have a problem.

Also grieving the end of Christmas.

@70sbaubles . Be kind to yourself. Your situation sounds really tough. You can do this, though. I also have an autistic DC and I swear to god it's a big part of my drive to drink. He's been really challenging the past few days and the urge to sink myself into a gin bottle is sometimes overwhelming. Big hug for you.

Im letting myself have one bottle a week on friday

I'm in, my kidneys hurt ☹️

@70sbaubles That's good. Really good if you can stick to that. And you can look forward to it and enjoy it.

Also I hear you re grieving Christmas. This time two weeks ago it was Christmas Eve