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?

Just 9 days left, it feels like it's gone really quickly!

Couple of tricky days coming up, a meal out with work, then a meal with my aunt and uncle, we'd usually share some wine, and they may feel judged if we abstain, but hopefully they'll understand why we're doing it.

I need an early night tonight, I had a breakfast meeting this morning and I was up before 6, so I'm tired now.

I seem to need my 7 1/2 hours a night nowadays!

How's everyone else coping? How are people feeling about 1 Feb? Planning on hitting it hard, or takin* it steady?

I finding alcohol free beer is really pulling me through the making dinner danger zone, so I'm not really tempted but I have a friend's birthday dinner on the 1st Feb and I'm nervous I'll go a bit demob happy and I really want to drink sensibly...I'm even considering not drinking - I know the restaurant sell non-alcoholic beer - I'm just a bit torn.
A good friend refused to hang around for a drink that she usually has with us as she felt uncomfortable - said she didn't want to tempt us, but practicing sober socialising is quite important for moderation...people just don't like drinking with someone who is going to stay sober!

I'm finishing early - it's DP's work Christmas party on Saturday, with a James Bond dress code and a free bar, and I just can't be arsed to even try and stay sober. In penance I shall definitely try to drink less in future and, in particular, try not to let drinking be the default - I'm going to try and drink only when I actually want to, not just because it's Friday and DP is. I have really quite enjoyed DJ and having my wits about me at all times, the bit of weight loss and the improved skin, and I don't want to lose all the benefits.

*Screamqueenz - did you stick to your plan of taking an unfiltered selfie every morning and have you seen a huge difference?

I have been taking an unfiltered selfie every morning, and have honestly seen no visible difference myself, although a friend commented yesterday at work, so maybe it is working?

I have been doing it first thing, so perhaps I should have been waiting an hour or so for the puffysleep face to go...l.

Ha, yes, I haven't lost weight, I'm not sleeping any better, I still have anxiety, though that seems to go up and down randomly making it difficult to fix, maybe my skin looks a bit better.
Sober but grumpy so far.

I’ve now had 14 alcohol-free days this month, saved £217 and reduced my calorie intake by 8800, according to my Drink Free Days app. That is satisfying! I have two more AF days this week and then I’m planning to drink Friday to Sunday. Once again I’m aiming to get down from 35 units per week to 30.

FetchezLaVache Have a fabulous time on Saturday night - it sounds like it's going to be a real blast!

I look no difference either - and I bought a silk pillow that is meant to make you look better in the morning and while it works on my hair my face is no different and my bloody sleep is no better - awake at 3.30 and then again at 5:30am this morning! 6 hrs sleep!
I'm sad to say the improvements have been minimal. I have gone from enjoying 60+ units a week to zero, no withdrawal, minimal cravings. I always jumped out of bed in the same manner I am doing now - hangovers were rarely a problem and my weight is stable - I haven't lost any probably because I couldn't exercise due to injury and illness - maybe I should be happy I haven't gained!
But I can't keep drinking at this rate because no matter how much I enjoy it and how much I feel the impact to my current life is low - it's Future Me that I'm letting down, it's the ghost of Future Me that tortures me at 3am about drinking too much. It's future me and dh that I have to do this for because I don't want to be sick and old - it's bad enough being old! I want to be fit and healthy and be able to enjoy our retirement with a glass in hand occasionally - I don't want much!

Does anyone have a remedy for tension headaches - I would usually have a glass of wine to calm down but at the moment I really don't want to do that. Been getting them regularly since the start of January

@dragongirlx: massage - if you can rope your dh into it or pay someone. Stretching you neck muscles -videos on YouTube. Foam rolling - roller needs to be parallel to you body. Bath with Epsom salts. Painkillers when yoy feel it coming on - don’t wait till it’s unbearable.

alas I am single so massage is out, but I will try the bath and stretching of neck muscles
thanks

Leaveby I echo your reasons for not drinking - I also had no particularly ill effects from drinking but was going over the safe limit most weeks and didn't like to think about the impact on my long term health.
It will probably make no difference and I will get squished in a car crash but I'd like to think at least I've done what I can to stay healthy(!).
I've been happy with the way the month has gone but am going to try to keep it up for Feb as well and possibly try the odd - not at home - "mindful" glass to see if I can stick to a much lower limit going forward.
Well done everyone else :-)

Ok, so it's my birthday today and not a drop has touched my lips since about 1am NYD.
I've had 3 social events this month and I've not been tempted at all.
Not missed it really, love how I'm sleeping better, have lost CMs off waist, feel less bloated and skin looks better!

But..... it's my birthday!

Shall I have a gin later?

Happy birthday, @FrankiesKnuckle!

… I would.

FrankiesKnuckle Happy Birthday!!!! Make a conscious decision to have a drink if you want to and enjoy every bit of it - no guilt, just pleasure and then move on. We celebrate our anniversary in Jan and every year we do dry jan, but we always drink on that date and then get back on it again.

This thread has helped so much! Can’t believe we have done 23 days!Contrary to my comments up thread I think it will reset my relationship with booze this time.Well done everyone for drinking more mindfully.

Hi everyone, just checking in. Can't believe we're almost on the home straight! I have found the last week so much easier and do kind of feel I have reset my relationship. Like someone else said (sorry, I forget who, just read 4 pages to catch up), I have stopped relying on fizzy drinks and have been quite happy just with tea, coffee and water. Had a couple of Becks Blue on Friday which was great. It's almost like I have forgotten how badly that compares to the real thing!

I did have an embarrassing incident in the shop though, buying my sole pack of Becks Blue after work on Friday. The cardboard packaging was soggy and split, sending 4 of the 6 bottles flying and smashing everywhere. Somehow I felt an enormous sense of injustice that this should happen to me with alcohol-free beer! .

I am now looking forward to 1st Feb, but don't feel desperate for it. I hope I don't go overboard. I am kind of half thinking of giving up again for Lent, which starts 6 March this year. I probably won't though.

Ok....

I've had 3 glasses of bubbles, 1 of wine and 2 large (my large - double doubles) g&t....

They tasted so nice! I actually tasted them!

Back on the DJ tomorrow 😇

I have had anxiety over the last 6 months, I was blaming the booze but I am still having panicky feelings and bad sleep despite being 20 days dry.
Could it be withdrawal? Anyone else get this?

In a nutshell here's the blurb - you drink to quell anxiety, but alcohol causes anxiety so you initially feel the numbing effects of alcohol but then you get the anxiety effect and you get worse. When you stop drinking the anxiety may get worse as you are no longer using alcohol to mask and numb your feelings - but it will also get better because you are stopping one of the causes but you will still be left with your original anxiety.

Glad you had a happy birthday Frankie, and well done for moderating

Just one week to go! I was out with DH and my colleagues this evening, we had a great time and most people weren't drinking, so I didn't really miss it at all.

I have to admit I'm looking forward to next Friday, DH and I will probably buy some decent wine to have with a nice meal, to celebrate our achievement (assuming we get there, still 7 days to go).

It's the final Friday! We've got this!

I just woke a dream in which I drank tonight even though it was still Dry Jan (albeit we were having a Hawaiian-themed barbecue) and although I was quite happy to start with, I later regretted it. I feel like my sub-conscious is trying to tell me something!

Lol colouring that's a definite sign! Last weekend team, let's not drink like we've never not drunk before!

I'm so pleased with the experience i've had this DJ - the alcohol free beers have contributed enormously to my success.
I've read some "quit lit" - which inspire and anger me in equal measures - the mix of science, nonsense statistics, opinion and anecdotes dressed up as fact has me ranting in my head for hours after - I can no longer listen to Annie Grace in the Alcohol Experiment and her made up facts, her weeping over mothers who have made poor choices - the no father just the mothers - and it's not their fault she keeps saying, I dunno - driving a car under the influence is your fault - get an Uber, walk whatever - you don't drink and drive! And breathe!

Anyway, one week to go - and I think I have decided my rules for the rest of 2019
4 nights off - except for holidays,
No drinking alone
No drinking to deal with emotional issues (happy drinking only)
Try to drink less on a drink day - no drinking white wine - that stuff slides down like water!
So probably still more than 14 units a week but less than the 60+ I was regularly hitting last year.

What are everyone else's plans?

I like the happy drinking only idea leaveby10. I do drink more to relieve work stress or when I am sad or bored. I actually enjoy it more when I am in a good mood and want a drink, as opposed to need a drink.

My rules
no drinking when I have to go to work the next day
No drinking alone
No drinking because someone else wants me too
Drink less - for me its red wine I can happily drink an entire bottle, so only buy a smaller bottle or drink something else. I do like a cocktail but would only drink one or two.