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Original poster

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?

646 replies

Exisonfire · 31/12/2018 09:20

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?

OP posts:
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5
FrankiesKnuckle · 25/01/2019 12:33

@leaveby10 good rules, I might have to abide by those.

As an aside, I felt so tired and drained yesterday after having a few drinks for my birthday.

I have not missed the alcohol induced insomnia, the fatigue and the constant carb craving the day after.
My skin looked better and I felt better - reduced palpitations and general anxiety too.

I kind of regret faltering for my birthday now, but it's been a revelation to me in how good I've felt and I'll continue to greatly reduce throughout the year now.

leaveby10 · 25/01/2019 13:14

I think alcohol just exaggerates the mood you are in before you start drinking...that why sad drinking is not good - you just end up crying into your gin!
dragongirlx I am awful at the not drinking just because someone else asked me to - I am so easily led! When dh and I got together, he smoked occasionally and I told him if he continued I'd end up smoking enough for both of us - so he stopped. This time he has promised not to drink at home on my AF nights (he is taking a 28 units limit approach) - he swears he has an iron will - it's part of his MO - part man/part machine! Wink
Main thing is I will get support for my rules from dh - because the alternative is I might have to give up for goodShock and there would be no fun in that - at all!!!
Frankie sounds like you gained more from the experience than the rough feeling the morning after...although how many times have we sworn - Never again!

Screamqueenz · 25/01/2019 16:17

Oh no! DH wants to stop altogether, not sure I'm ready for that quite yet.....
We've compromised on rules similar to leave, no drinking alone, no drinking on a school night.
We'll try for high days and holidays only.
I can't deny my skin is better, I'm sleeping better and I feel better able to cope with life in general.
Only 7 days to go!

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General food
namechange2117 · 25/01/2019 16:57

I had a bad night last night: I drank a gin cocktail plus a whole bottle of white wine, so 12 units in total. I hadn’t drunk much non-alcoholic liquid during the day either, so woke up this morning feeling very dehydrated with a banging headache.

I’ve not been capable of working at all today due to feeling so ill, and am absolutely furious with myself for wasting yet another day due to having a hangover.

Even DH commented this morning that I was really going for it with the wine last night, and drank it very quickly.

I’m off the booze again tonight so I get my four days in this week. I’m feeling so low about it - I want to be the person who enjoys one or two lovely men glasses of wine with dinner and leaves it at that, but perhaps I will have to give up for good.

namechange2117 · 25/01/2019 16:58

Also I do hope this thread continues after DJ is over - it’s been a total lifesaver for me this month! Everyone has done so well Flowers

leaveby10 · 25/01/2019 17:22

namechange2117 one or two glasses is the holy grail isn't it? I think it's going to take practice and we have to be kind to ourselves when it doesn't work out and we overindulge - when we fail we learn about ourselves and that will makes us stronger.
Screamqueenz I suppose it wouldn't hurt to try to stay dry for a bit longer as a bit of an experiment - some people argue it takes 66 days to change a habit - so maybe you could aim for that? I need a no judgement if I change my mind clause built into the agreement. Wink

And yes I hope this thread continues too!

namechange2117 · 25/01/2019 17:34

Thanks for the encouraging words Leaveby. Yeah, it really is the holy grail! I really hope I can get there.

MrsGrindah · 25/01/2019 18:11

Yes I need to be careful I don’t drink like a fish because I tell myself I deserve it for doing DJ.My rules are
Happy drinking but only if I want to
No beer
No mixing
Sun- Wed don’t drink
Stop thinking I’m bad for drinking and good for nor drinking.Im an adult and I need to own my decisions.

VixenAbroad · 25/01/2019 18:15

Another vote for the thread continuing. I’d love it to last for 66 days because that is what I am aiming for - I also read about it taking that long to change habits!

namechange2117 · 25/01/2019 20:05

I'm on the alcohol-free Budweiser tonight, which I'm drinking with a curry. It's definitely not the best of the AF beers I've tried, but we have a load of cans in the fridge to use up. How's everyone else doing on the last Friday of DJ?

Screamqueenz · 25/01/2019 20:18

Lunch out today, and I'm feeling good.

I'm definitely drinking next weekend with my best friend, but planning to stay AF during the week going forward.

6 days left Grin

Screamqueenz · 25/01/2019 20:42

And yes please to keeping this going!

ColouringPencils · 25/01/2019 21:13

I'd like to keep the thread going too. I haven't worked out what I want my drinking to be at the end of this. I might see how I feel when I wake up on Saturday 2nd! I can't imagine not wanting to drink every weekend, but then it has also been lovely feeling I have reclaimed so much time at the weekends.

namechange2117 · 25/01/2019 21:25

it has also been lovely feeling I have reclaimed so much time at the weekends.

Is that because you’re not hungover and have more energy to do stuff @ColouringPencils?

I am so sick of losing hours (and days) due to being too hungover to function.

leaveby10 · 26/01/2019 09:52

Taking a trip into London today and going somewhere really nice for lunch but I feel the craving for a long boozy lunch coming on - I won't cave - what I'm feeling is more regret at the lost opportunity and what we'd be doing if it was next weekend. It's supposed to be good practice to experience events sober, that are normally associated with drinking - so I'll focus on that instead.

Totorosfluffytummy · 26/01/2019 09:58

Really wanted a red wine last night but managed to get through without.
This morning I'm feeling so tired thanks to a combination of stress and a chesty cough & cold. I am so glad I don't have a hangover on top of this - I wouldn't be able to do anything.

namechange2117 · 26/01/2019 10:45

You can do it Leaveby! One thing I find helps in those situations is to really focus hard on every mouthful of the food and how delicious it is. It helps you appreciate the lovely meal even though you’re not drinking!

Well done for resisting Toto. I’m always so grateful the next morning after I didn’t drink.

Screamqueenz · 26/01/2019 11:33

Wow, another 8 hour sleep last night, and another 2lbs off.
That's half a stone in the month....
Feeling so good that it would make sense for me to try and keep going as much as possible.
But what's sensible and what I actually do are rarely the same!

leaveby10 · 26/01/2019 19:17

Scream Well done on the weight loss!

Really enjoyed lunch we sat at the bar (best location - most atmospheric and you can watch your food being prepared - nothing beats food theatre!) - we had a couple of low alcohol beers (Lucky Saint) and it quelled my feeling of missing out but the place was really buzzing that in the end we didn't miss the booze at all - but I am ready for a normal Saturday again!

Screamqueenz · 26/01/2019 21:30

Spent the evening collecting for the retired greyhounds at the local dog track (one of the hounds in one hand and a bucket in the other), usually get a large glass of red from the track owner for my troubles, you should have seen the look on his face when I asked for a cup of tea instead!

My parents are doing for Sunday lunch tomorrow, so I'm doing a venison casserole, we've still got the red wine from two weeks ago for my dad, and DH got a couple of nice bottles from my godmother for his birthday, so plenty to offer them.

It really feels like the home straight now.

Hope everyone has had a good Saturday Thanks

leaveby10 · 27/01/2019 09:25

What a great thing to do Scream do you have grey yourself?

Screamqueenz · 27/01/2019 12:10

Just 6 greys at the moment leave Grin

I love my hounds 💗

leaveby10 · 27/01/2019 13:18

I have a whippy - just one mind - he's enough bother - little bugger!Wink

leaveby10 · 27/01/2019 13:19

And 6 greys Shock - how do you have enough space for all the sofas!

Screamqueenz · 27/01/2019 13:20

I love whippets Smile
All mine are ex racers, and stupidly chilled.