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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
HolyMountain · 31/01/2019 19:15

Evening all, this has been the longest January evurrrr!!!Grin.

Have to say , not drinking has been fab for me , I’m going to be staying dry for 100 days hopefully, I like having a number to tick off , it keeps me focused .

Good luck everyone with whatever your booze plans are .

Screamqueenz · 31/01/2019 20:06

That's great holy, I'm having this Friday and Saturday off, then I'd like to try 100 days.

namechange2117 · 01/02/2019 09:32

It’s 1st February!!! Grin

Well done to everyone for cutting down or abstaining completely through January. It’s a massive achievement!

Who’s planning on drinking tonight and how are you going to try to stick to a certain amount? I’m aiming to drink 10 units maximum this evening but no more. Now that I’ve gone AF four days a week for five weeks, my new goal is to get down to 20 units p/w by end of Feb.

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leaveby10 · 01/02/2019 09:52

1st Feb! Well done everyone! Better is Better as we move into Feb and find our new drinking legs - I'm hoping mine support me tonight - the snow will be making it extra tricky!
Will try to slow my drinking tonight but - drinking and talking means not thinking about how much I am drinking - still considering a firm self chat beforehand to try to convince my sub conscious to aid my alcohol goals but whatever it will be, please don't be too hard on yourselves tomorrow - it just makes you feel worse and that does not help you in your path to a healthier relationship with alcohol.

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?
dragongirlx · 01/02/2019 09:58

I feel so much better after this month and want to continue with very reduced drinking. I might have a drink tonight but given the cold my brain is veering towards hot chocolate instead which shows how much my thinking has changed. Usually on Fridays I would come home from work, and crack open the wine, then feel rubbish on Saturday but then drink more wine. Now I come on have a decent dinner, have a hot chocolate and go to bed. Then I am up bright and early on Saturday to do interesting things and I want that to continue

namechange2117 · 01/02/2019 13:25

Then I am up bright and early on Saturday to do interesting things and I want that to continue

Same here Dragon - for me, one of the worst things about drinking to excess is the amount of time I lose from being extremely hungover and too ill to do or enjoy anything. Saturdays and Sundays have often been lost in a hungover haze, and then it’s back to work on Monday feeling like I’ve not really even had a proper weekend as I’ve done nothing with it. Horrible!

I need to remind myself of this when DH and I open a bottle of wine tonight. Mindful drinking is the way forward!

leaveby10 · 02/02/2019 07:35

One drink an hour, drank a Heineken 0% before going out, so didn't drink alone. Decided on a small size glass of wine at the restaurant - drank slowly and mindfully. Had 4 glasses over 4 hours. Easy to do maybe to begin with - bad habits creep up, so I need to stick to my rules but I'm happy - a good start! No hangover, that's not unusual!

namechange2117 · 02/02/2019 07:56

Good job Leave! It’s a great feeling to be in control of your drinking. I didn’t do so well - I ended up drinking a whole bottle of wine and again drank it really quickly! I’m feeling the effects this morning, probably because I had the first two glasses on a fairly empty stomach.

I’m clearly not capable of moderating on my drinking days at the moment, so I think I need to start buying those mini bottles for when I’m at home, instead of the full size ones. I think it’s the only way to force myself to cut down!

troubleswillbeoutofsight · 02/02/2019 08:05

I'd more or less forgotten just how horrible hangovers are. But I'm glad I've got one this morning as it's made me resolve not to drink anymore. I felt so much healthier throughout January, both physically and mentally and I'd much prefer to feel like that than like I do now

Totorosfluffytummy · 02/02/2019 11:03

I wasn't actually craving wine last night but had cooked a meal that always goes with wine so had a glass with dinner and a glass after dinner.
Didn't need or want more after that.
I'd usually have at least a bottle of wine on a Friday night.
So many reasons not to binge drink though & now I know I can relax without it I'm hoping that I can stick to one bottle a week maximum.

My actual plan is to -
never drink Sunday-Thursday
drink 0-2 (maximum of 4) nights a month

Will also be drinking more water.
I usually just buy coconut water to drink the day after booze as it hydrates quicker than water & it really does make me feel better quicker. I plan to drink it more often, not just after a night drinking.

The Dry Jan app has really helped me. I didn't even know about the app until I read it on this thread. This thread helped heaps too! Thanks to all & good luck this month x

HolyMountain · 02/02/2019 11:12

To anyone interested Dry February is available to mark off the days if , like me, you need a visual box to tick.

Screamqueenz · 02/02/2019 11:17

2 bottles last night, absolutely hanging this morning and I'm out with my best friend later, so that was stupid of me.

Tonight will be my last big night, then back to try 100 days sober with DH. I felt so much better in January.

MsMustDoBetter · 02/02/2019 12:14

I have a horrendous hangover, I've been sick and I have a headache.

I'm going for dry Feb, no days off and no excuses.

I feel better all round when I'm sober. I don't want to drink anymore.

leaveby10 · 02/02/2019 13:53

Ouch! Those hangovers sound bad! Be gentle with yourselves.
I’m back in the pub with the dog - waiting on dh to finish with the barber - no drinking alone so I’m on Heineken 0% and a bag of cheese and onion - all is well in the world!

ColouringPencils · 03/02/2019 11:59

Well done everyone! We made it!

I drank on Friday, exactly what I would have on a typical Friday: a medium glass of wine in the pub at 5.30, then a bottle of wine at home between about 8-11pm. I felt SO bad yesterday. I was actually sick in the morning and had a headache all day, even after taking paracetamol. So, I didn't drink last night at all. This is really making me reassess my drinking. Was it worth drinking that wine while sitting at home watching a film, considering how terrible I felt the next day? Probably not. The wine in the pub was much appreciated though, so I can't see me wanting to give it up completely. I'm planning now not to drink until next Friday.

dragongirlx · 04/02/2019 10:04

had a bottle of wine on Friday and another on Saturday.
result - put back on some of the weight I lost - not helped by grazing while drunk. Back to sober days for me

VixenAbroad · 04/02/2019 12:18

Didn’t drink till last night, special night with DH and had 2 glasses of red. Enjoyed them, didn’t drink any more, felt great this morning and planning to stay dry rest of the week - Result!!

leaveby10 · 05/02/2019 22:14

How's everyone getting on?

I had quite a bit to drink over the weekend - I continued to stick to 1 drink an hour - but I stayed up late Wink and I really enjoyed the buzz, it felt like a real treat. No hangovers. Now doing my 4 days AF and slipping into them quite easily. I was going to say that I hope to drink less this weekend but we are out on Friday and Saturday nights - so I'll be trying to drink slowly and limit the damage.

MsMustDoBetter · 06/02/2019 23:06

I haven't had a drink since Friday.

I feel so much better sober, so why do I still contemplate situations where I might have a drink?

I'm meeting a friend next week for dinner and we always share a bottle of wine. I know that I will really enjoy it at the time but will come home feeling disappointed with myself. But then again, if I've been really abstemious, then why not? Do I have to be all or nothing? I'm still deciding.

Totorosfluffytummy · 08/02/2019 17:36

After tonight I will have had a drink on 5 out of 8 days this month which wasn't the plan at all!!

Wasn't supposed to touch a drop mid-week.

I haven't been drunk or hungover though, only drank small amounts so I don't feel too bad about it, just a tad annoyed when I look at my Dry Jan app.

Had 2 glasses of wine on 2 nights, 1 lager 1 night, 2 ciders 1 night and will have wine tonight.
May not drink tomorrow, depends on tonight.
Going to try harder for dry Sunday-Thursday next week!

MsMustDoBetter · 12/02/2019 22:20

I'm still hanging on to an attempt at moderation. This week I will share a bottle of wine on Valentines Day (when I asked what we were doing DH looked aghast and said "well, we're not going out!". We settled on a steak dinner and a bottle of wine.) I will also have a couple with a friend over dinner on Friday.

I'm getting a lot more out of my sober evenings, I'm certainly less groggy!

Is anyone else still going?

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