Dry January 2020 thread 2... keeping it dry!

[ParanoidGynodroid]

Thread two to help us continue to share the love (and dryness)

Keep going, everyone... good luck

@ParanoidGynodroid
Yes, one thing at a time. Once this dry or (dry-ish moving onwards ) malarkey is established maybe then we can work on the unhealthy food malarkey.

@AdaKirkby
Yes me too. Dry lips and sore head. Seems a bit unfair.

I don't feel like I drank enough to merit having such a reaction to stopping.
Of course, it could be something else. I have had a bit of a cold. And the headaches could be perimenopausal.

Its so easy to look at everything through the lens of drinking or not drinking. But other factors in life still go on.

Actually, I wonder if it's a sugar headache?!

I’m having the same Paranoid. Jogging gently along in DJ now, but cannot seem to channel my new found bit of will power towards my eating or activity. I might join you for Fit February and actually join a gym instead of looking at them on line.

I had a very ‘sugary’ day yesterday (found some Xmas chocolate) and felt so bloated in the evening, it was gross and uncomfortable. So I’m having some days off sugar. I don’t know if it was that but it won’t hurt.

Also still got dry skin! Blaming the heating.

For anyone interested in this sort of thing, then I am doing Tara Brach's Radical Compassion challenge.

Sorry, I don't know how to do links but you can look it up online and sign up.

I found it so useful today. Even the introduction and the meditation on R.A.I.N was so poignant for this time

Day 20 here. We had 25 people (all Mexicans) over for dinner on Sunday and I was worried that I might slip and a have a glass of wine...to help with the Spanish but no slips. And also the house was cleaned and all dishes done before bed. And up early to exercise on Sunday. Definitely considering continuing into February

Popping by....feeling okay today. Bed in a bit though!

I’ll leave the fatty liver and give you blood sugars instead. Something else to add to your motivational stash.

Your blood sugars are tested these days using HbA1C tests. These tests give a mean average blood sugar level over the past 10 weeks or so (does my brains in working out how that is possible, but anyway). I’m not a sugar person. I don’t eat cakes, sweets or biscuits. I don’t do puddings. I don’t drink fizzy pop and I don’t don’t have sugar in my drinks or even jam on my toast. I am, according to my diet, at very low risk. However my HbA1C last year was at pre-diabetic levels. Why?? Well, wine. When I re-took the test 6 months later having reduced my nightly drinking to 15 units a week over 2 days, the levels had significantly dropped.

My ‘well woman’ check last week highlighted I need another one. I’m going to have it taken on Friday and I won’t lie; I am bricking it. That 10 week slot covers Xmas, new year, and my ‘weekend only’ regime had slithered into old habits the minute the tinsel was out of the loft. So although 4 weeks will have been dry, so may dilute it a bit, I have no doubt it’ll be back up. I will report back! It’s actually making me quite anxious.

So it’s not just your liver that needs a holiday.

Still suffering from the effects of last nights celebratory fizz. I had to change all my morning plans due to the hangover symptoms. It really has me questioning why I drink at all - I don’t need to use alcohol to celebrate good news. I could have had a nice cup of tea and slice of cake! Anyone else wondering why they actually drink at all?

@Vik1ng

I am. I suffered last Wednesday after falling off the wagon. It was horrific and a real waste of a day. I really don't want to feel like that again and the only way to avoid that is to lay off the demon drink.

I never ever thought I'd think like that. Evenings are getting much easier. I really want no drinking to be the norm rather than the exception. I actually don't want to drink now, mostly because of the hangover.

That’s exactly how I feel today. And the waste of money too. I hope I still feel this way in February. I don’t want to slip back into drinking for the sake of it.

breathmiller to remind you that if you had drunk yesterday all your problems would still exist today plus extra problem of feeling tired/headache/ a bit rubbish & less able to deal with them.

Another day done. Have been having a lot of cravings recently but managing to get over them with reading and a glass of nut milk.

Finding dry January really thought provoking. Had 2 slips (both anticipated) and both drank far less than would normally. Truth is I’ve drunk less this month than I think I ever have in my adult life.
Discovering unknown behaviours and habits connected with alcohol. Eg - Household admin/paperwork/bills etc was always done with a drink (I hadn’t realised - no doubt to dull the tedium). Result is it’s been neglected and I need to sort that out.
I do, deeply, connect alcohol with ‘having fun’/celebrating - that’s crazy/unnecessary and I’m trying to change that view.
Feel I’m stripping away decades of reliance. I feel slightly mournful/guilty which is tough.
My rational head is absolutely over the moon about what I’ve done so far and my plans to keep it going. My deeper being is a bit ‘frightened’/‘anxious’. Obvious I have an addiction - never had ‘problems’ or misbehaviour or hangovers etc but daily drinking has really clearly had an effect.
Ramble over.
Really want to send support to everyone and huge thanks for support this thread has been.

Day 22: Ogres are like onions. We have layers.

its easy to think, oh when I give up alcohol I will lose weight and sleep better and feel more alert. But of course we are messy complicated beings, and it's not just as straightforward and simple as that.

dammit, fogot picture.....

I found one

3 weeks down. The longest I have gone without alcohol for sixteen years.

After talking with family, I've pinpointed my relationship with it: it's not that it's hard to go without, it's that when I have one drink I automatically want more - apparently this is a family trait, not being able to stop. I mean, I do stop most of the time, but only because I go to bed. If I start at 6pm, that's 4 hours in which I'm drinking, or more.

Best thing is not to start, I guess! Or to start late, if it's a day when I'd like to have a glass. Change the yard-arm to 8pm. But mostly just not start.

Definitely easier not to start. We went out for dinner with family for our DD’s birthday on Monday and I could have had a glass of wine. I asked DH if I should - a thinking out loud sort of ask, not a permission sort of ask - and he was able to put into words what I couldn’t quite figure out myself. Yes I could have one, but then I’d probably want one on Tuesday (DD’s actual birthday) and then the flood gates are open and I would have drunk twice this week so why not just write the whole week off.... and back into where we were last year.

@heron

That's me exactly. You've summed me up perfectly. In the meantime I'm working from home today and have these Lindt champagne truffles in my drawer. And I've just made braising steak in the slow cooker and added a large glass of red wine. That's the closest I'm coming to booze for the foreseeable.

I'm also loving that I know EXACTLY what I've said the night before. OH questioned what I had/hadn't told him last night about my plans for today and it was so refreshing remembering exactly what was said. Before he would use his shocking memory not listening to question what I had said. Now that really is empowering. Every argument we ever had was OH saying it was I had had wine when I knew it wasn't always that. Now I have the confidence to challenge him.

It's another huge plus. The pros of not drinking are very quickly outstripping the pros of drinking. My mindset is changing thank god.

myhands ha ha ! I’ve actually put weight on because I’m cooking more, going to bed earlier. I feel slightly as though I’m hibernating to avoid drinking. Hmm. I’m so pleased with the benefits and no doubt other things can fall into place when I’m good and ready.

Oh what’s that over there ?!!! swipes some of those chocolates

Meant to say well done re dealing with oh /disputes more clearly/confidently. I’m definitely calmer in similar circs. Good luck and support all.

Just checking in. Between running up and down to see very ill mum and dealing with stuff at work in truth I've had no time to even think about having a drink.

Apart from one very stressful moment last night when in all honesty I don't think anyone would have blamed me.

But...that's the thing isnt it? Always something to celebrate, or commiserate, or a drink to calm the nerves or..or..or.

Well, a drink may have calmed me last night for a short period if I'd had one but today was much easier having not given in.

What day are we on? What day is it? Actually....what's my name and where do I come from?

Glad to have had you all beside me last night to stop me reaching for the glass.

Accountability and community is so important

Day 22 done. Feeling a bit fed up with Dry Jan now if I'm honest I will keep plodding on though. I think after this week is done I should feel a lot better

Myhandsareverycold I just put a pound on by looking at that picture of your Lindt truffles

This group is honestly brilliant, thank you for all the ongoing support and for sharing your experiences

Look - we've done 4 x Wednesdays in a row! I've not done this many days dry for a long while.
Had a really stressful day with elderly parents and normally I'd 'reward' myself with a glass (or 3) but instead, I've had a long bath and now filled in my apps with a dry day so I can't go back on it.
I'm planning on drinking a couple of glasses of wine Friday 31st as I've a long standing function to go to so I will break a day early. But, I'm certainly thinking of trying to do the 300-challenge or as near to it as I can. And when I do drink, it will be for measured and for pleasure and not out of habit.
Well done to everyone, your support is fab. And to those who may have slipped, no matter, it's just a blip.
Keep at it!