DRY JANUARY 2021! This way please... all welcome

[HPLikecraft]

It’s that time of year again... the late Christmas present to our livers!

You may be thinking of doing Dry January to:

*detox a little after seasonal overindulgence, or
*help you cut down a bit generally, or
*help you start to get out of a harmful alcohol habit, or
*just be a bit healthier for a month...

It’s good for all of those things!

I find the MN DJ threads excellent for support, encouragement, sharing info,‘we’re in this together’ camaraderie, suggestions for grown up drinks, aversion techniques and just fun.

This is my fourth year of DJ and I swear it has made all the difference to me; it was so hard first time, but having succeeded I did dry June and October after that, and do so every year. It has broken my habit, banished the craving and reset my relationship with booze.

I won’t be finding DJ too difficult this year, but some will. Hopefully this thread will help.

Come climb aboard the wagon! 🙂☕️🧃

@ShadowKitty the Robinsons lime and mint cordial is lovely with tonic water, that's been one of my weekend AF treats too. I'd love to think that post DJ I'll have one of those at 6pm on a Friday and then decide if I really want to have a glass of wine.

Just checking-in to stop me reaching for the wine or gin. Really feel like giving in. I have that "I deserve it" thought in my head. Will make a Camomile tea instead.

Bastard addictive poison! indeed!

In keeping with the dishwasher news, ours is having an off night. I seem to have no stardards, since I've just decided that as the dishes at least got hot and wet in there, I'm not rewashing them.

Despite my good intentions of de-stressing by other means than eating, tonight feels hard. No alcohol in the house, so no temptations to fight on that front, but I do have a long habit of making a show of quitting one bad habit (at least for a while) and just replacing it with another bad coping mechanism, so I do worry about all the mindless snacking I'm doing now.

I had a horrendous time with my mental health last year and took up several bad old habits (including the increased drinking), and have now been intentionally dropping them at a rate of one a month, so as not to try to do everything at once. Drinking is the third one in the order, and I'm still finding it hard keeping away from the previous ones, too, although haven't relapsed at all since the dates I'd decided. Not sure whether to just decide to worry about the snacking next month? Ideally I should obviously use some healthier coping strategies, but can't quite think of any right now that would actually work!

Day 7 done, or one week. Another Heineken Zero.

Battled a few cravings again but stayed on course.

Good luck, everyone. Keep going!

@inthese I would take on one battle at a time. You're aware of the snacking and that's fine, but don't make things so hard for yourself that it feels impossible.

katmarie Thanks, that's what I'm leaning towards. My therapist has been off for quite a few weeks, and I hope once that gets going again, I can re-focus a bit. I also usually do a fair bit of exercise (really miss the gym), so hopefully once this cold / asthma flare up clears off enough and I can get back to doing a bit more, it'll help with the anxiety, random cravings and restlessness.

I've done 9 days. I don't think I've not had a drink for that long for 20 years.

This is day 9 for me too and I'm finding today a bit hard. Still sticking to tonic water but the novelty is wearing off

I can report that the Stryyk Not Gin with Aromatic Fever Tree hits the spot. Nice and bitter, with a little bite to it, really feels like a proper grown up drink. It's a keeper.

@InTheseUncertainTimes - definitely one bad habit at a time. The first year I was successful in DJ was the year I really just threw everything at it and ignored everything else. Also it is the one that will help with mood/ mental health whatever the most. After years of thinking that being a bit depressed about everything was the product of my life circumstances, it was a revelation to me to find that I was soo much happier and more able to deal with life's ups and downs without wine.

If you are worrying about too many snacks could you do some chopped up fruit and veg to snack on. Sounds a bit rubbish but actually does reduce the amount of time available to eat unhealthy snacks.

@katmarie - impressed by your dishwasher haul. Meanwhile we are back to flippin E25 err here.

Luckily DH wine was only a mini bottle.

Also managed to a) stay awake and b) follow the plot of John le Carre film for possibly the first time in my whole life.

Sweet dreams all.

Goodnight, all!

Well done for getting through this day. If this is the end of day 9 for you, that's 29%. Heck, thats just a smidge off a third! Very heartening.

Oh, and Bastard Addictive Poison!

Can I join? Well done to everyone who has refrained this far!
First time I’ve tried DJ but just felt that I needed to ‘reset’ my relationship with wine as was beginning to drink out of habit rather than because i really wanted it. I actually find it easier not to drink in winter as for me, warm summer evenings and a chilled glass of rose go hand in hand. 5-6 is my witching hour, so I’m now going on the exercise bike about 4.30 so by the time I’ve had a shower etc I don’t want to undo my hard work with a wine, and once I’ve had dinner and sorted out the kids the wine craving has passed. Almost a third of the way now!

Morning all.
How is everyone feeling today? I am definitely sleeping more deeply (although do still often get woken up by DD3 so never really right through). However I am finding I am super groggy when I wake up and just dont feel like getting up. Anyone else have this?! Maybe it's because the sleep is deeper?
I had a zoom bday social last night with loads of people and pretty much everyone was drinking. It felt really odd not to be at first but as it went on I was actually.glad not to be drinking, was quite a strange feeling.
Day 10 and feeling quite virtuous.its the longest stretch I've done since 2019. I feel quite confident I can do the month now but I dont think it will be enough for a proper reset - so like some.others I hope to continue beyond.
Well done to everyone on this journey so far...

Morning all. Slept really well last night, a solid 8 hours. Just relaxing with a coffee and R4 now and then we will be going for a walk. It's lovely not feeling groggy on a Sunday.

Morning @Msfoxy17! I’ve noticed being more sleepy in the morning but don’t know if that’s do due with it being so dark and cold out my body just wants to stay in bed...

We had a ‘date night’ last night - restaurant takeaway and put a streamed show on. I’m ashamed to say we normally would have opened at least two bottles of wine, it’s quite refreshing that we didn’t and I haven’t woken up with a headache and overwhelming guilt/anxiety. I won’t go alcohol free after this but I’m definitely keen to make big changes and cut right down.

Morning @Msfoxy17

Oops !
Morning @Msfoxy17 @Tazers * *
Can't believe I've done 9 days, I'm feeling so tired in the mornings but so accomplished too. I'm seriously thinking about never drinking again now

I’m doing fine here.
I’m happy with a drink of alcohol beer or herb tea- so I think my drinking is ‘something to do’ drinking. Interesting though as my pattern was 1 or 2 wines or g and ts most days.

Sleep is wonderful - it's the best bit.

Afternoon (technically) everyone! Day 10 feels like a small achievement already.

@CrystalE That's good to hear re. throwing everything at it. I did thankfully opt for getting some "healthier" options of usual rubbishy snacks last time I shopped (popcorn instead of crisps, low calorie ice cream, dark chocolate etc), and bought plenty of fruit, so I can attempt to have at least some of the snacking on the lighter side. Turns out I really like eating frozen pineapple chunks straight from the freezer.

I felt well enough to do some proper cardio this morning, and have felt a bit less fidgety and restless afterwards. Mood is a bit rubbish, though. I've just finished some usual weekly housework, which is usually a moment for me to reward myself with a drink or several, and sit down for a good podcast catch up and a bit of gaming. Turns out just trying to do the same but replace the drink with a decaf coffee doesn't produce the same effect at all. I think a week ago I was too full of the lurgy to really experience and notice this moment, but it's getting to me now. I'm not tempted to go out and buy alcohol, really, but just feeling grumpy at the lack of the "reward" and the routine, and annoyed at the craving itself.

Ugh I’ve just had a wave of cravings hit out of nowhere, think it’s a general feeling a bit bored and hopeless (and looking at the miserable weather). Think today is going to be a challenge.

Hi everyone, may I join you? I’m on day 10 of DJ and it’s nice to have found fellow members to discuss the ups and downs of the month with! This process was much needed for me, i had drunk almost every day last year ever if it was just a single glass of wine with dinner. I’m hoping this month turns into a much healthier relationship with alcohol and am planning to have an occasional drink, rather an occasional night off from drinking! Hope you’re all having a good weekend.

Unfortunately I'm not feeling the benefits that you all are. I sleep like a baby anyway, so my sleep isn't any better. I don't feel better in any way!

Hi @TheWildRumpyPumpus 👋
Welcome welcome ☕🍵

Kids had me up all night and I don't feel like death today. Absolute victory. Putting it down to DJ and my vitamins.

Hi everyone, just got back from our walk. My crunch points are over for this week (Friday and Saturday nights). Going to have a cup of tea then a bit of a spring clean of the spare room.

Will get some of that mint and lime cordial that everyone seems to like, sounds delicious.

I like M&S rhubarb and ginger cordial and clipper lemon and ginger tea, the ginger hit seems to help with alcohol cravings, for some reason.