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! 🙂☕️🧃

I already know this weekend is going to be harder than last weekend. Last weekend was a novelty. My usual coping strategies are banned due to lockdown.

I'm going to keep myself busy with a few household tasks and then have dinner. I've got some posh popcorn to hopefully stave off some of the cravings when I'm sitting in front of the tv later.

drinking 3/4 bottles a week of wine?

This is double, almost triple, the amount recommended by the NHS.

Evening all. Lovely day of catching up with friends online and on a walk. A few chores, bit of gardening, made a pie to stop family moaning about lack of pudding. Have been riveted to an audio book through all this. Off to try and finish it, then fish n chip tea. What's everyone else got planned?

@Tazers

drinking 3/4 bottles a week of wine?

This is double, almost triple, the amount recommended by the NHS.

The amount recommended by NHS is a figure plucked from thin air. I would say use your own judgment on what you think is too much/too little

Day 15 for me

DH is opening my favourite wine. This is very hard tonight.

Just finished a really busy day at work and fancied a glass of wine as DS (adult) is having one after finishing a set of exams. So am having an emergency AF beer instead. It tastes good.

Also really happy to report that the weight gain has vanished. Back to pre Christmas weight and definitely have more energy - sleeping shorter hours and waking up with more energy.
I just wish I had the willpower to keep going after DJ but know as soon as DH hits the wine, I will join him.

@Spacecudet - do you have a favourite non-alcoholic drink that you can prep for yourself? A long mocktail with ice and fresh fruit or mint r cucumber - something with a kick to it, so you can enjoy it and feel virtuous at the same time.

Having a tonic, hope this staves off the cravings.

I have never been as tempted as I am tonight. I have had the week from Hell - I'm project managing the setup from scratch of three additional COVID wards in my NHS Trust. I'm not frontline, but I'm pulling all the people involved together and my head is going to explode.

But I'm not chucking it in now, so will have a not gin and tonic and a takeaway instead.

Thanks @Labobo I have lime and mint cordial for later. I don't think I have ever not had a drink when DH has a drink. It was easy when he wasn't drinking.

@Labobo well done for having an AF beer. Keep going @pointythings.

@pointythings enjoy the take away. You deserve a clear head after a week like that. Can you have long bath and an early night?

The amount recommended by NHS is a figure plucked from thin air.

Evidence?

@CoronaIsWatching

A lot of people are in denial about their alcoholism. Alcoholics are pissing themselves in a homeless shelter, they aren't middle class mummies posting on mumsnet. Apparently.

Jealous of those with weight loss. I've still got 4lb to go to get back to Xmas eve weight. Some overeating as a result of no wine hasn't helped.

anyone want to talk about upping this to a 100 days? 11th April?

I need to find something else to do in the evenings. TV is so crap I've been heading to bed at 930. DH has been watching James Bond repeats on ITv2 which has f helped 🤦🏻‍♀️

@Spacecudet - my DH has bought a bottle of wine too . He's having a hard time at work so don't want to moan but it is worrying. I don't want it now but I know that I often suddenly think a glass would be ok at about 11 at night.

I'll join forces with you in a wine resistance front

I was thinking of 100 days, but (travel restrictions allowing) I have family from abroad staying from 31st March. Big drinkers. In fact, that is what we do. We drink. When we are together we just drink. If I stopped the pressure would be immense.

In fact, the only reason I can think of for not doing it is the pressure from them, and another family member, who is in our bubble, who also drinks a lot. She is DHs family and okay in small doses but I think the real reason I cope with her is because we drink when she is here. The thought of dealing with her sober is alarming.

Which means the reasons I am telling myself why I can't, basically are two other parties in my world where heavy drinking is the norm, and it is unimaginable being with them sober. Which is worrying.

Thanks, labobo. I'm going to watch some trashy telly, have an early night and a lie-in and then a peaceful weekend. Am having a not-gin and tonic, which I really enjoy - I have it sparingly because it's not cheap, but it's so nice I've got over wanting wine.

Definitely need a clear head, lots more work to do on this next week. But in other news, I've booked my NHS staff COVID vaccine for Thursday and feel very, very privileged.

I read somewhere that booze therapists are moving away from the "alcoholic" label because it is a bit of a loaded word. Maybe it's easier for people to accept they have an issue when it's described in more spectrumish words - like risky or problem drinking.

I wonder if the term alcoholic has been seen as a place from which very few can return.

@CrystalE

I've heard this too. It was the poster below who said she wasn't an alcoholic because she only drinks 30-40 units a week. I pointed out that this is way above the NHS recommended amount and another poster said that the NHS recommended amount is pulled out of thin air. That's two posters in denial about their problem drinking.

@ChrystalE go to bed at 10:30 so missing your thoughts of wine at 11. I'm on my 3rd tonic to stop myself joining in with DH. I've managed to eat my pizza without a glass of red wine. We can do it.

@pointythings - good news on the vaccine. So glad all you NHSers are getting it done so quickly. We all need you! And you all deserve to be looked after like gold dust

@LabCoatPocket I hear you! I did a month alcohol free in June last year. The most painful night in that month was a bbq with DH family. SOBER. Soooooo boring!!

I read in a sober lit thingy that you don't need alcohol to have a good time. If your with friends and loved ones you will find you can have fun sober. But what she didnt address was being sober when
BORED was beyond painful.

I ended up hiding upstairs reading on my phone for as long as I could get away with 🤦🏻‍♀️