DRY JANUARY 2022! Been overindulging? Drinking crept up? Want to begin a healthy new you? 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 fifth 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 most years. It has broken my habit, banished much of the craving and reset my relationship with booze. I imagine it's added years to my life.

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

Throw your hat in the ring, pull up a chair and let's do this together. 🙂☕️🧃

The DJ2022 Wagon creaks to a start in just 5 days, but always stops for latecomers 🙂

Evening lovelies
Delighted to be more than half way through. My son and I have just come in from star gazing (the moon is stunning out there). I wouldn't have done that if I had been on the sauce - I would have been snoring on the sofa. More memories made.

Start of day 20 for me. It is great to start the day without that fuzzy-headed feeling from drinking the night before.

Morning all
Checking in for day 9. I went to a class at the gym yesterday and my legs and shoulders are feeling it today but other than that I'm feeling good.
I've been going to bed early and sleeping all night, I've got so much more energy on a morning.
Have a great day all

Feeling low this morning - just got up to the news that severely alcohol-dependent relative has been on a total bender since Sunday - it seems she can't drive past a bottle shop without popping in for a bottle of vodka. What a bloody mess. And enabling relative is still enabling, doesn't feel it's right to let her deal with the consequences as she is ill and needs someone to care for her - which is very nice of her but it's not helping in the long run.

Morning all,

I hope you've slept well. Not to brag, but I've been sleeping pretty well recently, despite DJ and being peri. I think being AF means a) I'm sleeping more deeply, and b) I'm not getting up to pee, even though I have a drink of peppermint tea in bed last thing.
That said, there is usually one night per week where I just can't sleep do end up getting up for a few hours. But there has definitely been a DJ improvement all things considered.

@footcushion I'm sorry to hear about your relative. It's so frustrating that her carer relative is so enabling. Alcohol really is an awful drug.

Well it's day 18 now, and we're doing great to still be here, even if there has been a slip up or two on the way. Talking of which, I fell off my Veganuary wagon last night as everyone wanted an Indian. Knowing that it's cooked in butter anyway I thought I may as well have paneer. It was bloody lovely. Vegan again today, though!

So, anyway, if you reach the end of today, that will be 58% done and dusted. Stay strong today, everyone.

On to day 7 or 17/18.
I am sleeping so well, but still struggling to get up in the morning. Last night I had 9 hours, still put the alarm on snooze twice. I've always hated dark mornings though - I would hibernate if I could.

@HPLikecraft It's so frustrating that her carer relative is so enabling. I know but she genuinely thinks alcohol dependent relative is going to die - and she's not far off the truth and so we have all the complicated emotions of if I back away and she dies how will I live with myself - the enabler is in an awful situation - we are trying to support the enabler - give her a ear and a shoulder but I'm someone who just wants to jump in and fix stuff - I'm trying hard not to be that person, it wouldn't help.

And yes sleep is so much better - when I drink I fall asleep on the sofa, cuddled up to dh, it's lovely - waking up at 3 am on the sofa alone is not so nice, when I'm AF I still feel like falling asleep at 9:30pm but drifting off is not quite as easy or satisfying, so we've gone to bed ridiculously early - my teenager is disgusted and thinks we've turned in to old people.

The moon was amazing last night, and the sky was full of stars. I heard a pair of tawny owls calling to each other on my way to fitsteps last night. I slept really well last night, woke up feeling really refreshed which is unusual for me. Hope those of you still struggling get some restful sleep soon.

@footcushion the whole situation sound stressful and emotional for all involved. Make sure you are looking after you as well as worrying about your family members.

That said, there is usually one night per week where I just can't sleep do end up getting up for a few hours
Same pattern here.
I realised this morning I’m getting about an extra hour on the nights I sleep well because I’m sleeping right up to the alarm, whereas previously I would wake up about an hour before and sit there having the ‘should I get up or will I fall back to sleep’ game.

@footcushion have you tried an intervention for the carer? I know it’s not for everyone but it might be worth a try. Sounds like the realitie may be too far gone atm but helping the carer might be possible.

Going to the shops on my lunch break. Looking to treat myself to something for achieving the half way point.

*relative

Morning all.

So sorry to hear about your relative @footcushion. It’s so sad. Is a residential rehabilitation centre an option? Or getting her into hospital somehow?

I had a better night’s sleep last night than the night before which was good.

I’m very impressed with those of you doing veganuary or any form of diet or exercise plan this month. I’m only focusing on alcohol. I think I drank much more than a lot of you though. I drank a lot of wine every night. Having a treat every night is helping me so I don’t want to stop that yet. I’m not going mad - this week at my Dads I’m having a Cornetto every night watching tv. Back at home it was a couple of Chocolates.

I’m starting intermittent fasting next month so won’t be eating at night then.

I want this to be part of a longer term change so I know for me trying to do everything at once just won’t stick.

Evening all, well we've done 2 weekends now. More if you started in NYD. We're going well.

I was reading something that may be relevant for those who have slipped up. It's a concept called sober capital. You bank all the days you didn't drink, especially if they are days you would normally have had a drink. I've now got 6 days of sober capital, at least, because I haven't had any alcohol on the 6 days this month that I would normally have had a drink. So basically, even if you have slipped up once, you still have the days of sober capital accrued.

Ohhh, can we cash that capital in, @FanGirlX? I've got my eye on some new boots!

Keep on keeping on, everyone. I'm kinda gagging for a bit of a bevvy tonight, but I'm sure it'll pass.

The end of today, day 18, sees us 58% down.

Another target - the silver fish award - will be this Saturday at 6am. That is the 75% mark! I'm sure you'll agree that's well worth hanging onto the berg for!

I like the idea of a silver fish award. Definitely worth hanging on until Saturday for.

I'm feeling more content today, can't say I'm thinking too much about wine but I don't drink if I have an exercise class the next day and I've booked to go spinning every week day so that fixes that. I'm still utterly shite at the yoga challenge but I'm sticking in.

I don't have my dc this weekend so that could be problematic but I'm determined. Pretty sure I want to do February too so be keen to join the group that want to carry on. But then again I need to get January finished first.

I’m finding it quite straightforward this time BUT I don’t have any big social events in Jan which makes it considerably easier. Looking at my diary for Feb it’s going to be really difficult. I have a few big things happening plus going away at half term. Really don’t want to slip into bad habits again!

I have gone from not being able to sleep to permanently knackered. I went to bed at 8.30 last night and slept about 10 hours. Now I can hardly keep my eyes open.

I'm so bored as well but too tired to start a new hobby plus I am saddled with a tedious charity thing that I can't get out of for at least two months so I am wracked with guilt that I haven't actually done the thing I'm meant to have done but cba actually do it.

Gah! January blues definately settled in here.

Without wanting to sound rude - am I the only one who keeps thinking of those pesky little insect things when I read the words "silver fish" .

Ah well - sorry for downbeat post but at least I've made it through day 18.

@Cherrymix me too I'm knackered

Evening all. Daily check in. Day 18 and doing well. Still have cravings but I won't be giving in.
Hope you all sleep well.

Ohhh, can we cash that capital in, @FanGirlX? I've got my eye on some new boots!

I think so. I'm saving the money I would have spent on booze (in my case about £60) and treating myself to a massage.

@ilovetomatoes

I’m finding it quite straightforward this time BUT I don’t have any big social events in Jan which makes it considerably easier. Looking at my diary for Feb it’s going to be really difficult. I have a few big things happening plus going away at half term. Really don’t want to slip into bad habits again!

Likewise. My first social event is 19th Feb and I'm thinking of keeping DJ going until then. Not sure what to do about the weekend away on 19th yet. Considering giving myself a pass out for that weekend and then getting back on the wagon until the end of March.

Wow, my sleep was good last night. Fitbit saying a solid 8 hours 15 with very little waking up. I'm thanking my new ear plugs.

Day 19 checking in.

You know you’re middle aged when the idea of treating yourself at the shops results in the purchase of a good quality fleece
I’m wearing it now and it’s snuggly, it’s my ‘I made it half way’ fleece.

I had an early night and slept almost straight away. For me, sleep is the key benefit I’m noticing as a result of DJ. The only negative is weight gain but I’m not too concerned as my weight fluctuates quite a lot each month anyway.

Keep strong everyone!

Morning all!

Ha, yes @FanGirlX earplugs changed my life! I have a snoring, toilet-visiting DH and used to be woken several times a night; this was if I was lucky enough to get to sleep at all with the drone of the snoring. Now I can sleep all night. They're fantastic, and much cheaper than divorce!

I like the 'I made it halfway' treat idea, @CovidForChristmas. But I'm so middle aged I've come out of the other end of the good fleece era (I have a few!) and into the midlife crisis stage. I'm eyeing up colourful DMs and other frivolous things.

Without wanting to sound rude - am I the only one who keeps thinking of those pesky little insect things when I read the words "silver fish" smile
I didn't instantly think of them @Cherrymix, but when I was googling for pictures for the award (yes, I'm just that conscientious, being an OP is quite a responsibility!) you can imagine the images that came up 🤮

I like the idea of cashing in on DJ @FanGirlX and others. The savings i make from not buying any wine with my weekly shop are quite astronomical.

I had my first big challenge on Saturday as I had dinner with some friends. On a normal occasion we would have opened and finished at least a few bottles of wine. The result this time however was that I have converted one of them to doing DJ. 🤣

Wow, well done @ThatsMe123! We have a convert. Maybe we all should be more evangelical about this.

I've finally decided that I'm going to extend my dry period through February now, too. It's my birthday on the 28th Feb, so I'll have my first drink of this year then.