Dry Another Day! February beckons. Dry January (and beyond?) Thread 2. All welcome.

[HPLikecraft]

Ah, there you are little dry pingywings. 🐧🐧🐧

Shiny new thread. I've swept the berg and we're good to go. Hop on.

Happy day 44!

I have been in a stress over the weekend and could really have done with a drink, especially Saturday evening. Glad I didn’t, but am almost dreading having a drink, I’m worried I’ll just go ‘fuck it’ and be back to how I was in no time.

I have noticed that my mood has lightened over the last week. As well as quitting booze, I've been trying to follow the BBC's Dopamine diet and taking a vitamin B complex, as well as omega 3. Reason being, even a small amount of alcohol depletes dopamine and dopamine helps with mood.

I didn't have my dopamine levels checked before I started though, so I've got no way of knowing if they have increased.

Please can I join and also ask some advice?
I stopped drinking last year for a few months and felt great. It slowly creeped back to drinking almost daily.

I drunk a lot last night. Argued with my son and feel absolutely awful this morning. I have been awake since 5am, my anxiety is terrible I'm shaking inside.
I have been home all week in isolation and the thought of going out feels me with dread. I have work later today and I don't know how I'm going to manage it. I can't phone in sick as I've been off all week but I feel so bad.
I really need to stop this

Welcome @Mikey75 , sorry you are feeling so awful. Aside from anything else Covid can totally knock you for six, so try and be kind to yourself.

Do you have to go into work today? Have you finished your full isolation period?

Re the drinking, it sounds as if you did brilliantly by giving up before for a period of time, and therefore can do it again. Don't beat yourself up about slipping back.. alcohol is an addictive drug and very, very seductive.

Maybe write down exactly how you are feeling today, and look at it every time you feel like reaching for the wine. It's the memory of how bloody awful alcohol makes me feel mentally and physically that has kept me off it so far this year.

And post here too.. lots of lovely folk who know how tough it is, but who want better for themselves. You'll get lots of support 🌷

Thank you @Davethecat2001

I really have to go to work as there is nobody to cover. I have written my feelings down and posting here will help.
I have never felt so anxious in my life. I really want to change. Every bad thing that has happened to me all connects to my drinking. Making stupid decisions and being reckless.
I'm so hoping this thread will help me

You can do it! You've done it before and you know how much better you felt.

Count today as day1, don't think ahead too much.. one day at a time x

@oopsIdiditagaintoo

I have noticed that my mood has lightened over the last week. As well as quitting booze, I've been trying to follow the BBC's Dopamine diet and taking a vitamin B complex, as well as omega 3. Reason being, even a small amount of alcohol depletes dopamine and dopamine helps with mood.

I didn't have my dopamine levels checked before I started though, so I've got no way of knowing if they have increased.

Thank you for posting this. I've not heard of the dopamine diet and I have very low natural levels of dopamine so I'm off to take a look at this. Sounds exciting!

@oopsIdiditagaintoo - I just took a quick look at the recipes - they all look delicious. Bit surprised there's no mention of turkey on there or dark choc, as I thought both of those have high levels of tyrosine, especially turkey. I thought it was the main source of it in food.

[quote gingerhills]@oopsIdiditagaintoo - I just took a quick look at the recipes - they all look delicious. Bit surprised there's no mention of turkey on there or dark choc, as I thought both of those have high levels of tyrosine, especially turkey. I thought it was the main source of it in food.[/quote]
I thought turkey and dark choc should be on there. I think the BBC one is a snapshot, might be worth getting something more comprehensive.

Are you taking a good quality vitamin B complex and Omega 3? I think I get a decent amount from my food I think but didn't think it would harm me to take extra for a couple of months.

Not yet. I take iron and Vit D spray. I'll add B complex (though I can almost eat Marmite neat from the spoon - maybe that;' why) I'll also add omega 3 to the list. Or eat more sardines!

It looks like a really good diet.

Checking in, Happy Valentines Day all.

Despite half term, I haven’t had a drink. That’s after torturing myself with the ‘will I or won’t I’ game. DH didn’t drink so that made it easier too.

Feeling more relaxed about it as time goes on.

@Mikey75 welcome. I’ve found reading some quit lit has helped keep me dry and made me feel better about my own mistakes of the past. I’m reading glorious rock bottom at the moment in the evening when I feel tempted. Certainly helps crush that craving.

Hi everyone, happy valentine's
@Mikey75 sorry you felt so terrible this morning, I hope your day got better. Anxiety is so horrible. Drinking always makes mine ten times worse, it's my main reason for not wanting to drink at the moment. I have been loving mugs of tea in the evening. Partly for the need for something to drink, but probably more for the warm soothing cosy feeling.

The dopamine diet sounds good @oopsIdiditagaintoo. I have started taking B vitamins and I do think they make me feel more lively

Thank you everyone. I got through the day. I have been anxious a lot lately and I definitely think the wine makes it worse.
I have absolutely no intention of drinking but I know as the week moves on I will start to feel better and crave it again.

I have ordered a copy of This Naked Mind so going to really try. I felt so much better when I stopped before.

Finally managed a dry night. Been rubbish over the weekend. Well since last Wednesday really.

Welcome @Mikey75. It’s bloody hard isn’t it? Well done for getting through the day.

Morning gang.

Well done on staying dry last night @Peridot1

We had a nice takeaway last night, and OH suggested opening a bottle of Prosecco ( we have several leftover from Xmas). I was reeeeeally tempted.. but said no thanks and really glad actually.

I know I would have really got a taste for it again as Prosecco is one of my weaknesses.

Hoping for a negative covid test today so i can go to a friends for lunch later.

Hope everyone has a good day 🌷

@Mikey75

Thank you everyone. I got through the day. I have been anxious a lot lately and I definitely think the wine makes it worse. I have absolutely no intention of drinking but I know as the week moves on I will start to feel better and crave it again.

I have ordered a copy of This Naked Mind so going to really try. I felt so much better when I stopped before.

Welcome @Mikey75

The alcohol definitely makes anxiety worse. It strips your brain of dopamine. I've been reading up a lot on this and the dopamine diet I mentioned below plus vitamin b complex and omega 3 will help build up the dopamine again. As Will doing some exercise and getting outside, even if that's just a 20 minute lunchtime walk. Sorry if I'm starting to sound evangelical now but it has definitely helped me.

Really interesting about the dopamine link.

I’m in bed after a night of mixing my drinks. I suspect I’ll regret it later. Kombucha, water, tea and peppermint tea. I think the quantity may mean I’m peeing all night!

I’m in bed after a night of mixing my drinks. I suspect I’ll regret it later. Kombucha, water, tea and peppermint tea. I think the quantity may mean I’m peeing all night!

Me too, I really need to knock my nightly pint (of water) on the head 😂

Thank you for the warm welcome.

Day 3 for me today. I am feeling slightly better. I have a day off today and I'm going to try and tackle my teenagers bedroom. I have a bit more motivation today.

Good luck with that @Mikey53! Glad you are feeling better and hope the bedroom isn’t too bad. My 20 year old son’s bedroom is a disaster zone.

@oopsIdiditagaintoo - I managed to only wake once for the loo. But then took ages to get back to sleep.

Morning all.

Covid day 10 for me so I am officially free to go out and about again!

DS day 7 and his line is barely visible now so our trip to the Science Museum with friends is back on tomorrow.. yayy! Poor boy gas had a lousy half term so far.

Day 47 here. Feeling goid about that, although fuzzy headed/ brain from the Covid.. hoping that buggers off soon.

Got a smear test this afternoon 😬. First one in god knows how long.. not looking forward to that at all!

Well done on day 3 @Mikey555 💪

Glad you are finally free @DavetheCat2001 and day 47 is epic.

I have started the 30 day experiment (I am reading the book, there is a chapter for each day) and I am hopeful this is going to make a big difference.

I seem to be "alright" for 2/3 weeks and then I end up going off piste for a few days [it isn't just the one day]. I realise that being dry for 42 days out of 47 is a vast improvement - for me - but it's not changing my overall mindset.

I guess I like the option of knowing I can drink if I want to, but the reality is it's not worth it. Doing "day one" over and over again is exhausting.

I think Ideally I'd like to get to a point where it is just something I do very occasionally (birthdays / holidays)

We'll see.

Well done to everyone who is still dry and to those of us trying to forge a new path!!! We'll get there.

Morning, I'm still here, day 7 since I drank but 46 dry days this year which I'm proud of.

Covid took it out of me, much more than I expected. Really was quite poorly for 2 weeks but yesterday I suddenly started to feel better and today I'm much more back to myself. Very relieved.

I am going out for dinner on Saturday night, just now I am thinking not to drink, I'd like to get to the end of this month with only one day drinking but I'm not going to beat myself up if I do drink.

Hope everyone is keeping well