DRY JANUARY 2023! 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 sixth year of DJ and I swear it may have saved my life; 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. Everyone welcome 🙂☕️🧃

The DJ2022 Wagon creaks to a start in just 4 days, but always stops for latecomers 🙂

I've done it before. The first two weeks are really hard, then it becomes easier and I start to really feel the benefits in week 3. It makes the evenings really boring though. I normally have two or three days off a week anyway so I don't find the first few days hard. Its when it gets to Friday or Saturday night that it becomes more tricky.

This is exactly how I feel, @freshstart2023. I'm already thinking 'well there's no point looking forward to Friday night, I won't be able to have a glass of wine.' I don't like any other alcohol but the wine = happy theory is a really hard mental association to break.

I also didn't sleep well last night, hoping for a better night tonight.

I have bought some peppermint tea today - I don't like tea or coffee but I do drink far too much diet coke so I'm hoping to find a new healthier comforting drink for the evenings without resorting to hot chocolate!

Well done everyone, day 2 will be over before we know it. Although that said this is my worst time (currently prepping dinner and would be so easy to open a bottle).

Partner is having a glass of wine whilst he preps dinner, I had a mix of orange and cranberry juice topped up with ginger ale in a cocktail glass.

Only problem at being at this spa for the first few days is dinner is at 7 - not a problem normally, perfect hour to have a drink at the bar (there isn't a bar here, but that's the main reason I'm here!). I'd prefer to eat at 6pm to close off that window. Instead having some CBD chamomile, which is nice.

I really enjoy a glass of wine and tried nosecco last night and it was nice. I really enjoyed it and had it in a champagne flute so it felt like a proper treat.

I’ve been a bit stressed today (day 3). Nothing too bad, and I think it’s caused by a mix of things (including back to work tomorrow/ messy, over full post Xmas house), but I’m sure the no alcohol is contributing a bit too.

Ive sorted out some things for the charity shop/ tip, been for a walk and had a quick blast on the exercise bike (I’ve not been on for AGES so starting with small amounts). I bought a Trip drink whilst out today and I had that about 30 mins ago. I’m definitely feeling more relaxed although whether it’s purely psychosomatic I don’t know. Tasted nice though and it was reduced so I’m happy to have them occasionally (I bought four).

I'd like to join please I done DJ last year and although I didn't post on here I found the threads really helpful and encouraging to follow.

My drinking has crept up quite a lot in the last year or two. I don't drink during the week but I'm more of a binge drinker come the weekends and it can get a bit of out of hand where I wake up feeling terrible from a hangover and anxious about what I've said and done the night before. I want to be a better person and get back to who I was a couple of years ago.

Doing DJ last year really made me feel good about myself and it re-set my relationship with alcohol for a little while at least.

Day 2 almost done and feeling good. Went to a family gathering last night where most people were drinking and I didn't feel tempted, I was just happy enjoying everyones company. Today I went a nice hill walk by myself which has left me feeling energised and fresh.

I don't like any other alcohol but the wine = happy theory is a really hard mental association to break.

Absolutely. I don't know why I associate it so strongly with happiness - admittedly sometimes I have had a great time drinking, but there are many, many occasions where I've felt horrendous from the inevitable hangover, as well as suffering from crippling anxiety and shame worrying about things I might have said whilst drunk. The amount of time I've lost being hungover over the years is huge as well.

I know others have mentioned Nosecco but I don't like it unfortunately (wish I did!) I find it too sickly sweet.

I'm currently running a bath and am planning to have a nice soak to relax and take my mind off alcohol. Also planning on a 9pm bedtime assuming my online shop arrives on time.

Nosecco is much less sweet mixed 50/50 with tonic.

I've just had a couple of glasses of 0% red wine mixed with tonic which was lovely.

*red wine with soda!

I've just had a couple of glasses of 0% red wine mixed with tonic which was lovely.

Thank you, I might give that a go!

I'm in the sleeping badly camp, although it's largely due to having to come off some medication I usually take to manage my chronic pain and crucially help me sleep. Have had a headache all day as well, so hoping for a better night tonight.

Have done OK again today. DH had a glass of wine with dinner which I would have normally joined with, but didn't too feel too bothered turning it down. Friday / Sat are my usual couple of g&ts and glass of wine or cider so will be more of a challenge I'm sure.

Bring on day 3, we can all do this 💪

Hi. Day one for me. Does that still count? I thought one of our cats was missing earlier and my teen DD with MH issues would have been distraught . I had to go somewhere for an hour and was even saying a prayer in the car (I'm not religious) for him to come back as the repercussions would be huge! I came very close to stopping at the shop for a can of G&T as a stress reliever on the way home but forced myself not to. The cat has just reappeared and I'm really glad I didn't stop.

Well done to everyone on here. Last time I went AF it took me about 5 days for sleeping to improve but when it did it was glorious. Easy to drop to sleep with an audio book and not waking up once in the night. It will blissful - along with the completely clear head.

I like Erdinger AF lager. I don't normally drink beer. Wine all the way- but it's the one that for me almost tastes like normal and does feel like a bit of a treat.

Good luck with tomorrow all!

Day 2 done. I.normally dtink every day and seriously need to cut down. Done DJ before and well remember the sleepless nights at the beginning when your brain isnt fuddled by alcohol. It does get better but first few nights are hard. I am drinking Valerian tea in the hope it will help.

@lemonsaretheonlyfruit well done! Stressful situations are a massive drinking trigger for me, you did really well. And so glad your cat is okay.

Thanks @freshstart2023 . I had a word with myself and told myself how much I would regret it if I gave up so early in Jan! Plus I read somewhere (which I guess is obvious) that every time you feel like a drink and make the decision not to it builds up your resilience and confidence in yourself, and no beating myself up for 'failing' - I mean how good can of gin and tonic really be when I really would have loved 3 large glasses of white wine!

@SeasonsBleatings I like the sound of the 0% red and tonic. Might give that a go!

Hello a latecomer first-timer! Im on day one, I just decided yesterday. Had friends over in the afternoon for a new years day buffet and had a couple of glasses of bucks fizz which Is hardly anything at all really but nothing in the evening. I usually drink 1-2 cans of beer or glass wine every night. I have the odd day off but I think out of the whole
of December maybe only 1 or 2 nights I’ve bot had something. Only time I’ve been off for a sustained period was when pregnant and I missed it very much. But I want to
give my body a break and in the long term just cut down to 2-3 nights a week not every night. Good luck everyone!

Day 2 done (almost). VERY tempted for a GnT whilst cooking but sufficed with ginger cordial & slimline tonic. About to have camomile tea. DH has caved in already and on the red wine.

Keep going everyone!

Day 2 done. Hoping for a more restful night...

Evening all, hope everyone is doing okay. Sending virtual tea and cake to anyone who is struggling this evening☕
I have made a big curry and had a couple of Beck's Blues with it. Also went to the pub earlier on a walk and had a hot chocolate. Then a wine glass full of soda and fresh lime. So basically exhausted all my drink options! Can't decide whether to have another early night, but last night I made the mistake of falling asleep really early and then being awake from about 11pm for hours.

Survived first day (I started late) That was my first alcohol free night in months. It’s been a very stressful time (well still is) so need to just get some resilience.

I don’t associate alcohol with happiness, but with stress relief. Once I start drinking I don’t have to worry about anything for the rest of the evening.

Going to buy some apple juice today and mix it with sofa and pretend it’s alcohol free cider :)

This thread is very inspiring. Thank you for starting it.

Well done @lemonsaretheonlyfruit Glad you got your cat back. Would also be frantic if anything happened to mine.

I've made it through another day. I stuck to Belvoir raspberry and lemon cordial with fizzy water, which was lovely. I honestly think half the reason I drink wine so quickly is because I'm thirsty!

The fizzy kombucha has given me terrible indigestion 😭

May have to invest in a soda stream if I carry on drinking this much fizzy water!

Thanks @WheelofLife

I definitely identify with what you say re stress drinking. I too have some really stressful stuff going on and I realise the last 18 months it's definitely been stress drinking - normally at home on my own (DCs are teens so normally in their rooms).

Your line about not having to worry about anything for the rest of the night is exactly how I feel. But that feeling of dread (and the same stress that was there the previous night but amplified with anxiety from drinking) will hopefully get us through!

Yes many thanks to @HPLikecraft for starting this thread. It's good to hear your story.