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Original poster

DRY JANUARY 2023! Been overindulging? Drinking crept up? Want to begin a healthy new you? This way please. All welcome!

992 replies

HPLikecraft · 28/12/2022 20:17

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 🙂

OP posts:
Thread gallery
5
Findyourneutralspace · 04/01/2023 23:06

Anyone else really struggling to fall asleep?

Day 6 here and hoping I’d be over the hump by now. I’ve definitely used booze to help me nod off in the evenings.

Champagneforeveryone · 04/01/2023 23:07

Day 1 done and tucked up in bed. A brutal physio session and a recommendation to take at least another two weeks off work have not helped my mood <seethes>

DH is mardy, nothing obvious but just tetchy. So that's nice 🙄

Judystilldreamsofhorses · 04/01/2023 23:13

Hello, I am on holiday until Monday but will do the rest of the month with you if I can, please? I have wine face.

Interested in this thread?

Then you might like threads about this subject:

General food
MeinKraft · 04/01/2023 23:23

I've taken a 'before' selfie so I can compare it after a month with no booze

Original poster
HPLikecraft · 04/01/2023 23:31

Me just popping up quickly to say goodnight and hope you've all managed to stay strong tonight.
If you didn't, come and tell us... Hopefully we can encourage you on.

Sleep well everyone, % update in the morning 😴

OP posts:
DillDanding · 04/01/2023 23:33

I recommended this upthread, but if you’re after a good fake gin Smidgin is fantastic. You only have 1/2 a teaspoon with tonic and it really does taste like gin.

WaxingGibbon · 04/01/2023 23:57

Well done everyone for making it through today. I've been doing ok but definitely getting through a lot more chocolate than planned. Oh well. Hope you all get some sleep tonight and bring on day 5

Icouldbehappy · 05/01/2023 01:30

I’m in.

FlightDeckBuckarooo · 05/01/2023 07:09

I’m less full of the joys of morning today than I was yesterday. I woke up at 3:30 and had difficulty getting back to sleep, although luckily I wasn’t wide awake and was able to rest still. I’ve had difficulty sleeping for years though so it’s not surprising that’s 5 AF days haven’t totally sorted it. Anyway I’m a bit tired right now and listening to upbeat music on my commute to try and invigorate myself a bit more!

like many others on here I’m a bit stuck with how to spend the evenings. I was ok until about 8, then at 8:30 I decided to sit in bed and read, which I enjoyed, but I think contributed to me being awake too early this morning. I could watch a series, but to be honest I’d probably watch that in bed too. I think I’ll try and go on my exercise bike or take the dog for a late walk round the block each night. And maybe at least 30 mins of sorting all the clutter in our house each night too. Both of those I think will have a positive effect on my mental health as well as delaying my bed time by an hour or so.

Well done to everyone for getting to this point. Especially those of you who are struggling with it but carrying on regardless.

Soberjan · 05/01/2023 07:13

Morning all, woken up very groggy don't want to get out of bed but have to. Sore throat! Slept through out though but went to bed very late around 1am which is unusual for me. When drinking every day I would knock out before my child at 930! I'm still stressing about Saturday night when I will be out not sure what to do!

ColouringPencils · 05/01/2023 07:27

More crazy dreams last night. It's starting to stress me out! I hope these stop soon.

Greatly · 05/01/2023 07:48

Morning all and well done us for getting this far. I slept well last night and have finally found some decent earplugs so I can sleep through Dhs snoring.

Had a plain tonic water last night while I was cooking dinner (my trigger area) and didn't really think about alcohol.

Dh is stalking about doing grumpy tidying. He always does it when stressed and its very irritating. I work with him as well so it's like I never get a break from feeling like I'm doing a shit job 😭

Banoffeepie21 · 05/01/2023 07:55

We’re doing DJ here, and so far almost so good. I’ve been ill since NYE so have been focusing on trying to get better, my sleep has been fine. Husband has been struggling with sleep and my wretched coughing hasn’t helped but we’re on day 4 now.

Weekend evenings are the most tricky for us, so watching this thread for hints and tips 😀

Fundays12 · 05/01/2023 08:02

Judystilldreamsofhorses · 04/01/2023 23:13

Hello, I am on holiday until Monday but will do the rest of the month with you if I can, please? I have wine face.

I get wine face too. I am in day 5 and my skin looks so much better already and I feel better.

I struggled last night as I really fancied a wine but persevered and had a fresh orange and lemonade then did my nails after an exercise class. It’s sat night is going to be my struggle night as I like a wine on a sat night but going to get nonsecco and hope that helps.

Fundays12 · 05/01/2023 08:03

MeinKraft · 04/01/2023 23:23

I've taken a 'before' selfie so I can compare it after a month with no booze

Great idea I think I will do the same

freshstart2023 · 05/01/2023 09:40

I've had a little bit of a turning point this morning. I had a decent night's sleep for the first time since starting DJ - I did wake up once or twice but drifted off again easily, rather than lying wide awake for hours like I normally do.

I felt pretty positive mentally upon waking and for the first time, a tiny thought popped into my head that doing DJ is actually a good thing (rather than just feeling resentful and miserable about it as I have done until now).

I hope it wasn't just a fleeting thought and that I'm finally beginning to get into my stride.

freshstart2023 · 05/01/2023 09:43

DH also commented yesterday that the whites of my eyes look whiter.

Sorry if this has already been done, but now we've completed 4 days sober, it means we are officially 13% of the way there.

Good luck with day 5 everybody!

WinterFoxes · 05/01/2023 09:46

I'm enjoying feeling less tired in the evenings and a lot more creative.

But can anyone recommend how to curb the sugar cravings? Mine are awful. Yesterday I had six pieces of Turkish Delight, 2 chocolates and two slices of Christmas cake! On top of three good meals. Can't keep doing this. Would love some tips from anyone who has managed to curb sugar cravings.

thenightsky · 05/01/2023 09:50

I've woken up feeling like I have the hangover from hell. Banging headache, stuffy nose and my neck feels like I've slept in a vice. Luckily the only thing I've got on today is a visit to the chiropractor, who will hopefully sort out my neck!

freshstart2023 · 05/01/2023 10:20

Stick with it everyone, and kudos to you @freshstart2023 . I must have missed your weekly unit count before.

Thank you @buzzofthebumblebee

tinydancer88 · 05/01/2023 10:32

Day 5, finding it smooth sailing so far but with the combo of tomorrow being Friday and also it likely to be a stressful work day I'd normally be looking forward to a negroni when I got home and maybe sharing a bottle of red, so will have to come up with another treat/way of marking the start of the weekend.

StickyCricket · 05/01/2023 10:48

Feeling ok today, anxiety is so much better.

Sleep is still an issue. I think I need to put my phone away at 7pm for a few nights and see if that helps.

I’m bracing myself for tomorrow. I know that as soon as I finish work a wine craving is going to hit hard. Maybe I’ll be pleasantly surprised and it won’t.

So much of our weekend socialising and activities include drinking, I’m predicting the weekend is going to be quite dull and getting myself down about it before it’s even here.

AngryGoblin · 05/01/2023 10:50

Morning all. I'm on day 3 today and I think I feel a bit better. I still have a bit of a headache but I think I'm not drinking enough water plus I am dieting too so lack of food and sugar will be contributing.

I'm so committed to DJ that I'm not even considering drinking but hey, 3 das in that's easy for me to say.

I am sleeping loads but waking up to wee, I suspect because of eating less too.

Blueskies3 · 05/01/2023 10:54

So I thought I only had a few over the weekend and that it would be easy to do Dry January and it is not! I have a couple each day Fri/Sat/Sun and then of course over the Christmas week drank each day. I have been finding it harder to fall asleep too. Although I am a bit shocked about how much more productive I am. My DH is home on holidays and we had been sitting together and having an afternoon drink, well now I have some time. I don't know how I will make it to the end of the month, but I have kg to lose and I need to take it one day at a time.

tothefareast80 · 05/01/2023 11:04

Morning everyone. It's interesting reading the variations in how everyone is feeling after a few days of DJ. I'm thankful to be feeling good, it's almost annoying how productive and clear headed I feel - I wish the stark contrast to mornings after drinking weren't quite so noticeable 🙄. Just bought myself some Becks Blue to have this weekend as I'm guessing it will be a real challenge. Can't remember the last time I didn't have a drink on a Friday/Saturday night. Totting up the units I'd usually have had by now is also very sobering but for now those units are definitely being replaced by massive consumption of sugar. Have bought a beginner's knitting kit to keep me busy in the evenings too which I hope will help. Good luck everyone.