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 🙂

Happy New Year to everyone.

For the first time in years I’ve woken up on New Years Day without some kind of hangover and it’s feels bloody brilliant 😁

"My skin looks like shit, I feel really boated and sluggish and low level anxious."

I feel the same @StickyCricket. Also I've been trying to shift a few pounds for ages, I eat well generally and I know that if I stop the wine it will drop off! Yet I still drink!

I’m in - I did it last year and lasted until early March. I want to beat that, even though it will be really tough for me!

Happy New Year everyone! Feeling positive about today. Have lots of resolutions and fun plans to scheme about. Going to fill the gap with stuff that I enjoy. Last year I was surprised at how much time I have in the evenings when I don't drink.

For the end of work day switch off (I often work from home too as a PP said they do) I like sitting with a soft drink and a crossword or a book. I have a few meetups in January and February that would normally be boozy but last year I used those nights to experiment with alcohol free alternatives. Becks Blue is still the original and the best though!

I'm in.

I did it last year and split up with partner in January. And slipped up on 3 days.

This year I'm determined to do the whole month.

Happy new year all! I had a few glasses of fizz last night but am feeling motivated and looking forward to a month (at least) of alcohol - free evenings.

I've started the day with a green smoothie and feel amazing 🥬

I shall be aboard the abstention train after DP's birthday and a visit from friends who live overseas -- and plan to keep it up until mid-February minimum.

Happy New Year fellow DJers.

My aim is that I procrastinate less and 'just do it' more. So far, so good with some decluttering as I go.

Yes, I'm in (first timer). Divorced my husband for (by the end) out of control alcoholism in March and want to make sure I get a firm handle on my own consumption too - living with an alcoholic definitely skews your perception of normal, and need to do a bit of a reset myself.

Have been factoring more alcohol free days in the run up to this, but a whole month is a daunting prospect...

I've bought some alcohol free milled wine (like the warming 'comfort factor' and proximity to red wine, without the taste of standard AF red wines) and some Trip drinks - though that doesn't seem to have any kind of effect. I am liking the Remedys ginger Kombucha drinks too.

Happy New Year everyone! Got my favourite tonic and ginger cordial in, getting my shit together for starting a new job after 9 months out (planned and much enjoyed) and still got the kids here for most of another week so looking forward to some fun. I don't really do DJ for my own health reasons - I have a happy relationship with alcohol involving not much drinking - but I do it for the memory of my husband and the man he was before he and the drink got each other, and I do it because I co-facilitate a support group for people who have loved ones in addiction and I now support people who are where I used to be.

I also like the deep sleep.

I'll be on hand to offer encouragement to anyone who wants/needs it.

My first time to try but I’m in! I expect it’ll be very very hard but I desperately need to stop smoking so this might be a good start towards that goal

Happy New Year everyone.
Was out for NYE and had plenty of G&T's, but feel fine. Been to Asda and bought lots of sparking lime water for this. Cleared away all wine. And had bought all ingredients for pornstar martini's and made them but not nice, so cleared all that away into the back garden shed aswell.
Ready to go.

Please may I join you?

My alcohol consumption has crept up to the point where I’ve been drinking a bottle of wine a day for the past five months, sometimes more - and am in major need of a reset.

I know I need to do this for the sake of my health (physical and mental), my family, my finances and even my job. I've done so many things I'm ashamed of whilst drunk, including losing my phone (twice) and having horrible arguments with DH.

My goal is to complete dry January and then drink in moderation going forward.

It’s day one though and I'm already really struggling - I have a hangover from yesterday, am feeling miserable that the holiday season is over and just want a glass of wine. Help!

Had a few glasses of wine last night and feeling a bit fuzzy headed this morning, so looking forward to a months break and hopefully feeling the better for it :)
My family are visiting this afternoon/evening and none of them drink so an easy day to start

Does anyone else get that "bruised" feeling when hungover? That's what I have today and it's horrible. I just drank a large glass of OJ and that has left me feeling a bit sick.

I really want to make this the last hangover I ever have, because I just cannot take this awful feeling any longer.

Not to mention the horrendous anxiety that accompanies a hangover too. Drinking is so bad for my mental health.

freshstart2023, I know exactly how you feel, the low level but constant anxiety is the worst. 😞
Now its getting dark and I have had a slight hangover all day, all I want to do is drink wine.... but I won't cos I would really despise myself if I did!

I’m ‘lucky’ today - was in bed by 9pm last night as I tested positive for covid yesterday. No hangover but feel very sorry for my self! But at least it gives me a bit of an extra reason to lay off the booze.

This is so true in our household too.
So significant birthday parties on 20th and 30th of the month, but hope/plan to only drink alcohol on those occasions. (ideally not even then🤔)

Happy New Year everyone!! Checking in with you all.

Had a few glasses of prosecco last night, toasted in the New Year and finished that glass and that was it, zero hangover so that's a positive. Bought some Nozecco to try last night and gave some to the kids, bloody awful stuff, so floral I couldn't drink it. Shame as was hoping that was going to be my go to drink.

DH opened a lovely bottle of red after I'd gone to bed and there's 2/3 of it left today, really wanted to pour myself a glass this afternoon whilst I relax and watch a film, but feeling motivated and have poured myself a Summer Fruits dilute in my usual wine glass instead. It's the nice drink I like most, so just need a replacement.

Happy New Year everyone

I’m in - did DJ for the first time last year and found the threads on here to be very helpful / supportive. I also used the Try Dry app which was a good motivator for me - carried on using it all year & whilst I drank more than I ideally would like to overall consumption was definitely down on previous years. Good luck all x

I'm in!! My third year although still an enormous challenge for me. And today it's Sunday and NYD so roast dinner which is my hardest challenge by far. Five of them to get through! Feeling pretty daunted today to be honest.

I'm also feeling daunted - really not sure I can do this.

Does anyone have any tips on distraction techniques when you're just craving a glass of wine?

I'm in - hungover today but the main motivation for me is that I've started to associate seeing DP with a large glass or two. I want us to know we can enjoy being together without booze.

I like the Coop alcohol free G and T - presumably mainly tonic water but more botanical than that.

@freshstart2023 you can do this
do something either mentally or physically immersive like stick on a yoga dvd, or settle down reading a book you know will be absorbing, maybe with a hot chocolate, or make a cup of tea and put the tv / radio on while you prepare kids tea