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Original poster

Old habits DRY hard! It's DRY JANUARY thread #2... newcomers always welcome!

938 replies

HPLikecraft · 11/01/2023 07:38

Here we are, a shiny new thread to help us stay dry.

Thread one has been great and supportive; and thread two will take us through further challenges and milestones. Hop aboard; you're all doing brilliantly!

OP posts:
Thread gallery
12
Fundays12 · 16/01/2023 13:31

WTF99 · 16/01/2023 12:38

Delurking here to say hello all and how helpful I've found all the input here since the start of thread one.
This is my 2nd DJ, the first one being a few years ago. Me and my partner are both doing it. We don't live together but spend lots of time in each other's house including every weekend. I think I would really struggle if he wasn't doing it as well.
My experience has followed a similar pattern to others here. My sleep is gradually improving and I've had a couple of really.good nights. My anxiety is generally much reduced and it's been great not to have hangovers or the 'day after dread' with racing heart and misery about what I might have said or done the night before.
I was surprised to find the first 2 weeks relatively easy. I'd had a vile cold before Christmas and was almost forcing myself to drink even though not really enjoying it, so it was a relief to have a break at first. I had the occasional craving but nothing too troublesome.
This weekend has been a challenge though. I've felt fed up and have really missed socialising with friends, which I've realised mostly centres around pub/alcohol, often in large amounts.We've not been out at all since NYE. Not sure how I'm going to manage this post-January. Spritzers with just a small glass of wine? I was shocked to read that one large glass of sauv blanc is 3 units 😳 Really wanted a glass of wine at home this weekend but managed without, though neither of us was in a very good mood.
I think this experience is forcing me to reevaluate what constitutes having a good time, and to think of ways of taking alcohol out of the equation. It's not easy though.
I'm aware also that I fall back on alcohol to get me through stressful times, especially when I'm at home on my own, which is not a good thing. Pleased to say that I think I've made progress on this, though may have substituted somewhat with toast and butter, so weight has sadly remained static.
Onwards into the 2nd half! Planning for our 1st drink to be Friday 3rd Feb to avoid mid-week drinking on a work night.

Omg 3 units for a large glass of wine.i think it was drinking about 24 units a week before DJ 😱.

I am starting to loose weight too now which is a huge bonus as I was getting a puffy face and wine belly

Spirini · 16/01/2023 14:00

Hello dry January-ers. Still dry here, man is it boring! And I agree @freshstart2023 socialising is no fun when you're sober, I'd prefer to be in watching tv...
Feeling a lot better today than I did on the weekend, there are blue skies here which helps lift my mood.
Whoop to 50% there! Apparently this is the point where people start to drop off and fail.

DoingALeicester · 16/01/2023 15:02

Delighted we are halfway! I'm feeling a bit miserable since the realisation that my drinking was very unhealthy, way, way too many units, dangerously so. I just can't go back to how I was. That feels a bit sad. I'm not sure why.

Original poster
HPLikecraft · 16/01/2023 15:15

"Apparently this is the point where people start to drop off and fail"

IMPORTANT BROADCAST TO ALL DJers:

Don't do this. Do not drop off. Sure, slip up if you can't help it, but do come back.
Remember: the more you feel you may fail and give up, the more you actually need Dry January.

Let's keep at it.💪

OP posts:
Champagneforeveryone · 16/01/2023 15:18

doingaleicester I feel the same. I don't WANT to go back to how I was, but I'm aggrieved that I can't really have the good bits of drinking either.

DH and I have saved £200 🫣 I'm aghast at how much money we have literally been pouring away.

I had physio today and then we treated ourselves to National Trust membership with our spoils, and have spent the morning in the bitter cold pottering around a local stately home, like the boring old farts we've become 😆

DH has also bought a garden mirror and is currently admiring it with a satisfied smile on his face 🙂

WaxingGibbon · 16/01/2023 15:34

HPLikecraft · 16/01/2023 15:15

"Apparently this is the point where people start to drop off and fail"

IMPORTANT BROADCAST TO ALL DJers:

Don't do this. Do not drop off. Sure, slip up if you can't help it, but do come back.
Remember: the more you feel you may fail and give up, the more you actually need Dry January.

Let's keep at it.💪

This is a very timely and motivating reminder @HPLikecraft thank you!

freshstart2023 · 16/01/2023 16:25

Thanks for the medal OP. I'm feeling newly motivated by the fact that we're finally over 50% of the way there. For the first time it feels like the end is (just about) in sight.

freshstart2023 · 16/01/2023 16:27

Mentally I've found these first two weeks extremely tough, so I'm hoping it gets a little easier from here on in.

OneFrenchEgg · 16/01/2023 17:25

I've set my app to aim for three dry days a week going forward so I can continue that sense of achievement into the rest of the year. I was finding it too easy to drink every day / most days so this seems like a nice challenge for me

pointythings · 16/01/2023 17:27

@OneFrenchEgg it's all about finding a balance. For me that's 4 dry days every week, with exemptions for being away on holiday. Though weirdly I find I drink less on holiday.

mightbeintangiers · 16/01/2023 17:35

Long-time lurker here. First time of DJ for me after drinking more than I like in December. Was fine until Friday when I fancied a glass of red wine but managed to resist. I'm getting bored now though and it's getting harder. Thanks for the motivation all - it helps to be following along with everyone else

Original poster
HPLikecraft · 16/01/2023 17:40

Nice to have you along @mightbeintangiers !

Great song, and great album, btw.. Idiot Wind is my favourite song 🙂

OP posts:
OneFrenchEgg · 16/01/2023 17:42

@pointythings I was thinking I might change it if I do well! Aim for four dry. I think I want an easy target so I don't keep failing.

pointythings · 16/01/2023 17:52

You can always build it up. My ongoing rule is that if I ever find DJ hard, I will go teetotal. That's because alcohol killed my husband and my mother, so I'm quite hardcore on it.

Hasn't happened so far, not even in the 2016 - 2019 years which were honestly the worst of my life.

Hedjwitch · 16/01/2023 17:57

Agree it doesnt seem to be getting easier! My technique is to play it forward and know how shit I'll feel the next day.

Judystilldreamsofhorses · 16/01/2023 18:20

Today is day nine for me. Sleep still crap and have actually taken Nytol the past few days, but my face definitely looks less puffy and wine-y. I know I won’t go to the end because of a significant date (27th), and I started late because I was still on holiday, but going forward my aim will be no wine Sunday/Monday/Wednesday/Thursday.

Stickywhitelovepiss · 16/01/2023 18:55

Today has been the worst day so far for me, but hanging in there.

Submariner · 16/01/2023 21:05

Just checking in. I don't post often but I read along. Had a lovely day Saturday with a friend that would have been boozy any other time but felt satisfied with my teas and coffees. Finished the afternoon with a mocktail that was way too sweet for me so I now know they're not a go to for me!

Sunday, meal in with family. Again, would have been boozy before. That one felt a bit more flat, but I was hormonal and feeling grumpy anyway.

Proud of myself to have kept going. There's no point caving now having done the first half of the month.

Hedjwitch · 16/01/2023 21:10

Well done everyone hanging in there or getting back on track after a lapse. Every day done is in the bank and doing us good. Just got to keep at it. Focus on the morning feeling not the evening one.

Selfesteem22 · 16/01/2023 21:12

I have bought some Sentia and tried it. I think I felt more relaxed - not too fussed on the taste though

Selfesteem22 · 16/01/2023 21:18

Heard David nutt speak once v interesting

Original poster
HPLikecraft · 16/01/2023 21:39

Fuck, I could do with a drink tonight.

I won't, though 😞

I'm sure we'll all be over the mid January slump soon. I hope.

OP posts:
Cherrymix · 16/01/2023 21:46

Checking in on the downhill slope of 50%.

Nothing much to report - still feeling knackered. Tried to perk myself up with some outdoor activities - walking/ gardening. I think its just working from home, feeling cold and general winter darkness that's doing it. My brain thinks it's time to hibernate.

Interested to hear more feedback on Sentia. The website is a bit glossy for me and having shelled out a load on Seedlip when it came out, I'm sceptical. But open to being convinced.

FlyingPandas · 16/01/2023 21:49

Keep going everyone. We're over the halfway mark now!

I struggled a lot at the weekend but feeling a bit better today and am cautiously hopeful that I've broken the cycle of midweek drinking I had fallen into. I didn't even think about wine tonight. I really want to get to a point after DJ where I stay genuinely and properly AF from Monday-Thursday every week.

JonSnowsCupbearer · 16/01/2023 21:50

Hey everyone, well done to those who have hit 50%!
I've been fine since Saturday, no real desire for a drink yesterday or today. I have nothing else planned in that worries me for the rest of the month, so I'm feeling positive that I'll stick it out now.