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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
pointythings · 17/01/2023 17:56

@PermanentTemporary my first dry month was a June! I don't really feel it's any different except that June is shorter.

MeinKraft · 17/01/2023 18:46

freshstart2023 · 17/01/2023 17:12

I think boredom could be the most likely reason for me to crack now.

You need a good book to immerse yourself in!

Teaformetoo · 17/01/2023 19:14

Really enjoying reading all your progress. I think I just drank out of habit - cooking tea= pour a glass of wine, Friday evening = open the Prosecco etc. For the first week of DJ I changed my evening routine and went upstairs to do yoga before bed - which I definitely couldn’t do after a few glasses of wine, it stopped me sitting in front of the TV and drinking. I wasn’t a heavy drinker but I’m sure drinking every night is not healthy! I can’t say I feel any slimmer, I don’t look less puffy in my face but I am proud of my progress. I think we are all fab for even having a go at this, especially in January!

DoingALeicester · 17/01/2023 19:31

I've worked with David Nutt before. Nice man. Quite bonkers.

Cherrymix · 17/01/2023 20:01

@HPLikecraft looking forward to hearing about Sentia.

Nothing much to report here. Feeling a bit less tired but not looking forward to getting up early to go to office tomorrow in the cold. Might try going to bed earlier

OneFrenchEgg · 17/01/2023 20:04

I don't know why but today I am craving a glass of wine. I suspect it's related to having had a crap day and wanting to stop regurgitating events. Trying my new trick of eating cereal in the evening which tends to kill the desire.

PermanentTemporary · 17/01/2023 20:08

Yes, I think the big negative for me is how difficult I'm finding it to detach from work. Two weekends ago I literally thought about work solidly for the two days. I need to find non-alcoholic ways of breaking that thought chain. (And if anyone is thinking 'go to the gym' you're absolutely right and I don't want to...)

Mushroo · 17/01/2023 20:20

Is anyone else struggling with sugar? I know there’s sugar in alcohol but it doesn’t seem to coat my teeth or give me a sickly feeling.

I just went out to dinner and had a lemonade and a sticky toffee pudding to replace the wine and I feel gross. I know the smell obvious answer is to not have dessert but that’s even less fun!

Does anyone have any drink tips that aren’t sugary or too fizzy?

Hedjwitch · 17/01/2023 20:22

Another day in. Getting the hang of it now. Which means I've probably jinxed it for tomorrow.
I definitely have more energy. It's like coming into light through the fog. Face less puffy and belly less bloated but replacing alcohol with cake is doing nothing for weight loss!

Champagneforeveryone · 17/01/2023 20:33

Why, thank you HP <twirls> 😆

We're drinking AF alternatives daily which I suspect probably doesn't help, but that's a challenge for another month.

I do agree with the PP who says that it would be harder to do a DJ type thing in the summer, I'm not sure how I will deal with that but it's months away yet.

We're watching old episodes of the SuperVet, which is very emotional. If we'd been drinking we would be hysterical by now 😉

Stickywhitelovepiss · 17/01/2023 20:37

I've had 3 quite stressy days for various first-world but no less frustrating reasons, but managed to hang on - fixated on the thought of my AF mulled wine, which seemed to do the trick. I definitely felt more 'raw' than I would normally, when I could at least think 'oh well, glass of wine tonight...'.

@Mushroo - I like these, and they are good for your microbiome: www.lovingfoods.co.uk/collections/fermented-drinks

@PermanentTemporary - Me too on the work front. I'm seriously asking myself whether I more need to assess my relationship with work than I do with alcohol, if work stress triggers me to to this extent. The reality, I know, is that I really need to look at both - but together they definitely do form a negative yin and yang. I'm reading Quit Like a Woman by Holly Whittaker, and one line that jumped out (paraphrasing) was the need 'to build a live you don't have to drink to escape'. Is that even possible in this day and age???

Mushroo · 17/01/2023 20:41

@Stickywhitelovepiss thank you! I’ll take a look

Fuwari · 17/01/2023 21:02

Well it's my first full on dry day today. Feel OK about it. Doesn't sound so much of an achievement but it's a big step for me (first in about 7 years). I'll be heading to bed soon with a mug of (decaf) tea and my book!

While I haven't done the full DJ with you all, I'm happy that I've managed to really address my drinking this time after so many failed miserable attempts! Just 3 weeks ago even one dry day would have felt impossible to me. I joined this thread on a whim but am so glad I did.

I was out at an appointment today (usually at home a lot due to wfh) and got home just before 5. Pre January I would have opened the wine immediately. Today it didn't even cross my mind and it was just a reflex to stick the kettle on. And it just hit me afterwards how I hadn't even needed to think about it. Also probably as I was busy thinking about the desert I'd bought myself to have this evening 😁

OneFrenchEgg · 17/01/2023 21:06

PermanentTemporary · 17/01/2023 20:08

Yes, I think the big negative for me is how difficult I'm finding it to detach from work. Two weekends ago I literally thought about work solidly for the two days. I need to find non-alcoholic ways of breaking that thought chain. (And if anyone is thinking 'go to the gym' you're absolutely right and I don't want to...)

Urgh it's too cold and £££ I'll power through 😂

Stickywhitelovepiss · 17/01/2023 21:18

@Fuwari that's a great achievement!! It is an amazing feeling to know you CAN do this - whether a year or a month or a week or day - so hope you're proud of yourself!

OneFrenchEgg · 17/01/2023 21:39

Brilliant Fuwari it's really good to get a day out the way. Now you've proved you can do it.

PermanentTemporary · 17/01/2023 21:52

👏 @Fuwari - you're building something good there.

@Stickywhitelovepiss thing is I want someone else to build me a life I don't have to drink to escape- specifically my boss. Still, I do have a boss now, after a terrible year without one. That may be why I'm able to do this at all.

Fundays12 · 17/01/2023 22:08

Well done Fuwari that's amazing.

I had a busy day as my 3 dcs were of school. The snow is pretty deep were we live (half way up to my knees) so I sledged with them, bould snowmen and snow castles plus helped my oldest DC build his snow fort. I have shoveled loads of snow as my gazebo roof had about 9 inches on top of if that needed cleared along with paths etc. I am exhausted but finished my nosecco from the weekend and went to bed. I suspect the DC's will be of tomorrow too as we are forecast to have more snow but we will have fun if so. I did fancy a wine as a reward tonight but thought that's ridiculous it's a Tuesday and you don't need it so didn't have one

DoingALeicester · 17/01/2023 22:19

I have work issues too. It's more often than not work that drives me to drink too much. Either working late, trying to de-stress, or worrying about it even when not working. I have severe work based anxiety, and it makes me ill quite often. But I can control it to a degree if I drink. It definitely is the main trigger. Maybe we can come up with a plan!

Judystilldreamsofhorses · 17/01/2023 22:39

I have had a couple of tricky days with my mother, who I am very low contact with but manages to push my buttons via email. I have an AF Brewdog beer and a smug (but angry) face!

well done @Fuwari ❤️

lemonsaretheonlyfruit · 18/01/2023 00:06

Well done @Fuwari . I think you have almost had to be more disciplined doing it your way as I know that I wouldn't have stuck to my plan once I'd had my first drink.

Original poster
HPLikecraft · 18/01/2023 00:12

@Fuwari that's fantastic! Very well done. 1st dry day in 7 years is a big achievement 👏

So, Sentia, I hear you ask. Well, we had a couple of glasses tonight. It's rich and thick and you just have a little shot at a time. We had it with Fever Tree aromatic tonic.
I liked the flavour: rich, aromatic and a little spicy; the flavour had a boozy quality. I do actually think it did something. You know that relaxed tingle you get in your arms when you start to drink? I got that. A little. My belly went a bit warm too, and I think I felt a little more relaxed. DH thought he felt a little bit relaxed, too.
It's meant to give you a "two drinks" level of relaxedness; but really it was more of a two mouthfuls level.
I'd buy it again if it were cheaper.

So we're finished 17 days. That's 54.8% down. Serious progress!

OP posts:
Selfesteem22 · 18/01/2023 07:06

@Fuwari

Selfesteem22 · 18/01/2023 07:06

@Fuwari that is amazing!

Selfesteem22 · 18/01/2023 07:12

Also had another Sentia today- this time with orange juice which i l Iiked - definitely relaxed me but also did not feel the need for a 2nd one whereas with wine usually do. Bit of a set back as sprained my ankle- not v badly but enought to have to hobble! been doing a bit more exercise which has been helping with stress levels and will have to take a break which is annoying