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

[HPLikecraft]

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!

Day 29 and 91% of the way there!

I cannot believe I’ve been sober for four whole weeks.

Nearly there now! I haven't gone this long without a drink since I was pregnant. And bearing in mind my youngest is 29, that is a very sobering thought. I'm feeling great and so glad I didn't crumble last night, so thanks again for everyone's support and encouragement. Onwards and upwards

Good morning! Nearly there now and for me this is where it gets easier - I don't normally drink during the week, so today is the last de facto day of DJ. I've saved £67 over the month so am going to treat myself, haven't decided on what yet.

Morning all! I finally feel like I’m on the home run now. I thought I’d feel that way last Monday, but it was too early.

I’m keeping busy with some more spring cleaning and decluttering - I managed to get rid of a bin bag full of junk yesterday. I’m feeling much more upbeat than I was yesterday.

Well done everyone who has made it this far - whether you've stayed completely dry or massively reduced your usual alcohol intake. I've been dry since 30 Dec, had considered going into Feb but am going to try moderating - looking back at last year I drank on six days in Feb 2022 so that is much much better than usual (prior to that probably closers to 10-12 days a month) and if I can stick to that I'll be content.

I caved 😞 and had two glasses of red wine with a steak dinner last night. My husband was such an enabler- going on about how well I'd done and that I couldn't eat steak without red wine. I do feel a bit deflated now having not made it the full 31 days, but I was so close to opening another bottle - we had shared a bottle between three at dinner - my mum had one v large one and my husband and I had two each. But I stayed away from it for the rest of the night, when I sat on the sofa after getting the kids to bed i very nearly had more but after I got into what was on tv, the urge passed.

I don't feel remotely hungover today which is great. I'm normally feeling a little delicate on weekend mornings. So it's a win of sorts I suppose. I'm going to stay dry now until next Friday and I might join a moderation thread to keep me on the straight and narrow.

Well done especially to those who have been fully dry the whole month, and everyone else who has had a cheeky glass for whatever reason👏 I ended up having a couple of glasses of red on Friday with DH, but I was dry last night and will be now until next weekend.

We all have massively reduced our intake and overcome cravings and triggers, that is something to be proud of. My dry Jan takeaways are:

• trigger of making dinner - have broken that association completely
• cravings are gone now
• moving forward only drinking max 3 nights a week in total, with some weeks completely dry - so really moderate my drinking
• limit to 3 medium glasses in total when drinking - sure beats my bottle and a half, then maybe a whisky and orange
• I'm not going to be teetotal (was teetotal from 18 - 22), as I do enjoy a glass of wine and I can easily go without, even in social situations where others are drinking
• am really enjoying having a herbal tea after dinner, which is what I needed to find was a drink that wasn't coffee and wasn't cold dilute.

So far I have saved £232 - whoop whoop 🙌

@KatieKline those look like really achievable goals which will give you a relationship with the beast very similar to what I have. And I've been doing it that way for coming up 8 years, it's really doable and so much better.

In other news I've just found out that my late husband's cousin's father died overnight. She's in bits. He was a deeply unpleasant individual who took advantage of her to the max, but she loved him. So I'm going to be doing a lot of emotional support. I've also arranged to meet up with DD1 with I take DS2 back to Reading after a quick visit here to pick up stuff (he's very creative and setting up an Etsy shop) so lots to keep me busy this coming week.

Nearly there! It was my toughest night so far last night! I wanted to consider doing 100 days but I just don’t know now, I am really missing my weekend wine but I need to not ruin it but having too many nights a week! I’m proud of myself for doing dry January after a wet December!

I'm coming out of the woodwork to say I'm still here and dry too! I started - and was quite active - on the 1st thread.

But thinking about coming on the thread to join you was actually making me think about alcohol more - so I had to go cold turkey on that too !! (Does that make sense?!).

I feel SO much better in myself. My diet in general is good, my sleep is sound and solid. Less body bloat. I'm just so bored, and still find it hard to switch-off my brain. I'd love to continue, but realistically know I won't. So my plan is to have alcohol socially, and/or 2-3 nights max a week.

Well done you lot - last 3 days !!!

Well, 2.5 days left everyone!

Nice to see posters who don't often post popping back up to let us know how they're doing. I really like that. If there any other lurkers please come and say 'hi'.

I hadn't had an AF beer for ages so had one last night (well, I did have an Indian, so a beer was de rigueur!) and it was bloody lovely. Gave me a good relaxed "Aaah" feeling. I suppose it was just an association: beery taste = relaxed feeling. There was certainly no alcohol involved!

Well, I said 2.5 days, but really that's three evenings. However, they WILL be dry evenings.
Stay strong 💪

I went for lunch at the pub earlier and stayed dry. That was definitely the easiest trip to a pub/restaurant I’ve done this month - mainly because the end is so close now, which is very motivating.

I've just been out for a walk with the dog and was reflecting on how much of my drinking is mindless. So I drink because it's Friday or because it's Sunday and I'm cooking a roast. I don't think I ever stopped to think if I actually wanted a drink. Often I didn't really savour it or taste it, certainly didn't stop doing something else to really enjoy it.
I really hope I can make better choices by thinking more

Yesterday was hard. Went to london with some friends to see a show. They were all drinking. The audience were all drinking. The characters on stage were drinking🤣

but I stayed strong! Im going further than Jan, but undecided how long for now.

Well done everyone!

@TheZeppo did you see Choir of Man?!

I'm a lurker, posted once or twice on the previous thread. Still dry and haven't really been tempted thankfully. I had sort of said to myself leading up to this weekend that I may allow myself to drink last night, for no particular reason really. As it got closer I realised it would be silly to give in now. I was out for dinner with a friend on Friday and although she wasn't drinking either, I did feel slightly envious at those around us enjoying their drinks but the feeling soon passed.

I feel really great in myself for not drinking all of this month. I've only lost a pound but I feel like my face is a lot less bloated and my skin is clearer. I also don't feel bloated in my stomach and I was previously feeling like that a lot when I was drinking. I feel a lot happier in myself and just have a clearer mind. I don't feel as tired or cranky. I'm more productive.

I hope and plan to moderate my drinking from February onwards as I really enjoy feeling the way I do but not enough that I could give up drinking wine or prosecco forever as I do really enjoy a couple of glasses!

I don't plan to drink until next Saturday so by that point I will have done 5 whole weeks dry!

Not posted but have been reading along with you all since the beginning of thread 1.
I've managed to keep dry including at two social events, both pub quizzes and didn't miss the wine (much!)
I don't know if weight has been lost (I never weigh myself) but I think my tum might be a bit smaller.
My skin is definitely brighter and more hydrated.
Getting to sleep without the red knock out stuff has been torturous but I haven't had the regular 3am wide awaking at all!

Last week I overheard my DH arranging dinner with my BiL and SiL, for Friday just gone. I shouted up the stairs, "Can we do it in February please?! I'm doing Dry January"
So - wine will be enjoyed with them next Friday.

Like many PP, I love red wine too much to never have it, but intend to moderate. New mantra - wine is a weekend treat not a daily staple!

Thank you all for your stories. Here's to a pleasantly damp 2023.

Had some nosecco with family today - and it feel a bit light-headed again. I think it must be something to do with the fizz effect, as don't get that with any other form of AF drinks!

I'm still here and dry! Very, very happy that I got through a family weekend when I would normally have lots of wine, especially hosting my Dad's big birthday party in a bar, for five hours, with major social anxiety! I had about six pints of AF Guinness, which I LOVED, by the way!

Another lurker here. Have had the one planned night last weekend where I drank but only had 3 drinks and other than that have done the month easily so far. I've done DJ for the past 6 years and always reverted to drinking every night but I'm going to try and limit it to weekends from now on. After the usual first week struggle to get to sleep I've been dropping off really easily and enjoying a much better sleep too. Thank you all for the inspiration, it's been great.

Can I also highly recommend Bavaria shandy if you want beery refreshment without the alcohol. Technically it's 0.9% but that doesn't really count does it? 😉

https://www.sainsburys.co.uk/gol-ui/product/all-low-and-no-alcohol/bavaria-premium-lager-shandy-6x330ml-7562671-p-44

👏 Well done!

I’ve just got into bed so day 29 is officially done for me.

If my maths is correct we’ll hit 95% of the way there at 10.48am tomorrow!

Looking ahead, are there any good moderation threads on Mumsnet that anyone would recommend joining?

Hey!
So good to see some of the lurkers/occasional posters checking in!
Although this thread was always to be used however you want, whether it's frequent posting or only lurking, I must say it is great to a few new heads popping up above the parapet. It's encouraging for all of us to see more people and, on a shamelessly selfish level, gratifying that this thread may have save a few more livers than I previously thought!
I'm so glad you've been with us, even if quietly.
You all qualify for the gold award Tuesday midnight, however dry/damp you've been, and however much or little you've posted.

So the end of the 29th of January will take us to

93.5%

of the way there. That spot of light at the end of the tunnel is now increasingly vast and blazingly bright. A few steps more and we're through!😎 🥇

Thanks OP. I’m feeling impatient to get to the end now.

Me too, @freshstart2023 , me too!