DRY JANUARY 2024! 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!

DJ threads are 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 7th year of DJ and I swear it has made all the difference to me. It was so hard first time, but it has definitely 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. 🙂☕🧃

The DJ2024 Wagon creaks to a start in just 5 days! Join us!

DH & I do sober October & dry January. Day 1 & counting 😁

One thing I will say is that it’s nice to feel in control this evening. Normally I’d have cracked open a bottle on a bank holiday and have drunk at least half already. Instead I’ve been doing stuff that I’d have put off, like laundry, getting organised for work tomorrow etc. It’s also a big relief to know that I won’t be starting work with any sort of hangover too.

I am feeling a bit twitchy now. Kids playing on Nintendo, DH cooking dinner. I would usually be sitting with a glass of wine now. Have just emptied and sorted hall drawers and cleaned fridge for something to do 😂 Maybe DJ will mean a spotless house 🤞

Checking in. My last drink was 30th October but I woke up this morning so puffy and bloated. Does anyone else get that? I'm OK the next day but around 24 hours after a drink my face puffs up and my eyes almost disappear. Hoping to look slightly more human tomorrow.

It's the evening of day 1

Stay strong, everyone! 💪

Joining in, never done DJ before but my wine drinking has got out of hand so need to do something. Normally on NYD I would be at least halfway through a bottle by now but this year I have managed to resist so far!

Day 1 done and fully AF. Strangely I felt the pull of habit this afternoon but I'm hoping that's because I'm still in holiday mode. Back to work tomorrow so hopefully that will put me more in the healthy mindset.

My wine o'clock isn't for another hour, so no issues yet. Contemplating having some dark chocolate as that always used to put me off drinking.

Im in! Put on half a stone over Xmas. My first ever dj!

Joining up! I am horrendously hungover so easy not to drink today. I have done DJ successfully once years ago, but on a few other occasions cracked about two weeks in.

Namechanged as I want to be honest about my relationship with booze. I’ve always had a bit of a problem with moderation - like last night, I have evenings where I drink FAR too much and hate myself the next day. Makes my anxiety far worse and it’s not good for my physical health either - lots of cardio problems in my family which alcohol makes worse. I’m mid 40s so should absolutely know better 😞

It doesn’t happen every time - I can have an evening with just a glass or two of wine, but even those days add up to too much. I want to reset my relationship with booze completely! Looking forward to lots of mutual support and encouragement x

I’m in, always find it a good way to start off the new year. I drink to relax and unwind like many others but need to find other ways. Thanks for the new thread

I'm in. I've had the mother of all hangovers today and the thought of alcohol is actually making me feel sick. I do have an annual meal out with friends on 20th which is usually a boozy affair. I'm going to try and not drink, but we'll see how my willpower holds out.

I had an alcohol-free mulled wine which scratched an itch, if not hitting the spot IYSWIM. Followed by early dinner - which seems to have seen off the worst of it for now...

I remember hearing somewhere that we often mistake hunger signals for wine cravings, as - what with wine o' clock in the mix - many of us have inadvertently conflated the two.

Eyeing up a hot chocolate chaser....

I'm surprisingly ok so far today - usually by now I probably would have had a drink by now or ready for a drink.

I have an AF beer in the fridge chilling which I may try out this evening.

Wondering how day 1 AF will affect my night sleep tonight.

Thank you everyone for such a supportive thread!

I’m going to attempt dry January for the first time ever. I’m hoping I can stay strong 💪

Best of luck to everyone 😊

Day 1 done. I know from previous DJs that the first few days AF usually mean terrible sleep so am expecting the worst. I had one AF beer and now a mug of green tea.

Feeling completely exhausted. Going to have a hot bath and an early night. This is my first AF day in ages - hoping I’ll wake up feeling fresh tomorrow.

I've just stumbled across this thread. I'm hoping to complete DJ for the first time. I've attempted it previously but unfortunately never managed the full month. I would love any suggestions on saving the money I would usually spend on wine if anyone has any. Hoping this may also help me to keep motivated

No alcohol today. I’ve been feeling crap all day. Not sure if it’s a cold brewing or my liver going into shock 😀.
@coffeetofunction
Ive transferred some money to my AF savings account today. It’s the equivalent of what we would have spent on wine. Me and Dh do this on the days we don’t drink alcohol. We spent the savings on a European city break last year!

Good day for me, didnt drink much last night and not tempted today

What a fab idea! I think mine will go in an account dedicated to saving for my car insurance lol!

Day 1 done for me.
Watching Mr Bates vs The Post Office with a cup of tea

I’m in. Spent today horribly hungover after overdoing it at a party last night and making a tit of myself. I don’t usually drink at home but I’ve been losing a couple of Saturdays or Sundays a month recently to hangovers after nights out and I’m getting really tired of it. Will see how DJ goes!

Welcome to DJ newbies. Hope Day 1 is going well.

I'm off for an early night, ready for back to work early start in the morning. First AF day done.