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!

Still on it

Please can I join? Day 4 here. Been drinking juice with sparkling water and cups of tea. I like not feeling tired so early in the evening.

Just checking in for my evening report. Had a bit of a twitch again when the cooking smells started coming from the kitchen.

I already knew my drinking was very linked to food but this week has really confirmed it and it’s only day four. Once the meal is finished, I’m in the safe zone again for the evening.

I think DP has worked out that I’m doing DJ as the half finished bottle of wine is still in the fridge but the unopened one has disappeared. So he must be planning to save the half bottle til Saturday.

Checking in at the end of day 4. Today I felt the most tempted I have yet, in tesco on my way home after a long day back at work. Tired, hungry, too hot from having just walked up a big hill in my winter coat, and in the drinks aisle picking up cider for DH... made it out with a pack of Brewdog AF.

Anyway, just been reading The Unexpected Joy of Being Sober by Catherine Gray, which I downloaded a few years ago during Dry Jan. This line about giving up resonated with me (maybe because I like games, but also because you would never feel a failure if you didn't win at/ complete a game first time):

"It’s like playing a computer game. Yes, you have to go back to the start when you slip. But that doesn’t erase what you learned about the game. You learned some valuable lessons, that you can now apply to get further on your next attempt."

Aargh, sorry for the inadequate OPing this evening; one of my adult DC has had a bit of a crisis. A drink was tempting, but I resisted.

I'll post more tomorrow and catch up with your news then, but for this evening I have to tell you that at the end of Day 4, we will have completed...

12.9%

of Dry January 2024!

I knew you could. Sleep well, everyone.

I'm liking the fact that there is so much good (or crap) TV on at the moment . Loving The Traitors, fool me once etc.

Like others I feel like I have been awake and really hot all night so far so I am hoping for a better one tonight.

A friend recommended Dormesan (v horrible tasting drops that you put in water before bed to induce sleep ) - but I realised this morning they have ethanol in which is essentially alcohol. That's not ok is it?

Hi all…. Just checking in after a couple of days of only reading along with you all. If I manage today (as it’s gone midnight!) I’ll have done 7 days - longest AF stretch for years which is an embarrassing thing to admit to but I feel among friends! As Christmaswrap says, lots of sage advice and compassion on here. Had a very, very long drive home in the dark yesterday and a minor bump along the way (someone else’s fault in a car park) to find the boiler had broken down. Had to go out in the pouring rain to get milk and the temptation to grab wine at the same time was massive. Managed not to but it was hard…Hope the adult DC is ok OP and thanks so much for making time for us all in a difficult day.

PS ….. if you haven’t already downloaded the TryDry app I really recommend it. Very motivating to see the teacup symbols mount up on each of those lovely NA days. It can be backdated too 😉

just found this thread. First time doing dry January and had my last drink nye. Hoping to reset my habits a bit as the last year my drinking has increased going from only drinking on a weekend to drinking wine almost every night. Sick of the wasted money, waking through the night and anxiety. I’ve had cravings but managed to not drink. I am worried about the weekend though as I do use wine to relax after a stressful work week. Good luck everyone

Day 4 completed here. Saturday night will be a test, but everyone coming over for dinner knows I'm doing dry January, so shouldn't be too bad.
I'm really enjoying my new water infuser and drinking even more water than I was before (was a lot!).

Well done everybody, and thank you OP for the encouraging % completed reminders!

Lunch with BFF yesterday, I stuck to an AF beer, and didn't even feel a twinge when she had a wine. (The price of wine on the menu was enough to put me off!)

Came home to some worrying news about my dog, which sent DH to the vodka bottle, but I stayed strong.

Finished my bottle of Strykk not-gin, and sipped a glass of cold herbal tea while watching early episodes of Ghosts. And loved actually being awake enough to get all the little funny references and jokes.

Got to sleep easily, and had 7 hours solid.

So, 2 trigger points successfully negotiated, and 2 positive outcomes duly noted.

Morning all!
I'm at work this morning for a few hours. Tonight and tomorrow will be the biggest tests for me as I loved a wine on a weekend.
DD decided to wake up at 5.30 this morning so I'm hoping tonight I'll be too tired to think about wine, plus I'm up early tomorrow for a shift at work so that should keep me AF tonight.
Have a good day all

Belated check in to say day 4 done. I spent the evening digging flood defences and shifting sandbags. The stress/exertion of something like that would normally have led to a very big glass of wine when done. But I resisted. And the house survived. So I'm feeling pretty good (and achey!) this morning.

Husband is working away so it was a good "This Woman Can" moment for the kids too 💪

Well done to everyone keeping at it! It sounds like lots of us were tested yesterday with family crises, stressful situations or others drinking etc. Great job!

I too was sorry tested yesterday due to family stuff. One daughter we on an abusive rant and the other is very need and crying alot because she has split up from her boyfriend. There is also my partner who is going through his bereavement and choosing to lock himself away in his own house.
in the middle of all this it flashed through my mind that I need a drink but it was more ‘ I would usually go straight for the gin now’ thought rather than a really strong craving. I didn’t spend the evening longing for a drink.
i slept much better last night 2.
hope all those who had testing situations yesterday have a better day today.
i can’t honestly remember the last time I haven’t had a drink at the weekend.

I felt a bit tempted yesterday - had salmon for dinner which we usually have white wine with!

Held out though and I slept through the night for the first time in years, which was amazing. Historically I struggle with insomnia and anxiety so never sleep well (plus several years of wakeful babies/small children haven’t helped either) - but I know booze makes this even worse. I did struggle to get to sleep the first few nights of DJ as others are saying, but last night was blissful - anyone else finding this benefit?

Already feeling nervous about temptation this evening. I am trying to focus on not feeling rubbish on Saturday morning. I invariably stay up late when I have a drink and although I don't usually drink enough to give myself a full-blown hangover, I feel tired and sluggish the following day and, particularly in winter, not inclined to stray far from the sofa.

Feeling very smug watching DH stumble round with his hangover, reaching for painkillers and running to the loo. He agrees, we can’t have any temptations in the house.

Shopping today, will stock up on drink alternatives- will report back on any not-gin finds!

Morning

Another dreadful sleep, longest stretch was 3 hours.

We usually go out for dinner on Friday evenings which includes wine for me. Sacking that this week as I'm not quite ready to resist that temptation.
Will have to make something nice, I find that making something, rather than m&S doing it for me, does help keep me distracted and takes longer, less time sat on sofa!

Like a pp I also haven't announced as such that I'm doing DJ, but I never really do. My DH doesn't drink so even when I did a mammoth 3 month long DJ a couple of years back he didn't seem to notice. I do have a dear friend I do this with and she's the only person I've told. DH originally had plans to be out tonight and I was worryig a little about it, but his plans got cancelled and I'm ashamed that I feel a little relieved, and that's a motivator - I've got my own back, but it still needs a little shoring up! That said, I have a house full of alcohol. We keep IPA in for a neighbour when he pops round for football, and I bought a bunch of wine not anticipating the DJ, but it's not unusual for me to do DJ with alcohol in the house. I don't do replacement drinks either so it's been quite a healthy few days so far re sugar intake. I've not managed the 16:8 yet, after posting that I'd managed once I then went and had a few nuts. Yesterday I had a sugar craving and ate some cheese, so it's a little like sqeezing a balloon at the moment.

Morning all.

It's heartening to read that so many of us are managing to resist, despite various trying circumstances. I hope of you are starting to feel or sleep better, too.
I slept OK, but had a really sad and disturbing dream. I guess things will settle down.

Welcome aboard to our newcomers 😁💪

Morning all!

Well, I survived the night. 2 glasses of AF wine seemed to hit the spot and once I got over the hump I was fine. Sleep isn't too bad but having horrendous night sweats, even with a fan going all night. Not sure if it's related to not drinking but rather unpleasant.

Day 7 today but it feels like a lot longer I'm ashamed to say. I did go 3 weeks AF in the run up to Christmas, so I know it gets easier with time.

Morning all. Day 6 for me. Tried the Better You Magnesium sleep spray and had first night of awful sleep last night! Very odd dream with a (very handsome) doctor telling me my BP was high and why wasn't I on medication for it?! (I have been a bit worried about BP over last couple of years tbf). Woke at 5am with a BANGING headache; still got it. Wonder if it's dehydration as I've not drunk a lot of water last couple of days, mainly decaf coffee or maybe it's the withdrawals?! 😳. So quaffing loads of fizzy water before resorting to paracetamol.

Absolutely, no cravings for booze whatsoever.

Morning all, glad to find this thread.

I did DJ a few years ago and am on day 3.

We drink way too much. I don't drink Mon - Weds/ Thurs and then I lose all control... the lack of sleep is the worse part for me.

I need a total reset and change my relationship with alcohol.

Day 5 and I’m feeling so much more positive.

I’ve lost a couple of lbs since 1st Jan, which was badly needed. My skin has been spotty for ages but I’m sure it finally looks clearer this morning. I didn’t sleep brilliantly but I'm feeling so clear headed and ready for the day. I’ve also saved £60 already just by not drinking. I’m sure tonight will be challenging but right now I’m feeling great!

Checking in after surviving day 4. Last night was tough. It was my birthday, I had a lovely day, but got home cold and soaking wet and REALLY wanted a glass of wine. First night with real cravings. My inner wine demon was telling me ' It's your birthday, you deserve it!' But I didn't. I had diet Dr Pepper instead and made myself go to bed. Didn't sleep well and ended on the sofa, BUT still dry!!
The weekend is going to be tough for sure as we usually have a takeway or extra nice meal and a bottle, and dh doesn't know I'm doing DJ as much as I love him, he is very competitive and will want to 'out dry' me! (He drinks much less than me) This is just for ME.
Day 5 here we come!