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!

On a different note, I spent a few hours with one of my children decluttering and cleaning out their room and now I'm exhausted, but in a good way. It felt very productive.

My potential date has not confirmed that we're still on today. He's normally very reliable, so I'm going to assume that when he said yes two weeks ago he'll turn up today, and if so, I will be drinking today and get back on the wagon tomorrow. Then again, he has ignored my new year's message and hasn't been in touch since, so I have no idea what's going on. We shall see.

I don't miss the alcohol much, and given how much I've been drinking, that's a minor miracle. It might be different when work starts back on Monday, though, as getting home from that place was always a huge trigger.

Just poured a 0% Guinness, which is very good indeed, and being a pint will last me a while. TV catching up tonight, looking forward to parkrun tomorrow without a hangover.

I'll be out at a dance class tomorrow night, so that will keep me occupied.

@HPLikecraft thank you so much!

Love the % completion too. That will definitely help me.

Still learning how to post and reply. I see that you can quote other commenters but I can't see how to do that. Can anyone tell me how to do that, or is it a premium function?

It's funny how the darkness suddenly changes your mood. Felt fine earlier and, as soon as it felt like evening (at 4pm!) I started feeling sulky that I can't drink wine tonight. Need to remind myself it is me in charge and not my habits.

Checking in for the first time today!

Today is definitely the first time I've craved a wine to just chill and end the working week.

I've noticed a lot of my wine cravings are definitely intertwined with my relationship with work.

Still AF but the wine force is strong today haha!
We're having burgers tonight (DC's favourite) so maybe an AF beer will scratch the itch with it.

DH and I have de-Christmased the house this afternoon. Everything is lovely and clean and tidy.
Normally, we would have "a wee glass of red" 2 bottles to celebrate.
Tonight, it feels like a fresh start to the year, so that's good.
See how I feel when the takeaway arrives!

Thanks for this, in that case I'll keep it for the daytime instead.

Yes I like the alcohol free 0% freixenet as it is dry and not too sweet. It is a good alternative to real prosecco but you won't get a buzz as it doesn't have any alcohol - I still find it relaxing though and when I'm doing a sober stint it's something I look forward to at the weekends - there's something for me about popping a cork and pouring some bubbles into a fancy glass (without the downside the next day!).

The rose is good too in the summer.

I was a bit tempted when I came home from work and found DH enjoying a beer (he's still on holiday) but honestly I'm so tired, I actually think I'll be ok. Had a mango and pineapple (Twining's focus) herbal tea and I'm planning an elderflower and mint trip after dinner!

Checking in for day 5.
I've had a lovely day but with a slight hiccup this afternoon. I'm trying to get some new tyres ordered and fitted and it's proving troublesome. I caught myself thinking 'wine would be nice later to soothe this irritation' but of course it wouldn't would it. I'd just have the same issue tomorrow and a hangover.

Chocolate/toast also came to mind but that comes with its own set of problems. So I'm having a bath instead and yoga later, and reminding myself that it will get sorted with a little bit more effort on my part.
I'm such a comfort/stress eater and drinker but can also find myself wanting to celebrate an ordinarily successful day with a drink.
@CrackersCheeseNoWinePlease put it perfectly:
"I've found I'll use a good day/mood or a bad day/mood as an excuse to open the wine that night"
It's a very ingrained strategy for me. Hopefully I've not left it too late to learn new ones

If you're on the app swipe left on the comment and click quote. Can't help if you're on a computer though I only use my phone

Checking in for day 5 here too. I was expecting to find this evening hard - normally on a Friday I'd be opening a bottle of wine right about now - but actually I feel fine. Have to be up early tomorrow morning so actually the non-drinking is helpful. Helps too that DH has also been AF all week in the run up to a medical procedure he's having done, he doesn't normally do dry January so it's definitely been easier with neither of us drinking.

Ask me again tomorrow though as I know the cravings are likely to kick in big time - youngest DC has final 11+ exam tomorrow and I will almost certainly be dying to celebrate with wine but will try to resist....

Thank you @HPLikecraft for the updates and stats, hope your adult DC is feeling better now.

Oh boy am I ready for a big glass of red. A bad night's sleep, busy day at work, the puppy is driving me insane. I'm absolutely shattered and have been ready for bed since 3pm. But I shall resist, however. I have a delivery coming tomorrow and it could be early and I want a fresh head to smash the gym.

Lots to catch up on today.

Hope those with challenges and difficulties have found ways forward.

It does help, when the 'it's the weekend' feeling niggles, to have a plan if you are endeavouring to stay AF.
If out, have your AF drink of choice ready in your mind so you don't automatically say what you would usually order. If pressed to 'go on, have just one' say you are thirsty so will have ** (something AF) first, then deflect if asked again. It is more likely your companion wants a drinking partner, so more about them than you.
If at home, you may need to change your usual pattern. Dinner at a different time? with AF drink already on the table/tray. In to the evening, perhaps a bit of self care - file nails, facemask. Clean your teeth straight after dinner?

Hope it works out for everyone, but if it doesn't, you can always learn something, and then start all over again the next day, but with that bit more experience under your belt.

On the android app, there are 3 dots OK the right above the post for bookmark, reply, and quote

I spoke too soon on the cat front. Things have moved quickly today and was back at vets this afternoon - we are trying a last ditch attempt of steroid treatment, but are likely looking at an imminent PTS situation... Sorely tempted right now is all I'll say.

Anyhoo, this is one I made earlier, when things were looking a bit more optimistic:

https://wellitywellness.com/2024/01/05/dry-january-5-risk-cont/

@CrackersCheeseNoWinePlease thanks so much 😊 It worked! I'm on the app too.

He's finally confirmed, so the date is definitely on. There is no way this will be non-alcoholic, for many reasons. I will be back on AF tomorrow.

@gingercat02 thank you too 😊 I'm on the iPhone app and it works, hurrah!

I’m sorry to hear about your cat, I think mine may need to be pts this weekend too 😭
will definately be tempting to reach for the wine if she does but I need to be stronger than that. But I feel so sad

baggienat and wellitywellness so sorry to read of cats being so poorly.

Like a pp I'm having a massive sulk because I can't have any wine ☹️ Friday night really is the danger area for me.

Another good read @wellitywellness . Great to hear the balanced approaches of Tim S and Adrian C. I'd be interested to hear more about the lifestyles of the more strident no-alcohol brigade. Do they move out of cities to avoid the undoubted risks of exposure to air pollution, for example? Do they never eat anything but organic, plant-based food?... Sympathies for your cat (also to @baggienat ). All you can do is reassure yourself that you are doing the best you can as a pet owners, and you won't let them suffer. I think being in a sad frame of mind is the worst possible time to drink alcohol as it just makes it worse, so I hope you both manage to stay strong.

A stressful day for me (nothing major, just a plethora of minor irritations), but I'm resisting. The Goodrays arrives tomorrow 😊.

Have a lovely time @Michiru !

I'm nervous for this weekend being AF. My first one in 2years. Longest has been 3months AF in 2021 when I broke my leg. We have a boozy lunch most Saturdays and we are due to lunch tomorrow and it's going to be a real tester.