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!

0% Peroni is pretty good for the beer drinkers! I usually crack a beer open when I finish work on a Friday so this is hitting the spot nicely.

Really struggling tonight 🙈. Busy day at work and just want some wine. Spent the drive home from work thinking do I nip in somewhere for a bottle. Iv got some new gin for Christmas and now trying to think maybe I could just do no wine January. Anyone else struggling and arguing with themselves?

Just checking in as it’s the first Friday in dry Jan. I’ve had an easy few days of it and feeling pretty good: more energy, sleeping better … but I’ve not started work yet so the real test will come then!

stay strong @Cheesecake1989 : if you’re anything like me if you decide Gina allowed that’ll be the beginning of the end. I’ve done dry Jan a few times and for me it’s definitely all or nothing (moderation is not my watchword :-( )

Soon tempted to have a wine later but I've just put my nosecco in the fridge. Trying to stay strong!!

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.

Me too. I feel so flat, miserable and frankly, pissed off! I want to treat myself and unwind after a stressful first week back at work.

For all those struggling, know that it will pass, once you are out of the just-left-work phase. Just try to get through the next 2-3 hours and don't think beyond that. Is there something else you can treat yourself with?

A PP mentioned curry as it doesn't go well with wine, so I think I will cook some tonight.

For those that don't associate wine with curry that is definitely not me 🤦‍♀️

I think the only food I can have without thinking of wine is fish fingers and beans with the kids 🤣

That's true! Fish fingers for dinner tonight for you then, @Iwanttheraintostop 😀

So, Thatcher's alcohol free cider.
Well if you like fizzy apple juice this is actually a particularly nice one; if you like cider... don't bother. It's a pleasant enough drink but too sweet for me really.

Back to the AF lager!

😂Well I have just had fishcakes - not from the lack of wine pairing compatibility but more because it was just easy 😂

Lol, we had homemade “fish goujons” for tea. The smell of it cooking doesn’t give me “the twitch” so it was a good safe choice for a Friday.

Well, I feel like I’m out the danger zone and out bath, in bed with a cup of tea…

Spent most of the day in the cold with the horses so I feel quite relaxed and sleepy after a bath and under the covers.

Middle DD is on dinner tonight, beans, eggs and chips so definitely won’t be tempted by the cooking smells and I feel I can almost tick off day 5 which should have been my trickiest day yet due to previous drinking routines.

Ive found it helps to put the pressure on another day in my head…

”I know I’ll be fine tonight but I’m not sure about Sunday” (we always have Sunday lunch with wine) and when Sunday comes “todays ok but I might find next weeks event tricky”

Its almost tricking my mind into thinking the day is easier than it should be and before I know it the day is done.

Thanks for the review of the cider, I’d been wondering how you got on with it.

I was also wondering what the point of it was, as cider is basically alcoholic apple juice. So AF cider must surely be…..apple juice.

Ha ha I have just literally finished eating fish fingers, chips and peas with my younger two DC Finished off with a glass of orange squash and will be having a glass of milk later. I've reverted to my 10 year old self.

My period started today. Sigh. I am hormonal, have eaten multiple "medicinal" chocolate bars and biscuits at work. Tomorrow's wine/cider free lunch is looking shaky...

My friend is working but doesn't start til 5 so if we do lunch, she can keep me strong!

This was not needed this early on in the month!

I'm having an AF San Miguel. I'm up early for work in the morning so I'll stick to this.
I've already put my pjs on, I find once I'm in pjs I'm not tempted to go and buy wine

Welcome to all in the Friday night sulk club. I actually feel a bit like crying, which just seems stupid considering I have been fine every other day, so it's basically just that I know it is Friday (or is a Day 5 thing?). To make things worse I am doing f'ing Veganuary so can't even have chocolate or cheese. Went to Tesco thinking I could cheer myself up with a new book, and even that selection was shit. Think I am just looking forward to tonight being over now!

Checking in - am not finding it too tricky but totally sympathise with those of you who are struggling with the first Friday of DJ. You can do it - I know you can and honestly you will feel so proud of yourselves tomorrow morning and really be able to enjoy the pleasures of a weekend with a clear head.

Stay strong DJers!

Well Friday is done, I'm in bed, fighting a headache so no drinking for me.

Checking in for this evening. Currently partway through a fat Dominos pizza - same as the curry logic, it really doesn't go with wine, so not feeling like I'm missing out.

Had a bit of a wobble yesterday - didn't crack, but partway through the afternoon I thought how nice it would be to have a glass of wine later, as a reward for a tough day in the office. And then really struggled to get that thought out of my head for the rest of day. It wasn't even that I really wanted wine. I just associate it relaxing after a long day.

Clearly a habit I need to break!

Day 5 done. In bed,hot water bottle,fairy lights on,incense in the burner. Whew!

I thought I would struggle tonight but I have an awful upset stomach so I couldn't drink even if I wanted to.

Keep strong everyone, we will all feel better in the morning.

Just checking in. I usually go spinning early Saturday morning so Saturday evenings are my worst time as wine is my reward. I don't know whether to get some AF drinks in or just have a nice hot chocolate or something.
I often have the best intentions and then it gets to about 3pm and my rational brain gets drowned out and I find myself mosying down to the shop to pick up a bottle or two. I'm determined not to this weekend!

Those struggling tonight might find Jason Vale's Kick the Drink Easily a useful read. It's not a heavy duty book discussing alcoholism, it's more to help the casual drinker change your mindset so you can see these alcohol free nights as a good thing. I read it a few years ago and it permanently changed my attitude to alcohol. That's not to say my consumption doesn't creep up now and again, of course it does, but I see being alcohol free as a really positive thing now and strive for it when I can.

As someone doing Dry Jan this year and have done stints of 6-12 months of booze in the past, please hang in there. The benefits do come.

The first time I did DJ, I didn't know if I could get through the first weekend. A bit worrying in hindsight. Though I took it step by step and 1 week turned into 1 month, then 90 days then longer. I do think it takes the full 90-100 days to feel the full benefits of no alcohol in your system, but not one for now!

Thought this was a quick interesting read I've read in the past too...

alcoholchange.org.uk/blog/one-week-alcohol-free-whats-happening-in-your-body