DRY HARD 2: DRY HARDER! Dry January 2024, Thread#2 🧃🧋

[HPLikecraft]

Thread#2...

Let's keep going!

Checking in, still going! Well done all, especially all who are being so open with their experiences on here. It’s really helping to read all the perspectives.

i could have caved yesterday as wanted wine for first time in a while but I had a not very nice AF beer instead and it nipped the craving in the bud. I am being stubborn now too, have come this far I WILL do the whole of jan.

Am interested in the liver benefits. Obv the longer the better but does anyone know how long a regular drinker (couple of glasses most nights never a bottle).. would need for it to go back to normal?

@ParsnipAndPoppy , I found this on a recovery site:

"How Long Does it Take for a Liver to Heal from Alcohol Abuse?Patients often ask how long it will take to regain their liver functioning to an average level. This depends entirely on your history of alcohol use and the severity of your drinking. Factors that contribute to your lives ability to bounce back from the damage created are:

• The level of alcohol consumption you have within a week
• Your current lifestyle and habits outside of your drinking habits
• Your genetic makeup and any pre-existing medical concerns
• If you have been diagnosed with ARLD and how severe your disease has progressed to

So how long does it take to repair your liver from alcohol abuse? If you are someone that has a history of binge drinking on the weekends with two to four drinks at a time, your liver will require less time to repair itself. This is often able to happen within two weeks to a month. At that time, your liver should have regenerated itself to an average, healthy functioning level. With that said, experts have noted that the optimal time for liver healing and repairing will take 30 days to allow your body a slow transition and healing period. It could take anywhere from three months to a year to regain optimal liver functioning for heavy drinkers."

I'm aiming for around 6 weeks to allow extra time, in case daily drinking means more healing time is required, and to make sure I get the full benefits of a break.

Thanks @Neptunium93 ! This is really what’s going to be behind how far I go into DF 😬

Hang on, 2-4 drinks at the weekend is binge drinking?!

It's a US site, so 1 drink = approximately 2 units.

6 units is classed as binge, which is seriously fucking depressing.

Nearly there for me. My intention was to continue until a friends get together so happily stopping at 25 days. I now need to seriously consider my chocolate substitute. I normally hardly touch it outwith the odd square, she says after quietly polishing of a bag of buttons while sitting at her desk today. 🤦‍♀️

Yesterday's post was on coping strategies on abstaining / moderating when out and about - today's is about doing the same on home turf:

https://wellitywellness.com/2024/01/22/dry-january-22-final-tips-tricks/

Well that is day 22 done. Appreciating the info on Liver recovery, suggestions on how to drink more thoughtfully and what the post DJ landscape might look like for fellow DJers.
DH has a medical procedure tomorrow, prep starting this evening, so definitely AF tonight for me to help him manage - he is disabled - and then get ready for hospital in the morning. A hangover would not help.

Today done. I am so miserable right now, and doing DJ is something I can take pride on, so I hope I can keep going.

Another day done. Its weird how some days it goes fine and you think you've nailed it, and then the next day a fecking great craving comes along and kicks the shit out of you!

I'm sorry you are miserable @vinoandbrie . But, yes, do take pride in getting through Dry January - I know you can do it! (((little hug))).

I was going to have a night off this coming Friday for dinner with friends, but this has been postponed by a week to February - so I am fairly confident I will get to the end and will have done 35 days by then (I started early)!

I'm afraid I plan to have some very nice white wine on 1st Feb. It's a Thursday so that's OK. I admire the rest of you who plan to carry on ... I don't think I will this year, maybe one day.

Checking in with a heavy dose of regret... I went out this weekend and knew I'd have a few planned drinks but it escalated and I felt so so bad on Sunday. Easy for me to blame others for encouraging me, but it's totally my responsibility.
I'd done so well to have nothing up until that point. So disappointed in myself but also reinforced that I can do it when I decide to and abstaining is worth it. Back to DJ and beyond now, for as long as possible.

@holdmydrinks ❤️ don't waste your time feeling bad, but maybe think about why it escalated and what you could do differently next time.

Blue Monday hit hard today. If I wasn't doing DJ I would definitely have had a glass of wine tonight.

@vinoandbrie ❤️💪 well done you.

Thank you, yes I can't change it now. I'll try again for longer.

I definitely find it easier to have nothing than try to be moderate on a night out. There comes a point of no return where you just stop making sensible decisions, I think. But it's only one night. Well done for getting back on the wagon. Did you enjoy your evening at least?

I went out for a posh lunch today and enjoyed two very nice mocktails (they had a surprisingly comprehensive alcohol free list). Didn't even look at the wine list, which is a definite first!

I have a planned night out on Friday 2nd and really can't decide whether to drink then or not.

Just checking in. 8 days dry which is the longest in a very long time. 💪

Well done everyone. I’m only just seeing this thread now - 22 days in - wish I saw it 22 days ago!! Def find it’s getting easier. I’m away for a couple of days this weekend so will have wine when out for dinner but back on DJ when we get back home 🤞

👋 Still here. Still going. Still would like a drink.

Well done @Piglet89 💪.

Well done everyone!

I had a nice AF drink tonight - some quite sharp cloudy apple juice topped up with just a bit of sparkling water to make it slightly fizzy, and a slice of lime.

Checking in - still AF.

I think I've decided how I'm going to approach February. I'm going to be at least AF for 50% of the month. However it doesn't mean I'm going to drink for the other 50% of the month, just that 50% AF will be my minimum.

It feels achievable especially as we'll be abroad for a week during that time as well.

From someone who drank pretty much daily, I'd be reducing my intake by at least half in February.
Who knows what March will bring, maybe I'll reduce further!

I tried some ON Beer earlier on, which was really nice, and worth waiting for after a series of delivery-related snafu's!... It had all the complexity and flavour of a high quality normal beer, and very much better than AF beers from the major brands which I have tried in the past. It's supposed to have an uplifting effect, although I definitely don't feel tipsy, just pleasantly chilled. Now on the chamomile tea and planning a relatively early night.

I'm finding I have more energy now and feel generally fitter. I think I must have been getting less fit over the past two years as the wine consumption crept up, but it was happening slowly enough for me not to notice. Also, feeling more energetic is one of the signs of the liver healing, which is encouraging.

Sorry for those struggling and feeling bad about slipping up. Don't be too hard on yourselves, and I hope tomorrow is easier.

That's like half a bottle of wine... that's what I'd consider a good night!

Morning all - it's Day 23!!!

Never ever thought I'd enjoy dry Jan, but I have.

It's been a brilliant reset.

I've also tried to eat more healthily and lost about 5k too, so far, which I needed.