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

[HPLikecraft]

Thread#2...

Let's keep going!

Still here, still AF, we’ve nearly done it!

Still here, still AF
Today has been an exhausting crappy day and I want to eat and drink my body weight in donuts and wine.

Grumble grumble.

Hi. I’m still here too. Am currently reading the Adrian Chiles book. Meeting up with friends for dinner and watching 6 nations on Saturday. This would normally involve quite a lot of alcohol but I’m planning to take plenty of alternatives to give myself a break. I think after a month of not drinking that first wine will go straight to my head.

Same @december2020 . Currently drinking chocolate Horlicks which isn't what I want!

Interestingly, I had a reaction (big flush!) to the bottle of non alcoholic pinot I bought on Saturday. I always thought it was alcohol that caused me to flush, but I think it might be the sulphites because apparently they're still present. I think this is going to be a way in to cutting down even more, and being very selective with the wine I drink.

Well done everyone - just two more days of January left!

I think I'll try the Adrian Chiles book next. I really like the sound of that one. And the documentary.

I'm currently reading The Unexpected Joy of Being Sober, which just seems to go on and on and on. She doesn't half labour the point. But it's possibly just because I don't really identify with the author at all. The Sober Diaries resonated with me far more.

I have OD'd on quit lit too - they can get so fucking sanctimonious at times.

David Nutt and Adrian Chiles' books are much more relatable, I found.

Got through the evening with two flagons of 0%Gordons, crushed ice, limes and elderflower tonic. Almost OK really. But you have to work hard to disguise the faint smell of damp and sadness these AF alternatives carry with them.

Going into February I hope to moderate and suspect the real challenge for me will be learning to drink normal, sensible drinks, like plain old tea or even (heaven forbid) water on an AF night.

"the faint smell of damp and sadness" 🤣

Still here and AF. Proud to nearly finish January but I will be sticking it out until April as planned.

Checking in. Still AF.

I want to carry on for as long as possible.

I’m not sure that moderation is realistic for me, looking at how my drinking crept steadily up after my three months AF in 2020. And anyway back when my drinking was half a bottle on a Saturday, that level wasn’t something I was happy about as I felt rubbish on Sundays.

@HollyGolightly4 - I settled for an AF chocolate stout thing - hope your day is better today! ❤️

Morning all. Hope you're all feeling well this morning. Can't hardly believe there are only two days left. Almost seems silly to give a progress report at this stage when the end is clearly in sight, however we do have our traditions here!
So, at 11.00 today, we will be...

95%

Of the way through DJ2024.

I'm going to keep going. I was going to have a drink on the 28th of February, but it turns out my two older DDs are coming to visit mid Feb so I briefly entertained the idea of drinking then.
It's funny that we think we need alcohol to have fun, to join in, to celebrate, to relax, to belong; and that we almost owe it to others to join them in a drink or we're letting them down by being boring.
I won't drink when they visit, I don't need to. Ideally I should stay dry until not only the cravings subside, but also that feeling that i need alcohol as part of an occasion, or that I should be drinking. What a terrible culture of alcohol we have here in the UK, it has crept in insidiously. Drinking at home in the week never used to be a thing a few decades ago, and especially not for women. Heavy drinkers were men in smoky pubs.

Anyway, have a good and dry day, People of the Alcohol Resistance. The finishing line is in sight!

Still AF. This is easy now!

Still AF too. I am enjoying all your company as part of the Resistance. Wellity's blog has been thought provoking as have the other links to articles and data sourced by others on the AF DJ thread. The reflections from others on why and how they drink has given me pause for thought about my 'how and why'.
I have had some laugh out loud moments - some of you have great 'one liners' - and all without the influence of alcohol. Most recently Wilkoslampshade's "the faint smell of damp and sadness".

Thanks for your company. 95% this morning - I'll raise my coffee mug whilst settling in for a Webinar on our new IT support system. At least I will be clear headed for it.

I am very much not a moderate drinker, so will be cruising on in to February remaining part of the AF Resistance.

Checking in! Day 31 for me, can't believe I've made it this far. Well done to all of us.

Part of me is looking forward to a nice cold bottle of wine. But the other part doesn't want to give up all the wonderful health benefits of being alcohol free for this long. It's a tough one.

A small update from me - so far I've lost about 6 pounds (though I swear the first 2 were just the holiday bloat). If anything this is spurring me on to reduce and moderate my drinking (and keeping up with the healthy eating).

Thanks for the update @HPLikecraft . 95%!! 👏😃

Glad to hear you are keeping going. You're quite right about the pressure to drink in some situations. I think we just have to stand our ground, although that can be tricky in a post-work situation when it's your boss putting the pressure on, as has happened to me in the fairly recent past.

Day 2 on the UNLTD and I have already acquired a taste for it. I stayed up watching TV and didn't get to bed till well gone 1AM. I'm a night owl and I had thought that was largely due to the wine, but now I've realised I don't need alcohol to make my evenings interesting, I've slipped back into my old routine. I will work on this during February. Maybe I need AF Beer free nights too!

Am now at my lowest weight for many, many months. I still have 1/2 a stone to lose before I will be content so continuing AF is attractive just for that!

Raising a glass (of orange squash ) to all fellow members of the Alcohol Resistance reaching 95% (or there or thereabouts, for those who started earlier/later). 95%!!

Still AF here. Currently laid low with my annual humdinger of a cold (I'm very lucky in that I usually manage to avoid most lurgies, but I do tend to get one epic cold a year!) so at the moment I have no desire to drink wine whatsoever. But thinking ahead now. Very much agree with @DecafOatMilkCappucino in that the thought of a lovely chilled glass of white is appealing, but not the morning after feeling! It's interesting that several people are continuing the AF journey into February and beyond. I did until mid Feb last year and may consider the same this year.

Anyone else in such a good mood that they're being friendly and smiley and chatty to all and sundry, or is it just me? I'm feeling positively benevolent. If AF does this I might have to stick at it 😅

Highly, highly recommend this podcast - the antithesis of smug sanctimonious quit lit authordom. I sense Mumsnetters would like.

https://wellitywellness.com/2024/01/30/dry-january-30-sort-your-sht-out/

@wellitywellness Thanks I have downloaded the first episode. Looks like what I've been looking for. I do listen to full sobriety podcasts but I really struggle with the idea that full sobriety is the only path to health and happiness.

Anyway full sobriety for me today and tomorrow at least 🤣 - feeling reasonably health and happy right now.

@Yestodessertplease glad you liked it - I felt it a true breath of fresh eye. Finally some fucking nuance!

Air even!

I feel the same! What to dooo. I suppose the sensible thing would be to abstain until I know I'm ready to start drinking again. But it is so tempting to rush out to the shop and get a bottle of Prosecco in the fridge to open at 12.01am tomorrow 🤣