DRY JANUARY 2025! Join us for a healthier start to the year! All welcome 🥤☕️🧋

[HPLikecraft]

It’s that time of year again!
If you need a detox, to lose weight, to be healthier, to undo some seasonal overindulgence, to sleep better, to look better, to have healthier skin, to save money, boost liver function, improve your memory, or to decrease your likelihood of dying earlier of various nasty illnesses (sorry for the sudden hard ball!) then you’ve come to the right place!

The MN DJ2025 Chat thread is for anyone who wants to reset their relationship with alcohol; whether you’re a weekend tippler or a problem heavier drinker.
This is a friendly, non-judgmental thread where we support and encourage each other, exchange ideas and information, share alcohol-free drinks recommendations etc.

Hopefully we’ll have some fun along the way. Please hop aboard the good ship DJ 2025, everyone welcome!

Day 6 for me. Had my work Monday night and managed to stay off it by drinking Becks 0% was bloody hard. Free bar and everyone drinking a lot. I would have been one of them any other time. Must admit found the evening so tedious and dull without wine. Sneaked off to bed a bit earlier. In the morning felt massively smug that I didn’t have a hangover unlike many other people! Last night back home late so was an easy one not to drink.
sleeping so much better and dreaming crazy dreams. Have started a journal as well so I can look back on how much better I am feeling if the booze is calling.

Day 6 for me. Had my work Monday night and managed to stay off it by drinking Becks 0% was bloody hard. Free bar and everyone drinking a lot. I would have been one of them any other time. Must admit found the evening so tedious and dull without wine.

That’s amazing @SplendidFox - well done. I agree these occasions are just not fun when you’re sober.

Asking without judgement- is that a you thing or a them thing?

Definitely me. I have social anxiety and a few glasses of wine really helps take the edge off.

Is anyone else sleeping better, as in, almost too well? I always wake up around 6am, even if I don't fall asleep until past midnight. And often wake up a few times a night. Natural body clock. Since stopping drinking I've gone to sleep before midnight slept right through and woken at 7.30, then next day 7.45 and today 9.15!!! Luckily DC are grown and I work from home, self employed, but if I have any morning meetings this month, I'll have to set an alarm.

And dreaming. I never remember my dreams but have had some weird ones over the past week.

Is this common?

I don’t really understand why, but I’m not craving alcohol at all at the moment. Even the cravings I have had so far during DJ haven’t been terrible.

It’s almost too good to be true, like I’m just waiting for the cravings to start. Like I’m willing myself to fail. But I don’t know why. I think it’s because not drinking is so alien to me, I can hardly believe I’m actually doing it.

Anyway, another AF evening for me. Having an AF cider just because I enjoy the taste.

I hear you! Sure it used to be a huge part of my ‘living it large’ attitude when I was younger! I hardly go out now but would always prefer to have a drink when I do.

It'll be midnight for me when it's 25% done, as I toasted in the New Year!

I’m feeling tired, fed up and a bit despondent tonight. I think it’s the grim weather - it’s just so cold. Not craving wine as such but I do really fancy a glass or two after work.

Just having a steaming cup of Earl Grey, wrapped up with the cat, in my duvet on the sofa, keeping warm.
So glad of this thread, it's like having a lots of friends, all supportive of one another on this January Journey and Beyond.
I had started to ease off, actually before Xmas/NY, not sure why. Maybe cos my visit to a specialist mid-Dec had her asking me many questions, including how often I drank wine, which I told her I did, but less than was actually true.
At that time I made a silent promise to myself to ease up on it from then on.
I already feel that any future dinners out with friends, which we do often, won't be quite the same, but I'm willing to try to enjoy anyway.

Day 8. Yesterday I really learned something useful.

As previously reported I’d had a couple of stressful days, I was in a very bad mood (unusual for me) and my cravings for alcohol were off the charts. Had a lovely evening playing bridge with friends (all the others sinking at least a bottle of red each) and enjoyed my bottle of Oddbird, but still craving and feeling FOMO. Nearly caved but managed to hold on. Slept ok and I feel so much better today. My French client has continued to be super annoying, but I’ve been much more zen and chilled about it.

I have always dealt with stress by drinking at the end of the day. I’m not an early starter: rarely have a drink before 8pm, but then will easily have two or three glasses of wine before bed. So what I learned yesterday was that I CAN just ride out the storm and know that IT WILL PASS. I don’t have to always numb my feelings with booze. Even if the problem persists, my attitude towards it will change. If I can harness this achievement, it will be so helpful with moderating going forward.

I’m so pleased that I didn’t give in and drink, I would have been so cross with myself. I’m viewing this as an experiment as much as anything - what happens when I don’t drink for a month - and I really want to find out.

💪💪 everyone!

Started on the 5th January- am I allowed in please?

Managed to do a dry February last year too!

Have been having lime and lemon sodas and a nighttime Sainsbury's blend tea as replacement for wine! Okay but need the loo a lot at night!

Checking in. DJ has not been too bad so far but like others, this Friday night will be a test.

Very impressed with those of you who are managing to stay AF whilst socialising. I've done DJ for the past few years but I cope with it by avoiding any social occasion that could involve alcohol! Which essentially means I stay home every evening in January...

I'm another one overcompensating with sugary snacks. And I need to cut out the hot chocolate I've been treating myself to before bed, as well - I think the sugar in that is resulting in a struggle to fall asleep. Not feeling any major benefits yet but I know from past experience that these are likely to be more obvious later in the month.

Sorry to hear about the car and the stressed out teen, @HPLikecraft Hope things calm down soon.

For those needing a wee at night, fwiw I had to stop having any (non alcoholic) drinks at all after about 6pm (7 if I’ve been exercising). Otherwise I have to get up in the night. I try to be well hydrated through the day so I can stop early, and my first morning drink is hot water (yes, I know, it took some getting used to but I like it now and miss it if I go without). Closely followed by coffee!! Some nights I still have to get up but stopping liquids by 6 definitely helps.

I agree with pp who said it’s probably the dehydration associated with drinking alcohol that means the night time ‘wine wees’ aren’t a thing!

I have the opposite problem (though also don’t drink liquids after 7pm during Dry Jan. if I drink alcohol I’m got up at 3am and possibly 5 as well, to pee - but a few days off the booze and my sleep is vastly improved (with weird dreams initially) and I’m dead to the world 10 til 8 (if allowed). And extremely refreshed and awake and up for getting up, not needing a lie-in.

My desire for lie-ins usually is almost like I’m an ill person needing to stay in bed, by comparison to how well I feel after a week off drink. And I don’t get much of a hangover. Poorer sleep but no headaches or exhaustion or nausea. Just perfectly ok. Unlike booze free which is technicolour. (Why am I looking forward to a warming glass of red in Feb then?)

I'm trying the raspberry and guava Goodrays CBD drink this evening, but I'm not really liking it that much. The taste of sparkling water overpowers the other flavours.

Not really having alcohol cravings, I've had the odd passing thought, but then I've thought I'd actually prefer a cup of tea.

I slept better last night, with the aid of prescription meds. Another dry day done. Well done everyone.

Day 8 in the bag. Definitely noticing reduced puffiness in my face, less grogginess and more energy. Not lost any weight because I'm eating like a pig.

I definitely feel confident that after this (albeit short) sober spell I won't go back to drinking during the week again. I was starting on a Wednesday night, sometimes Tuesday and drinking right the way through the week/weekend sometimes only ever having a Monday off. I've seen the benefits of being sober and I'm quietly confident that the habit is broken.

Tonight was a bit of a challenge as Wednesday is when I'd usually start (no work for me tomorrow or Friday) however I still have to get up and get the dc to school so it'll be nice doing that with a bit more energy.

Still unsure how I'll fare at the weekend but I'm taking it a day at a time and celebrating the wins.

Welcome!

Yes, I'm drinking 'sleepy' teas (how twee 🙄) instead of wine and I'm up at least three times in the night! 😡

Can’t believe we’re on day 9!

Morning all. Day 10 for me. I was ok last night though night before I had severe cravings! Ate my body weight in chocolate biscuits. Sleep is ok wake up a lot but the quality is good and I feel so much better. I am starting to wonder why I used to throw back so much wine so many nights if the week... I am so much more present and less irritable now.
Weekend will be rough as have a couple of social events plus after my blood tests tomorrow I might think oh well, let's pollute my blood now again as there ll be no reason not to!
I think if we can get through this weekend it will get easier as we will have broken the back of the month with two weekends done.
Stay strong everyone

I slept much better last night, without medical assistance. I've woken up feeling like it was better quality sleep, not just the coma style unconsciousness I've got used to.

Anyone else pre-empting getting to February?- I am already starting to wonder about continuing but at the same time asking myself if I am prepared to give up wine for good. It feels as if it would be quite easy but also beneficial, so why am I clinging to wanting not to do it?

I’m also a bit concerned about OH, who isn’t (yet?) prepared to follow me along that path. What if it impacts our downtime together at the weekend?

@AlertCat
That would be my dream. When I did DJ in 2021 I held out til middle of April. Then I only drank two days in April and three in May then it slowly crept up... and up.
After the last DJ I remember thinking I feel good but I know I will feel better so I decided to do Feb too. Hoping for the same enlightenment this time!

I am thinking about Feb to. Me and DH were discussing his DJ can then end in a Feb binge session potentially. That's exactly what I don't want to do. I am not planning on giving up totally but will moderate a lot more. DH isn't doing DJ but has only had one whisky in Jan so far and haa said he plans to cut back a lot on alcohol anyway.

Morning all.
Life at home has involved lots of significant decisions this week that will take effect over the weeks to come. Interestingly, it has been good that I am completely clear thinking and ready for the changes to come, which will undoubtedly be challenging at times and emotional too. At no point has a glass (bottle - who am I kidding) of wine even crossed my mind. DJ is definitely part of that.

Having purposefully cut out alcohol for many days each year over several years, it has got easier to stay AF. I don't think I will ever master moderation.

For those focusing on 'what do I do on 1 February' - well I've done both 'I'll have a glass and be more mindful" - I've never sustained this approach; or, "let's just carry on AF for today and postpone a decision for now" which has become, mostly, my new norm.

Anyway, for today I will be AF and with 9 days behind me, hope to add another. Hope everyone else is navigating their journey feeling positive.