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!

And as for all of us living on a knife edge of reasonable health to end-stage liver failure by Thursday, I'm a CT operator and in 40 years, you'd think we'd see far, far more victims.

Probably a dim question, but do you mean you do scans to check people’s livers, @Fordian ?

I had a hard day at work today and am feeling quite low and worried about it. Normally I’d turn to wine but obviously not doing that tonight. It’s hard not having my usual way to escape negative emotions.

I was pleased to get to the 13th sober, but looking at the chart, realistically there’s still a long way to go. Hanging in there but can’t lie, it isn’t easy.

Hardest day yet for me but it’s done! And interesting to see what my triggers are (they’re what I thought, but just felt more apparent after two weekends off!)

My main plan after January is to not drink every weekend out of habit, and to not turn to wine as a coping mechanism all the time.

I may do longer than January but will decide that at the end of the month!

Day 10 for me as I didn't start until 3rd Jan. Sleep is slowly getting better and I'm feeling much more productive at the weekend.

Really fancied some wine with Sunday lunch yesterday, but had a glass of Kylie 0% Prosecco (which was not bad actually) and the feeling passed. Great to wake up on Monday without a fuzzy head!

Finding this thread so helpful for support when my resolve is wavering.

Went to the theatre tonight, and broke the habit of a lifetime (I go to the theatre a lot) by having an alcohol free beer beforehand. It wasn't very nice, so I had to console myself with an ice-cream at the interval! In terms of health benefits, I have high blood pressure, which is more or less controlled by medication, and I am planning to wait another week or so and then do some readings to see if its dropped from where it was before Christmas, when it was slightly too high. If so, then I'm really going to have to try to make some more permanent changes.

@newme2025 yes, CT scans, at a general hospital. So not specialist, but how many 'problem drinkers', (which we are), go to Kings? (Big liver unit). The vast majority get as far as general medicine, admit a history of ETOH excess, get LFT bloods, and maybe a CT scan. Most return 'normal' appearances, which is not to say no damage had been done, mind!

I can say that in the last 20 years I've seen maybe half a dozen people be admitted clearly with a long history of alcohol abuse, who've actually tipped over the edge into liver failure and death.

PLEASE don't think I'm minimising or dismissing the harm. We all know alcohol is a toxin, and that it costs the NHS millions (while raking in millions in taxes...) and that some of us need to moderate, the others need to stop. But I guess I personally don't respond to the idea that alcohol absolutely, 100% will kill us if, as some on these boards do, we drink 15 units a week.

I think the social, financial and psychological harm can be for many rather worse; drunk driving, neglecting your kids, starting arguments, falling over, shaming yourself publicly, etc.

Day 13 finished for me. It has been a very busy and time consuming day of activity but no thought of a drink this evening. What that tells me is that one trigger for me is being under occupied. Actually, in so many ways, I am much better when work/life is full on than when it eases a bit.

I am appreciating the posts these last few days, nodding along in agreement or pausing for thought if I feel something written may be contentious. This thread shows how this is very much an individual experience but shared with others who are each following their own path. I hope we can travel along for another day together.

Am finding this thread really helpful to check in on each night. Helps to have a bit of support - the friends I’ve mentioned it to are not doing it and a bit unhelpful really, asking ‘why?’ or saying ‘I did that last year, didn’t feel any different’…

Am up with the lark again, feeling better than I used to! I definitely feel different, even if all I get is reassurance I can do it and booze doesn’t rule me, that’s enough. Am not expecting to magically feel or look 10 years younger, I just want to feel completely in control. Am saving a little each week to buy something nice for myself at the end of the month (boots or a coat, not booze!).

Day 13 completed. Started with an awfully sad news from a friend, and even when the day was done, I thought how any other time I might say “I need a drink”. But no, I have let thought go and didn’t. I don’t need it, cup of tea to unwind was just right. I did, however, go to Lidl to get a brownie midday, to soothe my soul.

I actually love how this thread has evolved from sleep and sugar craving up to reflecting on why we are doing DJ. Have a lovely day, everyone one!

Yes, the evolution is one reason why I'm not planning Feb yet as I know I will think differently by the end of Jan.

Coming to the end of day 16. Had a horrible (unavoidable) meeting with a bullyish colleague and when I got home first thought was “oh I deserve a glass of wine now” but relieved to say I resisted, had dinner with water and am now sipping a liquorish & mint herbal tea which is delicious.

Has been quite a journey so far reflecting on & understanding better what triggers the urge to drink. I feel I am setting my relationship to alcohol and hope that when I drink again - end January or later possibly - it is not as an emotional crutch.

Day 14 almost done and I am having a Sentia Red with ginger ale and a slice of dehydrated orange with lots of ice. I am actually feeling a nice buzzy/ woozy feeling from it. And I don’t seem to get anything from the CBD drinks. I actually like the taste too. Pleased :)

@Fordian thanks for elaborating. Agree about the social and psychological harm - I’ve absolutely had my fair share of shaming myself due to drinking, unfortunately. As a former heavy drinker (a bottle of wine a day) I worry about the state of my liver, but since starting DJ I do feel a lot healthier on the inside.

Day 14 has been okay - again I’ve felt quite flat and a bit low, but am also calmer than when I drink. I felt a pang of temptation to drink after work but managed to ignore the feeling and am off to bed in a minute. I’m proud of myself for achieving two full weeks sober, but also feel there’s a long way to go. I’m hoping it will start to feel a bit easier psychologically when we’re over the halfway point on Thursday.

So pleased I’ve done 14 days as I’ve never got this far in dry January before. The weekend was tough but the next 3 days will be easy as I just distract myself with Traitors!

End of Day 9 for me.
Realised my alcohol trigger time is about 6pm once I've finished work and starting to think about tea. I find if I get past this, I'm fine and I don't think about it anymore.

I was soo tired today after work and went to have a lie down. It was a bit chilly so put my electric blanket on and next thing I knew it was 2 hours later and my cat was meowing for his dinner! I never nap!

Still on the lemon line soda and lemon balm concoction. Look forward to that actually and hope I can get this habit to stick!

End of day 13 for me and after a good start, my sleep has been worse this last few days which is making me snappy. Im pushing through and hoping it will improve soon.On the upside though, my skin is looking great and I've rewarded myself with a load of new make up which I'm applying daily. I'm going for look good, feel good vibes!

@newme2025 yes, I'm not feeling much in the way of benefit that some others have! Happy for them! I'm certainly going to keep DJ up, but I'm not making any promises to myself that I can't keep just yet!

Not to suggest you have nothing to worry about, but I had a LFT test done 18 months ago (regular screening); I drink more than you, and mine came back normal. I'm not daft, that didn't inspire me to drink any more heavily, I should add!

At least, come this weekend, we'll be over half way which will be a good chance to survey what we've achieved!

I tried it when it first came out. It was disgusting. Tasted really foul and bitter and had zero effect on mood. Not calming or uplifting - just made me feel nauseous and angry I'd wasted good money on it. I trusted Nutt to create something worth trying but it's not this.

Almost half way through. It's not been so tough this year, though I have said to DH I want a whisky on Burns Night as we miss out every year. But that's the only day I'm going to skip.

Lost the Christmas pounds but that's because I've been running around looking after family members with flu, thinking I was immune as I had it before Christmas, but all the symptoms are creeping back in tonight - headache, wheezy chest, achey bones, tight sore throat...Early night with a honey and ginger Lemsip.

Morning all. Hope you're all doing well. I've been managing DJ fine, but it is my seventh year! It's taken along time for it to become this... well, I wont say easy exactly, but not too difficult.
Helps that DH is also not drinking.

Well, a little percentage update. I'll go up to midday for roundness. Midday today sees us...

46.7%

of the way through DJ2025 🥳

As I said before, we will hit the 50% mark at midday tomorrow! 💪💪

Ah that’s a shame, we cross posted, mine arrived and I tired it last night and really liked it. Shows how different we all are as my DP thought it was “ok” but wasn’t fussed. I think I might have found a product that will help me moderate after DJ! 🎉

Same with alcohol I guess we all have different tastes, I actually don’t like spirits atall - a neat vodka or whiskey or tequila etc would make me gag. But I like them all in cocktails.

It might have improved. I tried it when it first came out a few years ago. They have probably been developing the flavours. Maybe I should try again. Did you feel calmer or happier - did it have a positive impact on your mood at all? It's pretty expensive if all it turns out to be is another soft drink.

I can really relate to this too!

@SereneCapybara yes. Hard to explain, a lightness bordering on tingling in my body/ limbs. A mellow happiness. Best comparison is what one glass of wine does to me. I don’t get that from a Diet Coke, or a glass of water, or even a CBD drink - they have no affect on me atall. I only had one so not sure what effect multiple would have.

Can see myself having it at weekends when I want an AF weekend, or to move onto after 2/3 glasses of wine. Not on a typical Tuesday night but they just arrived and I was curious!

Delurking to post that I'm on Day 14 - I'm actually finding it pretty easy - I'm not sure if it is because this is my 3rd year doing it. On the weekend I drank Crodino which was like a non alcoholic aperol 😋

I'm thinking a lot about how I want to take DJ forward. I'm not massively desperate to have a drink on the 1st Feb so think I may just continue on until I really want to. My one problem is that DH has declared that he will be having a drink bang on the 1st Feb & he has no interest in continuing. He also is not very keen on me to continue - I think because he really likes it when we unwind together with a couple of drinks on the weekend. The problem is that he is far better than me at moderating so he will have two drinks & I'll end up having 5 (even when I'm not really in the mood).

Just checking in to say hi. Yesterday was such a tedious day at work that I could very easily have given in, but I had elderflower cordial with tonic, and that did the trick.

I'm tired earlier in the evenings, so I'm getting to bed at a decent time, and sleeping quite well now.

Haven't lost a single pound though, which is annoying!