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!

Same. Less blotchy, much softer and lines/bags less pronounced. If I have a few days of heavy drinking my skin gets really dry and puffy. Awful really.

I am totally a lurker on this thread but just popping out of hiding to mark the halfway point! I did Sober October in 2024 and have done Dry Jan etc before as find I am usually ready for a complete reset after Christmas! I find the Try Dry app quite motivating and love an alcohol free alternative - some are expensive but so is good gin! so I don't mind too much. I am enjoying better sleep and the lack of mental noise around drinking. Currently planning to stay AF till the end of February as I am training for a running event then and then I'll see.

It'd take a miracle to make my post-60 skin sparkle...

Hard day today, my mood is low and nervous system feels tender; and the call of the wine fairy is LOUD. But I have a medahuman drink and that will do. Let’s keep going. 💪

Halfway, amazing! Not finding it easy, but am managing ok so far. Sleeping well and my skin has improved, so I’ll take that! Really pleased to have got to 50% 😍

Well done everyone who’s got halfway (me included).

The wine witch is calling, but I’m telling myself, what’s the point? I could drink tonight but there’s nothing on TV, it’s leftovers for dinner and we have to finish the online shop. In what way does wine add to those evening plans? I’d rather wait for a meal out or something to break the dry spell.

I'm going out tomorrow but driving so should be okay.

Also very happy and proud to have made it halfway.

I was thinking this morning about the worst times I’ve been drunk - I’ve had silly rows with DH, lost my phone on one occasion (that was an expensive night out), spent money online ordering crap I didn’t need, and vomited the next day due to feeling so hungover. Shameful.

I started late so not there yet with 50%, but have at least today equalled my best previous DJ effort 🙈 Not yet too tempted to drink but have added Guinness and Erdinger 0% and an interesting looking rhubarb and ginger AF spirit to the supermarket order for tomorrow... Hope I can stay strong. Keep going everyone! I think the playing it forward advice is really helpful.

Psychologically, I suddenly feel this is quite a lot easier now we’re over halfway. For now at least!

I was tempted to break after some very tough news, but I bought m+s rose fizzero instead - very much enjoying it and so pleased I didn't cave

Half way, huh! I will say it’s been a bloody long month so far. Decided against any AF drinks so living of water and tea.

I’ve kept myself busy doing a major deep clean of the house. Only thing left to do is the bedding cupboard. And the garage, but the weather has been so cold I can’t even think about spending time out there.

Sleep has not improved, but I haven’t slept well in years. Appearance is not any better, in fact I’ve got dark shadows under my eyes for the first time in my life, the right eye looks like it’s a black eye. Skin is still dry, but I think that’s probably down to the cold weather and wind.

On the up side, already toying with keeping up the AF till Valentines Day. It’s our anniversary then, I think 40 years deserves a drink?

I'm also going to stay dry until late Feb. We're off on a cruise for the last week of February, and it will be my birthday while we're away, so I think I'll have earned a birthday drink!

A bottle of Becks Blue tonight and a bit of knitting whilst watching Squid Game. Bliss. Who needs booze? 🙂

Good to be half way through. I’ve had a grim week at work and there was an event today with free beer and wine at the end but I helped myself to a San Pelegríno so slightly pleased with that. Definitely easier now if a bit dull. Am looking forward to the weekend and a non hung over run, first time out for a few weeks due to horrible weather and colds.

Mine is just a bit glowier and more even in tone with less red cheeks and not as dry looking.
Jowls look a bit firmer too!

Came the closest I’ve been to caving tonight! Managed to resist as I just knew I’d be disappointed in myself tomorrow and feeling pleased now. Well done everyone for making it to halfway!

Glad to have passed the half way mark without realising.

Significant and very sad life changes here but haven't thought about a drink to ease the feelings. Am mindful that this may change next week when I have more time on my own - so will try to be prepared.

Good luck to those struggling, hope you resist.

Yay, 50%! Well done all.

My skin looks better too - I can’t describe it really, it’s not younger as such. I just look a bit less ‘like I’ve been dug up’ on Teams calls 😅

Well done everyone that made it half way - you are all awesome!

Still plodding on here and just concentrating on getting to end of January. It's good to hear all of your thoughts on what you are doing in February but I can't really think that far ahead - just going one day at a time....

It is nice to wake up feeling fresh though - my sleep has now gone back to normal and skin is feeling nice.

I'm out tonight for dinner with friends so it will be my first dry Jan social event - I don't think it will be too testing as they aren't very boozy people so no one will be drinking much anyway.

Have a great day everyone

Way too much chocolate last night but still staying AF. Feeling the January blues not helped by very dingy weather. Onward

Also eating far too much chocolate and crap here... there's a limit to my self control!

Checking in.

Wish my sleep was reliably better! I woke at 3am AGAIN for about 45 mins! But luckily I didn't get mad cravings last night like I did on Weds night, before Traitors.

I also wish I could see or experience more tangible benefits other than my wallet!😡

I still wake up with a mild headache (that was a surprise, I'd always put that down to having drunk the previous night!); no weight loss, and nothing will make my post-60 skin 'glow' again! And my evenings still feel a bit boring! Again, being post 60 and working occasionally long but always unpredictable hours, I'm usually too tired to do hobbies, or go back out to a class etc once I'm home.

I tried the AF drinks but the only one I liked was Guinness zero, which is a very good facsimile, but I'd normally drink Guinness once a year? Crisp dry white wine is my thing, and there certainly aren't any substitutes, AND, for me personally, I've come to the conclusion substituting feels like placemarking til I can dial back up to the real thing on Feb 1st! So an evening drink might be flavoured tonic water.

I decided to read some quit lit. This Naked Mind which I couldn't get into as I don't believe my one-sherry-at-Xmas maiden aunt is in exactly the same boat as the homeless drunk swilling anti-freeze in the gutter, just at a different place in her addiction journey; and I've just begun Unexpected Joys, maybe 5 pages in.

I can't or don't read openly as I am not making a big deal re DJ to the family. DS25 clocked me early but I did ask him to pick up a no alcohol wine at the supermarket; DH will have noticed, re Guinness zero and the zero Copperberg (sp?) cider (pleasant enough but like Fanta) but hasn't said anything.

But here we are, on Day 17!

@Fordian I don't want to make you uncomfortable but I'm wondering why you wish to keep this from your family? Are you not expecting to meet with support for your choice? You're not asking them to join in. It sounds like your son doesn't have an issue with it and surely they're going to realise/find out by the end of the month if they haven't already.

I think you're doing brilliantly ❤️ I understand what you mean about organised hobbies/clubs feeling out of reach with your unpredictable and tiring timetable. Can you identify a home-based hobby that you can easily pick up and put down whenever? A craft of some sort?

Well done everyone, wherever you're at.

I've had a couple of those CBD drinks but I don't really like them, so I won't buy any more when they are gone. I find that if I drink coffee through the day (decaf after noon), then by the time evening comes, I'm so looking forward to a cup of tea that that's a decent replacement for wine.

I struggled to fall asleep last night, but I went for an unexpected coffee in the afternoon and forgot to ask for decaf.

I got some of the Kyle AF wine for the weekend, but I don't know if I'll actually drink it. I'm inclined to leave it in the cupboard, and only have it if I'm seriously at risk of caving. Right now I'm just not bothered, so I'll stick with tea.

Elderflower cordial with tonic water is good too. I find that if drinks are too sweet, they don't really do the trick.

Interesting responses on improved skin, I think my skin is irredeemable.

Another Friday, which is the toughest DJ day for me. Why are there 5 of them!?

I don't want to pour cold water on anything, but I am still feeling 0 benefit from giving up alcohol for 17 days. If anything I've gained a little weight through giving myself a slightly freer rein with foodie treats.

Sigh.