Damp Feb! For DJ survivors and Feb drink moderation fans!

[Fordian]

Hi Everyone who might be interested, a thread for anyone who wants an accountability check-in for their moderate Feb drinking!

Well done on passing probation.

Well done @Eatinpeachesonthebeaches! And cheers!

Glad you slept better @Fordian That makes everything easier to face doesn’t it?

I have had one hell of a day. Early start, long drive, shitty client. And ususlly I’d text DP to say let’s go to the pub. But instead of that I went to the gym. I just got in. I feel quite proud of myself!

Hey

I’m still unsure what to do. One month on one month off? On the ‘on’ months just stick to one night in a week if I decide to have a drink at home - but then if there are any nights out arranged that’s my quota. I feel like once a week though is too much maybe I could just limit it to one or two occasions a month (at home without an occasion)

I think alternating months might just keep me healthy.

next year I’d like to try for 6months AF and stick to it…then for the rest of the year - nights out / events or holidays only.

Day 40 tomorrow for me, I’m almost getting out of the habit of reaching for a glass of wine because I “deserve it” after working all day. I’m trying to figure out what rules are going to be when I do decide to go damp. Its almost becoming a source of anxiety in itself, but I know that one day soon I will think that it is time for a drink. I just hope I will be able to stop at one.

Another dry day under my belt. Feeling really down though. Life just seems so relentless and I haven't got the warm Cosy glow of a couple of merlots every evening to take the edge off!

@CandyLeBonBon I won't deny I know exactly what you mean.

It's great to be able to be open, that yes, a couple of really nice glasses does smooth over the edges; we don't always want or need to feel the nasty jagged shards of everything, do we?

We just need to figuratively 'stop at two', I guess!

Well done everyone, and congrats to @Eatinpeachesonthebeaches .

@CandyLeBonBon , sorry you are feeling down. Have you tried the CBD drinks? They do have a relaxing effect. Also some of the beers make me feel quite sleepy. Sometimes all you really need is a break from your own thoughts, so perhaps some meditation might help?

Dry night for me. The fake bourbon was very nice. I had it with ice and a little soda. Later I had a Warsteiner, which is my favourite AF beer at the moment.

Alternating days seems to be working well. @Sammy900 , alternating months is an interesting idea, as it minimises the number of decisions. I think, whatever pattern works for you is fine. Options I am considering after Feb:

1. Carry on alternating days ad infinitum.
2. Have 2/3 set AF days per week.
3. Stay dry for the first week of every month.
4. Aim to tick off 8-12 AF days per month.
5. Drink whenever I want to, but do Dry July and Dry Jan every year.

With all options I'd have a ceiling of 3-4 units per session, with an average of 2-3. I managed that last year, so am pretty confident I can keep it up. The trick for me (which won't work for everyone) is to stay dry when out / socialising.

Wine night tomorrow and I'm considering a red (pinot noir) that has been gathering dust since the last time I tried to switch from white to red - hopefully it has aged well and not turned to vinegar! 😳

I'm going to break my dj streak tonight as we're off for a fancy meal. I'm still going to limit though and be sensible.

Dreamt a lot about drinking overnight, how weird!

Happy with myself I’ve done 5 days clear, but I’m a Pringles drinker, so having one or two every couple of days wouldn’t work for me - I’ve got to finish the bottle and had built up over the past 3 years or so to 3 sometimes 4 bottles a week.

I so appreciate reading everyone’s honesty here, It’s really helped me be honest with myself, if it’s ok I’d like to add some points I couldn’t admit irl to hold myself accountable:

• I drink to get drunk
• I was sometimes hiding my empty bottle
• I felt panicked when DH wanted to ‘share’ wine as that meant I didn’t get the whole bottle (he literally only has one glass!)
• I am worried this new found enlightenment won’t last - especially come the summer!

Apologies for the blatant trauma dump before 7am 😅 actually felt a bit teary writing all that! Think I’m emotional with relief perhaps, that DJ has shown me I’m not a full blown lush as I find it so easy to go without, but I do consider myself a problem drinker for the switch more than one glass turns on!

I had my first glass of wine of the year in a freezing cold pub ‘garden’ before the football last night - drinking from the bottle ( a very small one) 😂 Not how I had anticipated breaking damp Feb. I’m up this morning feeling dehydrated and itchy and no desire to repeat the experience (even in much nicer surroundings 😂)

Well,I broke my DJ run last night while visiting my sister. It was interesting as I was undecided as to what was going to happen. I had a Guinness Zero while she cooked dinner and a glass of water with the food. So far so good. Decided,consciously to have a glass of wine with her after dinner. Just one. We drank two bottles. So. I clearly cannot stop once I start. That one glass shatters any resolve I might have built up. It's going to have to be AF or accept that a drinking night will not be just a glass and live with that.
For what it's worth,I have a thumping headache this morning.

@Hedjwitch I totally empathize with your post. I feel similar, in that I have will power to not turn the switch “on”, (been dry 35 out of the last 36 days) but when it’s on it’s the “off” that’s the trouble, it just doesn’t come naturally. I don’t relate as much to the 1-2 glasses a night goals, as my brain would think “what’s the point?”, I’d rather save them all up and have them at once 😀.

I’m drinking tonight and going to experiment a bit.

Don’t beat yourself up. If you’d started before dinner it might have been 3 bottles.

@FUBAR77 and @Hedjwitch , I hope you are both OK and that the headaches pass soon. I'm so sorry to hear about your experiences, but you have both done so well, staying dry for a period, and understanding that you have trouble finding an off switch, and being honest about it. I'm sure there are many in the same boat who refuse to admit it. ❤

The good news is that you have made great progress. Also, you know that you're not physically addicted to alcohol - or you wouldn't have been able to do DJ without serious consequences. If you decide to give up totally, that would be completely understandable, and achievable. Moderation isn't for everyone.

Great idea @Addictforanex !

mine are:

• At least 3 dry days a week

• No more than 5 units in a night (unless its a special occasion like a birthday/christmas etc)

• Aim to stay below 20 units a week

Longer term would like to be on less than 14 units weekly, but pre-DJ was drinking 30-40 units a week so 20 feels more realistic to start with.

Main thing for me seems to be staying away from wine, I'm much more sensible if I drink pretty much anything else! So I was on gin and tonics last weekend and had 2 beers last night.

@FUBAR77 Me, too. I used to 'panic' if there was no wine in the house, hide my empties, resentful of sharing a bottle 😳 and, @Hedjwitch, I don't have a reliable 'off' button either.

Will buy nice wine to drink tonight, later, in the knowledge I'll drink it all over 4-5 hours.

@SatinHeart I suspect I'd drink less if I avoided wine, too.

Like you, I'm realistic in that I know I'm way off '14 units a week', but I'm still drinking way less thanks did pre-DJ.

I didn't end up drinking last night after all. I had my usual non-alcoholic "tipple" and found I just didn't want any wine after that!
See what happens tonight.

That's positive, knowing you can drink, but chose not to! Well done!

@FUBAR77 i hope it helps you when I say, genuinely, you are not alone. I agree this thread is refreshingly honest and judgement free.

please can you send me your best abstinence vibes as I tackle the first dry Friday of dry February. I am feeling very gloomy about it. I have a fantastic local and I love meeting DP there for a few after work on a Friday.

It’s the sheer enjoyment and relaxation isn’t it. I love unwinding with a drink. I sit in peace thinking my own thoughts. I’m trying to have 5 days a week drink-free now. Swapping out a Friday so I have a drink Thursday evening then a drink on Saturday. I look so forward to it x

I've just poured a gin & tonic as it's Friday night and my plan is moderate drinking two nights a week. Although an elderflower and tonic is considerably lower in calories than a g&t according to my pesky app (I'm trying to lose weight) so I have additional motivation to stop after one....

@Fordian
Thanks I know!
I also found a bottle of rose Prosecco in the spare garage fridge yesterday! It's weird that I just didn't fancy it - in previous months that would have been popped first, then onto the Bordeaux!

I drank tonight! Delicious meal out, but we shared a bottle between us, then came home to finish off the Christmas port- 1 small glass!

Checking in. After completing Dry January last Friday I drank four days in a row - Saturday, Sunday and (this is where I’m annoyed with myself) Monday and Tuesday. I then managed not to drink Wednesday, Thursday and tonight. Am off to a good friend’s birthday meal tomorrow which is going to be very hard.

I have had most of a bottle of wine- I really enjoyed it though. Planning to have the last half a glass on Sunday. Tomorrow will experiment with a couple of beers and a whisky- like lots of us I am likely to drink more of wine than most other things.

I do know alcohol is not my friend any more, but I enjoy wine and am enjoying the 3/4-of-a-bottle sensation.