Going 'dry' for 4 weeks

[CurlieSue]

Hi, I have a real problem with wine. I find it hard to admit but I'm addicted to it. I can easily drink a whole bottle without even feeling drunk and often drink a bottle and a half in the evenings. Spirits I can take or leave, I don't actually like most of them, but there is something about wine that I find so addictive. I have to do something because I'm so worried about the effect on my health - mental and physical. I'm fed up of feeling tired, sluggish, feeling overwhelmed by day to day stuff like housework. I've decided that starting tomorrow, I will do my utmost to go dry for 4 weeks. Does anyone want to do it with me or is there a 'dry' support thread I can join? Thank you.

Hello, I haven't left either - I just lost this from the threads I'm on.

I'm doing fine. I don't know if it's helpful or not to say that!

I associate wine with cooking and I have to break that association every night (and I am the house cook most nights, unavoidably) and make it something I only do at the weekends. In an ideal world I would drink every night because I enjoy it but even 2 bottles of wine per week is above Government guidelines, so that's really not on.

In my experience, when I feel I want to sleep better and feel healthier, giving up alcohol is one of the quickest ways to achieve this.

It is worth putting in the effort! If you get cravings for alcohol you need to have a plan in place for how to thwart them. Tis the only way.

Well done christmaswreaths! You can absolutely do it too CurlieSue, I have every faith in you. Keep trying .

Hi bibbity I'm the same as you. I've planned for a week of meals that don't involve much cooking. It's only me and my daughter though so much easier. I'm trying to also batch cook meals where I can then freeze them. Last night I felt stressed with no alcohol so I pulled out one of my daughter's colouring books and started colouring. It was so therapeutic! X x

Excellent. I like a crossword or sudoku! I have to spend a lot of time in the kitchen, so hiding away having a bath or watching tv just isn't feasible.

I've taken to having a cup of tea at 6pm. Never usually drink tea after mid afternoon, but that's just a habit and habits can be changed.

That's good that you have other things you can enjoy. I'm seriously thinking of starting to bake cakes. I don't associate it with drinking and it requires a lot of concentration whereas I think you can be more relaxed with cooking x x

So pleased you are still around ladies. I have only shared this with a few people and they don't seem to understand!!

I associate wine with a relax after work, so just finding other ways. Curly I am really happy you are still around and having another go. Day 2 already!! I can relate to a lot of what you write.

Thank you all for the encouragement, 14 days feel like a long time but in the big scheme of things are nothing..I am.not even half way through Lent yet!!

I think you are doing so well, and you have gone so far. I hope it will be a lot easier for you from now on. It sounds like you are over the worst of it. Keep going, you are incredibly strong and you can do this!

Hi curlysue and everyone, I hope your week is going well. This has been a better week for me. I am on day 18!! I am thinking of a drink less and have more energy. On Monday it will be 3 weeks!! Weekend will be harder but I got some Elderflower juice :-)

This board really helped me get this far so I wanted to thank you x I know this is only the beginning but I found the first week very hard - thanks for your support xx

Hi christmaswreaths! I'm on day 16 now and sleeping well.

Yay well done Bibbity!! How are you finding things? X

I'm finding it absolutely fine and enjoying it, thank you. I especially like being able to read in bed without falling asleep .

I've spent a fair bit of the money that would have gone on wine on treats for me (so far jeans, expensive bath oil, flowers for the house, some new pens and stationery). I honestly haven't thought for a moment that I can't do this.

Almost every day I fancy a glass of wine but that's all it is ... fancying a glass of wine. I don't indulge my cravings for curry, cigarettes or toasted cheese sandwiches every day so I don't need to indulge my cravings for wine every day either!

I do tend to see it in black and white like that.

How are you finding things? Have you thought a bit further ahead into the future?

I am seeing it in a similar way. I am enjoying the better sleep, lack of hangover and more energy. I have been moodier though.

I am not sure what to do long term.. I am hoping I can go back to one glass of wine now and then. I will be in the middle of a holiday abroad at the end of Lent, so will see how I feel then.

Knowing I can just stop for 40 days will make a difference.. What about you? X

I am seeing it in a similar way. I am enjoying the better sleep, lack of hangover and more energy. I have been moodier though.

I am not sure what to do long term.. I am hoping I can go back to one glass of wine now and then. I will be in the middle of a holiday abroad at the end of Lent, so will see how I feel then.

Knowing I can just stop for 40 days will make a difference.. What about you? X

I will go back to drinking. I'm not actually that much of an old lush generally, but I want to keep it under control. Giving up for long stretches is part of that. I've done this several times before and go without for a week or two fairly regularly. I am wary with alcohol though - there is alcoholism in my close family.

Sounds like you have it under control. I am not so sure I have really, this is the first weekend after 3 weeks where I am.starting to enjoy stuff without feeling something is missing. I don't want to be back here in a hurry.

I think I.have an addictive personality and find doing things in moderation difficult in general. So I will have to think carefully.

Fundamentally I need to.address my work situation and the stress it is creating in my life before I go.back to wine as I will end up using it as a crutch.

You're on to it, though, christmas - which can only be a good thing. Sorry to hear your work is so stressful but drinking won't help you with that, as you know! I read some of the other alcohol support/concern threads on here and could shake the posters who have been there for years with nothing really changing. Saying you are worried about your alcohol intake is not the same as doing something about it.

Curlie,
I hope you will forgive this .... you say you are constantly tired and need to sleep... You are putting that down to wine... But... you are forgetting you are a mum... And exhaustion is another name for being a mum. That and all the rest of the joys of motherhood (like PND, stretch marks, sore nipples from BF) that no one tells you about until too late.

Don't be too hard on yourself. It is very hard work being a mum. Having said that, going to sleep with a head full of wine may let you nod off quickly, but you don't sleep as well and you will feel more tired the next day.

Hi everyone, I am on day 24...this is getting easier now in a sense as I think about a drink a lot less. My skin is starting to clear a little too and I still sleep really well.

I do think that it takes about a month for your body to feel detox, so it is a longer journey than I thought! I will update again when I am closer to the end of the 40 days to let you know how it went and offer support to anyone else who wants to give it a go x

Did dry January. It's nearing end March now and I'm definitely drinking less. No wine in the week at all and quite happy just to have a couple at weekend. Sleeping better and don't forget it also means less calories.
Apart from MN try and find somebody in RL to keep you company with it. Good Luck!

I personally have my Dh who has done it with me but he is take it or leave it with alcohol and hardly drinks so not much fun when I am gagging for a drink..Haha 😂

Most of my friends also don't drunk or hardly drink so whilst it makes it easier socially they don't get what I am going through or necessarily understand me. Maybe counselling would be good.

Hi everyone, if anyone is still around, I have only 1 week to.go.and I have completed Lent - 46 days but actually 48 as I started 2 days earlier......

I would say every week.gets a bit better and I am.now feeling healthier. I was at a work do.and people kept pouring me drinks but I was not budging!

In the end I don't really drink substitutes just water - I tried a couple but it made it worse so I just try and switch off. This is very similar to giving up smoking which I also did years ago and it took a long time to stop fancying a cigarette now and then.

I now never think of it, in fact the thought makes me gag.

Good luck to everyone trying and I hope to.share more if anyone wants support x

Hello christmaswreaths, sorry I missed this at the weekend! Looks like just the two of us still ploughing on then? .

I think I'm on day 40. It's all been fine and I haven't had the slightest wobble. Dh has carried on drinking throughout. Infact there's half a bottle of white wine in the fridge and I'm alone in the house right now but I wouldn't dream of drinking it. I think I like to have strict hard & fast rules, rather than vague ones like so many units per week or so many days drinking and not drinking. It suits me better.

On Friday last week I didn't half fancy a drink! It was the lovely weather and the start of the weekend thing. But I did not cave, I absolutely would not this late in the day.

I am sleeping very well at the moment, which is great. Haven't lost an ounce of weight, I don't think, but will admit to eating a few more sweet things in the evening. My metabolism will never, ever give an inch.

Anyway, enough about me! Congratulations to you . I expect I'll have another month or six weeks off in the Autumn.