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Anyone doing Dry January 2021?

999 replies

MyGhastIsFlabbered · 28/12/2020 17:39

I was going to go sober this year...but for various reasons (excuses) it didn't happen. DP and I have agreed to try Dry January as we are both drinking too much. Anyone else fancy coming along for the ride?

OP posts:
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CandyLeBonBon · 03/01/2021 10:22

Me! Start of day 3 and feeling good!

SwiftyFifty · 03/01/2021 10:27

I started on January 1. Have been drinking way too much mostly daily since the start of lockdown. I have never even attempted even a dry week before and always sneered at those doing “ dry” months. However I am now 52, getting fatter by the week and just feel alcohol doesn’t suit me anymore. I love cracking open a bottle of wine but have to drink it all ( used to be able to leave half a bottle but my greed seems to be increasing as I get older). I have realised though that the enjoyable two hour witching hour window of glugging wine then results in a non productive night, early to bed, waking at four sweating and feeling miserable and hating self and then a whole day eating crap, feeling dreadful and like a useless parent/ worthless person etc . Surely it’s not worth it ( I tell myself)!?!?!
So I need to get a grip and I’m hoping posting on here and reading other posts will keep me going during this LONG month!
Good luck all!

wizzbangfizz · 03/01/2021 10:29

I'm the same on the dreams front! Was easier to drop off last night though. Hoping to be pretty productive today and sort out my home office ahead of back to work tomorrow. This week should be ok but I suspect I will be itching by Thursday when I usually have a drink as a way is winding down to the weekend (if I don't crack on Wednesday!)

CandyLeBonBon · 03/01/2021 10:30

Definitely having some crazy dreams! I dreamt up a whole new marketing campaign for b&w and also conducted experiments in a secret government underground bunker in an effort to save the world. You know, normal stuff!! 😂

CandyLeBonBon · 03/01/2021 10:35

@SwiftyFifty - are we twins Grin

WelshMammy123 · 03/01/2021 10:37

Checking in for day 3. Well done everyone for resisting the temptation so far. I've found it relatively easy so far but I think it's because I've overindulged for so long that I've made myself feel a bit sick at the thought of wine. I know that'll change in a few days when I'm feeling very abstemious and pleased with myself having stayed AF for a few days.

I struggled to fall asleep last night like some others but slept well (toddler aside) once I was asleep. I had that same email this morning @MyGhastIsFlabbered and found it quite motivational. I think having the app and that daily email are helping so far

Youngatheart00 · 03/01/2021 10:40

Found a website that tots up the calories. Ashamed and shocked to say I’ve been drinking 15,000-16,000 excess calories a month since March 😫

On the plus side, I know where the weight gain has come from. I won’t abstain forever but I used to be much more balanced, the odd g&t or wine but nothing crazy. It’s like I thought covid life removed all calories and that booze counted as ‘self care’ when in fact it’s the opposite!!!

BinkerTell · 03/01/2021 10:43

Morning all. Sounds like everyone is doing ok so far. I didn't get to sleep until 4am but am hoping that is due to the residual effects.

Am planning a day of Getting Things in Order before returning to work tomorrow.

SwiftyFifty · 03/01/2021 10:45

@CandyLeBonBon lol. Reading that back I wonder why I have persevered with it for so long! But it’s a habit I will massively struggle to break especially once the novelty of feeling good passes ( I reckon Wednesday will be a killer!)
The Dry App is good - I have saved 30 and 2334 calories so far this month!

theDudesmummy · 03/01/2021 11:27

Checking in on Day 3! I had a lot of problems sleeping last night and got lots of muscle twitches (hypnic jerks), which I believe will get better as my body adjusts...onward we go!

supercee · 03/01/2021 11:32

Day 2. Didn't drift off until late and had a fitful sleep. Then when I did drift back off couldn't get up until 11am. Hoping that'll end in a few days as I start to feel back to normal as I'm an early riser usually.

First morning not waking up hungover though but I have a scratchy through. Work beckons this avo.

I'm hoping I'll be able to avoid the 'you've done great, you deserve a wine!' thoughts which happened the last time I took a couple of weeks off the wine, and derailed everything for me completely!

CandyLeBonBon · 03/01/2021 11:36

Just got on the scales and I've LOST weight!

SilverRing · 03/01/2021 11:43

Hi there, I am already on this thread and am doung Dry Jan but have changed name for this post as it is about DP and not myself, so didn't want it associated with my usual username.

Is anyone dealing with doing dry Jan with a partner who adamantly and vehemently would not contemplate it and is still drinking every night? It's a little tricky. It means there is red wine in the house fot a start (my weakness, I bloody love the stuff) , and I have to listen to him pouring it (that glug glug sound!) and watch him drinking it every evening.

He is a lovely man and we have a great relationship normally, but I relaise that for years we have been not only best friends and partners but also very much drinking buddies. Of course, there have been times when one of us was drinking and the other wasn't (eg when I have been pregnant, or one of us has been ill, or doing work that precluded drinking every night), but mostly we are in the habit of drinking regularly together (used to be what might be considered a "reasonable" amount" but in lockdown has spiralled to too much, and to nearly every night).

I have also realised in the past couple of weeks, since starting to contemplate Dry Jan and then actually starting it, that he refers to alcohol ALL THE TIME. I had not noticed this as much before. When someone gets good news eg a job promotion or something like that, he always says "oh, I bet they'll be getting drunk as a lord tonight". When we can't get hold of someone on the phone for some reason, eg one of our adult children is busy in the evening and not picking up, he will say "oh, I bet they are busy getting drunk". If he gets hold of them the next morning he will go "oh, I bet you have a good hangover". (The kids can drink with the best of us on occasion but because of their jobs are very unlikly to be drinking and having hangovers during the week, same goes for many of our friends). When someone refers to having had a nice time in whatever context, eg a holiday, he will always refer to it as "drinking and partying". Nowadays, when we do a Zoom with friends or family the first thing he will say is "where's your glass of wine?". It's starting to grate, but I am holding my tongue. I don't want to seem sanctimonious after three days dry!

OhioOhioOhio · 03/01/2021 11:45

Could you just tell him pp? You don't have to be sanctimonious.

SilverRing · 03/01/2021 11:54

Well I have before said something, I think it was when he asked a friend of mine who doesn't drink whether she had a "good hangover" after a party or something, but he brushed it off as just a figure of speech meant to imply that she had a good time. He has also told me before that I am "boring" when I have implied that "partying" does not always mean getting drunk, to everyone.

I don't want to fall out with him, especially now. We are pretty much stuck together in lockdown, have not seen anyone else in real life for months, and we need to get on, for both our mental health. I think if I manage to stay dry for any period of time (here's hoping) he is going to get more and more irritated that he has lost his drinking buddy...it's a tricky one.

OhioOhioOhio · 03/01/2021 12:01

Why not just say that? 'I'm unhappy with how much I'm drinking and I'm scared our friendship is going to break because I cut back?' or something?

ADMum20 · 03/01/2021 12:02

I’ve had two nights of vivid dreams about sex 🤣🤣 wondering if that’ll continue... !

SilverRing · 03/01/2021 12:07

He knows very well that I was unhappy with my drinking (which to be fair, has for some time been worse than his by quite a margin, especially bearing in mind our genders and ages) and he has tried to be helpful about my Dry Jan, has even bought me alcohol-free drinks. But I think he is scared about being trapped in lockdown/our relationship long-term with a sober me, who might not be as "fun" and who might make him feel bad about his own drinking.

His constant reference to drinking I honestly think is usually quite unconscious (he does also come from a family/culture of heavy drinkers).

theDudesmummy · 03/01/2021 12:08

I have had vivid dreams for sure! Very weird and jumbled. And because I have been sleeping poorly I have been waking up often and remembering them which is not usually the case.

wizzbangfizz · 03/01/2021 12:17

Well done @CandyLeBonBon! I def haven't as I've been stuffing my face which stops tomorrow!!!

theDudesmummy · 03/01/2021 12:21

I also hopped on the scale and good news!

CoronaIsWatching · 03/01/2021 12:27

I've had a very enjoyable morning in bed eating the last of the quality street, watching documentaries in netflix and browsing books to download on my kindle. I soon need to brave the icy streets though to do some grocery shopping.

Haybo26 · 03/01/2021 14:08

I'm joining. On day 3 now and all good...except I appear to have substituted red wine with wine gums 🤣. Not too many mind.

Goodiebagh · 03/01/2021 14:09

Hi
Can i join in please
Dont usually post just like to read!
36 this year. Gained 7kg since 30th birthday and only 5'3. Have a teenager so cant blame pregnancy etc.
Drink way too much. NHS work, stress, blended family and covid misery all contributed in 2020 and i failed dry Jan 2020 and drank all year but will do it this year!
Want to loose 3kg this month too Confused

Dugee · 03/01/2021 14:10

Me too please!

Do it every year and a support group is helpful. Even if it's just to swap ideas for nice non alcoholic drinks, films, tv programmes etc.

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