Anyone doing Dry January 2021?

[MyGhastIsFlabbered]

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?

That had crossed my mind too! What have I done to my body!?

Detoxing can take 3 plus days if you've been drinking heavily (more than 14 units a week) consistently for a long period of time. The shaking, sweating, headache, fatigue is your body fighting off the poison. Have a read up. As I've said above a b complex will help as you may be deficient. Your body uses 1, 3 and 6 to process alcohol rather than using it normally.

It's not really your body "fighting off the poison", it is more that your nervous system has become accustomed to and reliant on alcohol, and it is struggling to cope without it. It actually needs to adjust certain metabolic pathways in the cells. Do take vitamin B (especially Thiamine, which is B1).

I am over the time when I would be having actual clinical withdrawal symptoms (on day 7 now, I didn't have any but struggled to sleep) but am feeling really irritable today. Alternating between bursts of energy.

@theDudesmummy

But the liver does see ethanol and acetaldehyde as a poison to repel.

Day 7 for me. Had a very vivid dream last night, I was staying in a hotel with an array of eccentric characters but I was being stalked by Hitlers ghost and he eventually cornered me in a corridor and that's when I woke up . Probably inspired by all the posts last night comparing Trump to Hitler

Alcohol affects many different parts of your body. Even if you drink it in small amounts, it still affects your body but not as noticeably as when you drink larger amounts more regularly.

As posters have correctly said it is a depressant, so counteracts any stimulants in your body. Alcohol depresses both your central nervous system and the dopamine receptors in your brain. Once you remove this depressant your central nervous system and dopamine receptors "wake up", resulting in vivid dreams, restlessness, bad sleep etc. Until you become used to the lack of depressant, which can take a long time, depending on how much and for how long you have been drinking.

Your liver recognises alcohol as a poison and will divert all its effort into removing alcohol from your body primarily, which kills off liver cells. The liver can regenerate to a certain extent but not if you regularly put it under a huge amount of stress. Vitamin B supplements can help with supporting your liver, particularly B6, B9 and B12. Vitamin B3 can help with brain function. A good Vitamin B complex will help anyone, who has given up alcohol, repair their body.

If you would like to do further reading, please research PAWS.

(To end on a cheerful note, there is also pancreatitis, cancer and damage to the immune system to consider.)

As @Dugee said above, it's a good idea to look at your intake of other stimulants, such as caffeine and nicotine. You may find that the stimulating effect lasts longer, without the the depressant (alcohol) to counteract it.

I feel I'm really going to need a wine tonight!!

Day 7: I feel MUCH better today! No headache/fuzziness, and more energy.

I nearly caved last night, though. I started cooking dinner at 7pm (my witching hour) and you know how it goes. I wasn't stressed or anything, but I'd been focusing hard on my studying and wanted that adult full stop/reward at the end of it. Talked myself down with a spritzer made with AF Chardonnay. Totally did the trick and I was fine for the rest of the evening. (I know opinion is divided on using AF drinks, but they really work for me).

DH (not doing DJ) has been really abstemious this week, but he was quaffing red wine last night - he doesn't cope well in lockdown, plus the shocking US stuff was really getting to him. Didn't bother me as I don't really drink red. Then he said "I really fancy some Champagne" (we've got a bottle in our 'drinks fridge', ie. the old fridge in the utility room) "but of course we can't have any because you aren't drinking". Sideways glance to me. Don't get me wrong, he is usually very loving and supportive and was just really fed up, so I didn't think it was appropriate to point out that he wasn't being helpful (I love Champagne). I'm glad it was past the witching hour though, or I might have cracked! Anyway, I suggested that he buys himself a half-bottle in case he "fancies Champagne" during the rest of DJ. So he carried on with his Merlot, then went to bed and snored (snorkelled? ) all night.

Right, let's see what Boris has to say!

So I have just done my supermarket shift and needed some bits - thought of getting some 0% alcohol stuff as a nice drink fir after dinner - because tea just isn't cutting it - wandered down the wine aisle (DANGEROUS) and couldn't find the stuff I like (nosecco) so I WALKED AWAY!!!!!!!

Yes reader, I WALKED AWAY. FROM THE WINE AISLE. WITHOUT WINE!!!!

That's literally never happened.

But I just thought ' nah! I've done 7 days. Don't want to spoil it now!' And went and got myself some Belvoir Farms Lime & Soda instead.

I am feeling RIDICULOUSLY smug and pleased with myself and I'm not even sorry!

I feel like a drink too, so I'm going to tidy out my work from home corner and desk, have a low effort dinner (sausage, mash and veg) and then have a bath with a hot choc. That lot should get me to 9ish.

This is my 9th Dry January and while I always go back to drinking, I find DJ to be a good circuit breaker. I usually do Dry July and OcSober too. By the end of 2012 I was drinking around 40 units a week - a couple of glasses every night and more at weekends. While I've not got back up to 40 units a week again or conversely stopped drinking completely, I do have to watch for it creeping back up (holidays, stress, lockdown). A dry month now and again does do me the world of good.

I think I got my first compliment today. Someone said I looked happy. Does that count as a compliment?

Gah- my headache is back. It’s like having a hangover, without the prior fun. I look much less puffy though- DH told me I looked pretty! It’s a week today, isn’t it?!

@OhioOhioOhio- that’s a wonderful compliment!

I think I was a functioning alcoholic at one point. Looking back I was barely holding it together. I was drinking a bottle of wine a night. That's 60-70 units a week. Luckily I stopped before I lost my job, DP or driving license. Or worse hurt someone (I'm pretty sure I drove while still over the limit some mornings). I did Dry Jan 3 years ago and now I just drink 1 night a week but I can still easily drink a full bottle of wine in that night, so now I'm a binge drinker instead. I'm hoping doing Dry Jan will help me stop drinking and become teetotal. I'm going to extend it for as long as I can.

I felt terrible when I first stopped drinking, worse than when I was drinking. I'm not sure how many posters are drinking as much as I was but my advice would be to be kind to yourself, rest, eat sweets / chocolate (you can deal with the diets once you've dealt with the drink), drink a lot of fluids (especially water) and take vitamin B and Omega 3 for a month to help your body heal.

Not a good day today. I slept badly and woke around 4am with a headache and the reoccurring back pain I have been suffering from recently (not alcohol related). I ended up trying to sleep on the sofa because I knew I would disturb DH - but it was cold and the cat kept hassling me. I really hope I can get more of the blissful sleep I had for three night running - but with my back the way it is, it is unlikely.

My headache has come back and I am sitting here feeling very grumpy. No alcohol, though - so that's a win!

Well done everyone - I see that many of us are suffering from headaches - I hope you all start to feel a bit better soon.

Day 7 done but had to come on here to read posts for support. Feel bored with it and want to see the benefits. Eg I want to be two stone lighter immediately!!

Same @dementedma Not tempted for a drink yet which is good for day 6 but I've been on my Fast 800 diet since Sunday and I feel like I look bigger when I look in the mirror!

I've committed myself to 12 weeks with maybe a treat for my birthday but what I'd give for a fast forward button!

Checking in for day 7. Slept well last night and still feeling tired but in the way that you feel when you're body is healing itself rather than exhausted.

I've been doing some thinking about why I do drink and I've realised it's how I shut up my internal monologue of self criticism and overthinking. I need to find some healthier ways to do this.

Got through today. Another dry day on the app. I am tucked up under the duvet reading a book. Was anxious all day but feel ok just now. I hope I get some sleep. Well done everyone your all doing amazing

@WhiskersPete

Checking in for day 7. Slept well last night and still feeling tired but in the way that you feel when you're body is healing itself rather than exhausted.

I've been doing some thinking about why I do drink and I've realised it's how I shut up my internal monologue of self criticism and overthinking. I need to find some healthier ways to do this.

I'm the same @WhiskersPete

I've just spent 2 hours singing with my choir (via Zoom) which was fun and helped pass the time. Still not tempted by alcohol but the biggest hurdle is tomorrow night. We can all do this, right?

Damn, I failed today. Grumpy and tearful so DP poured me a glass of wine and I had half of it.

To be fair it didn’t really help, but it did taste nice.

@MyGhastIsFlabbered I miss my choir so much. We did a virtual recording for Christmas and had kept going right through last year but have finally gone on hiatus. Glad you enjoyed yours.

Day 4 (consecutive), day 5 out of 7. Yay!

Day Three...I stay over with my elderly parents on a Thursday night...

Thank God my mum is teetotal as I'd be halfway down a bottle now...she's driving me nuts.

@CandyLeBonBon @WhiskersPete that's me too.