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?

I wrote this last January but obviously ignored it completely. Worth a revisit. And feel free to add more reasons

Ok so reasons to stay sober:

1. Physical health - undeniable
2. Mental health - again undeniable
3. Money - not only is alcohol expensive but drunk me likes to shop for things sober me knows I can't afford
4. Weight loss - drunk me loves snacking
5. Sex - my fiancé and I can’t begin to count the number of times one of us has fallen asleep/passed out due to alcohol and missed the opportunity to have sex. We’re still in the honeymoon phase & want to have sex a lot. Sorry to lower the tone but it's a fact.
6. No more beer fear - we've all been there
7. No more hangovers - they get worse as I get older
8. No more risk of driving over the limit - either the next day or whenever
9. No more worrying about getting home from a night out (not that applicable at the moment but hopefully post-COVID)

10. Setting a good example to my children 11. Drunk me has no filter - if something is in my head it's out of my mouth bypassing whether it's appropriate or not. Bad idea.

I'm sure there are more but phew that was cathartic

Great list @MyGhastIsFlabbered and very relatable. I am ashamed to say this is the first Saturday in a LONG TIME I've not woken up at best mildly hungover and at worst absolutely hanging with the fear hanging over me.

For me the vanity side is important I want to see a significant difference to my skin and face and also when I am not drinking I don't crave as many carbs so hopefully I will stick to my diet! I've around 2 stone to lose.

Can I join? It's going to be a delayed start for me as I have a bit to finish off this evening (it's a really nice rioja that I can't just throw down the sink) but then that's it until February.

My wine intake has doubled this year, largely due to coping with elderly/sick/demanding parents on top of lockdown, being a keyworker and single parenting a very stressed/grumpy GCSE year teenager.

I've no intention of completely giving up but it would be good to get back to just the one bottle a week over Fri/Sat/Sun and several days off.

I have a huge amount of weight ot lose as well so hopefully it will help with that.

I’m in, really want to reset my relationship with alcohol and hopefully lose some of the 2 stone I want to lose.
Day one easy as I was hungover but I’m just doing this one day at a time, that’s what I keep thinking... just today. Helps make whole month feel realistic, got DH doing it too.

Welcome @MintyCedric!

And welcome -@Littlebeach
I think we're all taking this one day at a time; for most of us a week/month/forever seems impossible to even contemplate.

Brilliant to see so many on board. I was a 60+ unit drinker. I'm just fed up it having a hold over me. I want to be AF forever but a month is a good start.
Nice to wake up on day two without a headache which I realised today is there every morning. I was so worried going to bed last night that I wouldn't get to sleep. I'm so used to being drunk and crashing out. Was pleasantly surprised. After a sleepy tea I managed to drop off quite easily and no getting up at 1am, 3am and 5am to pee! Slept right through until 7.30am.

Managed day 1 - as others have said though, very easy as felt rough as hell all day after NYE. I'm beginning to think I'm perhaps alcohol dependent as it's literally all I can think about. Not so much craving a drink or anything (as yet) but more worry that I'll fail when I really want to succeed. I think it's crept up on me and now the idea of not drinking feels almost impossible. Just hoping I've got the willpower needed.

Can I join, think I need a bit of encouragement! Drank a couple of glasses of red last night and just slept so bad. Was going to start on the 4th with a friend but I think I’ll get a head start!

I'm in. I had a few last night and I feel awful today. Really on edge. I have to work Monday and at the moment that's terrifying me. So, best not think about it. I find my consumption goes up if I am stressed and the pandemic is affecting me atm. But when the booze starts to make things worse then that's the time to stop IMO.

I woke up 20 mins ago... I haven’t slept in that late for years. Slept for over 10 hours last night according to my Fitbit. Wonder if that’s because it was a sober night’s rest?

@wizzbangfizz I too need to lose about a stone to get back to the top end of healthy BMI. I've lost about 12lbs since August but the diet plan I've been using throws into relief the fact that pretty much ALL my excess calories are from booze. The rest just isn't going to shift until I drastically and sustainably reduce drinking.

DH is supportive but also one of those people who can pretty much turn drinking on and off at will.

Here's to day number-whatever-you-are-on!

I'd intended to start today but had a monumentally shitty NYE and yesterday morning and the Naked Wines delivery arrived early, hence the rioja .

Tomorrow is another day!

@funnyoldonion sorry to hear about your friend

Dh and are doing dry Jan this year. I've done it before, a few years ago, and have done sober for October. I shall try and continue it until his birthday in Feb (50th) and then get back on it again after. Our drinking has been ridiculous recently. Wine bought for Christmas was drunk way before.
We have spirits still, but they are in a high cupboard which requires getting a chair so that's all safe. There is a bottle of red left, a bottle of sparkling English wine and a bottle of port. Oh, and a white in the fridge.

Good luck all.

@MintyCedric we have all been there!

I would like to just enjoy a glass of wine every now and again, to go out for a meal (post covid) and not feel that I have to down a bottle or more. But to achieve that I have to break the cycle. So dry Jan it is. Although mine ends a couple of days early due to my birthday but hopefully by then I can enjoy a couple of glasses and not down a bottle!

I've had some bloods done and my liver work up was out, I will discuss more with my Dr next week but it's given me the kick up the arse I need to cut down drastically. I could easily do 4 bottle of wine a week and now I realise how ridiculous that is. I'm mid forties, fat and not very healthy which embarrasses me no end.

Good luck everyone

Day 1 for me too. My drinking has been out of control, the amount I've spent on wine is horrifying. Single and child free so only have myself to answer to - which is dangerous!

It's all drunk now however and I'm looking forward to losing my wine double chin.

Checking in on day 2. Didn't get a very good night's sleep due to toddler but at least no hang over today too!Feeling glad not to have a clear head anyway.

I wanted to recommend a brilliant podcast on BBC Sounds called Hooked that I have listened to before. It's 2 recovering alcoholics candidly discussing their journey to recovery and beyond. You don't have to be an alcoholic to get something from it or identify with it. Maybe save it for when the urge to have a drink strikes and listen to an episode.

Hi please can I join you all?
I had a horrific hangover yesterday alongside the guilt and shame. In a way I wanted to feel really bad to make it easier to start.
Reading quit lit too.
Has anyone done AA? There's a women's online group I'm thinking I might attend.
I would love to have a healthy relationship with alcohol but I know in my heart of hearts that that will never happen.

Best of luck everyone. We've got this!

Checking in for day 2feeling pretty good

Can I join you all?!

Day 1 for me.

I'm a big wine drinker. It's a way of relaxing after a hard day.

I'm fed up of the hangovers, weight gain, cost etc. Plus two of my children are disabled so I need to be as healthy as I can, for as long as I can!

Good luck everyone!

Hello everyone. Slept well last night so a positive start to the rest of the month. I wish that the beginning of Jan didn't fall on a weekend. Makes the start of this more challenging some how

I think I like the idea of lots of dry months rather than never drinking again.

Well done all on our day 1s, being a Friday it is even more of an achievement. I'm feeling good and positive, bring on Saturday night!

Please can I join in - I really need to do this, my drinking has crept up to almost a bottle a night over the Christmas period and I need to reset my drinking.
I am going to start tomorrow - but throwing my hat in to join in.