Hop on up it's Dry January thread #2

[MyGhastIsFlabbered]

Shiny new thread to carry us onward through January

It’s Friday! This has been a long week. But feeling good and hopeful and I want to make the most of my weekend. I have plans to have a really good clear out this weekend and also have 2 zoom calls with friends. Long walks with the dog. Stay strong everyone.

Day 15! Well done everyone and thank you for the thread and posting.
Definitely feels like half way and an achievement to get here.
Lovely to feel fresh in the mornings, my skin is better and i dont think about wine so much.
Is friday night so dont want to get too complacent and i know this weekend will be hard but feels like have come a long way and a shame not to finish now. Going to hang onto that when feel tempted.

@MrsMcBoatface I'm the same - I don't feel any benefit from giving up alcohol. But then I'm very 'black and white' so am probably expecting far too much.

I had the results of my sleep study the other day - my restless legs are so bad that I'm twitching them 170 times an hour when I'm asleep - no wonder I'm exhausted. Hoping some new meds will help.

I also have MH problems and thought giving up alcohol would help them, but I don't feel any better really.

DP says he's not missing drinking at all...but I really am - I think about it a lot - every day really.

Please can I join you? I did Dry Jan last year too with my DH, which was a big deal for both of us, especially him. He didn't want to do it this year so I am feeling a bit like I am on my own. Annoyingly, I have been feeling very run down and also have conjunctivitis, so I am not feeling that glowing skin etc just yet. I am telling myself that it kicks in in the second half of the month.
You are all doing so well! Friday night is always the hardest for me. Trying to think of some nice things to get me through.
On AF drinks - I bought some lime juice (not cordial, 100% juice) from Heron. I was wondering why you never see it and now I know, because it is SO sharp! I couldn't drink it on its own, but about an inch in a glass of lemonade feels ike a proper grown-up drink.

That's us into the third week. I feel so pleased with myself to have got this far. I have lost 5.5lb ( I am also doing a 30 day yoga challenge and trying to eat healthier) so I feel stronger, more alert and energetic. I feel I can do it now. Go us!!

Coop gin and tonic in a large bottle about 2.30 is amazing! Also tried the tonic in sweet af wine and massively impressed.
Woke really early and feel great. Need to get my sugar intake under control now. Really realising how much I eat in a day.
Start of the third week pretty impressive well done all

Good morning it's frrrriiiiiday!! The end of my working week and home schooling but also my weak spot but reading your posts of support here I don't want To blow this!! Have a zoom call planned later and will make sure I have a AF drink and I think it will get me through the witching hour!
Wishing you all a marvellous day! 😄😄

Hello, I'm popping on to the new thread to say hi, I'm long term sober now and vividly remember how tough the first month was so congratulations to all of you for sticking with it, particularly through January, the arse end of the year.

If you're not yet feeling the benefits you hoped for then it's worth considering keeping going after the end of January. I had better sleep straight away when I quit but didn't see improved skin or weight loss for another month or so. Lots of sober people I chat to had similar, and there's plenty written about it (Annie Grace, Clare Pooley, Jason Vale, Craig Beck etc)

Anyway, happy Friday and enjoy the thought of a bright-eyed Saturday morning as your reward. Mine's a kombhcha 😊

DryBird2020

Thank you. When did you decide you were finished with alcohol?

Have been lurking and also on day 15 - feeling great. But @MyGhastIsFlabbered I noticed your post re RLS, I’m hugely sympathetic to anyone with it as a family member sufferers terribly with it. They tried all the usual tips but the only thing that has really worked is a Requip prescription. It’s made a massive difference.

I didn't realise there was a thread, can I join?

Had a massive wobble (my first since I started) last night after the day from hell combined with PMT. Stress drinking is not my strong point so I'm really pleased I didn't give in.

DH is also on board. He's one of those people who declares what they're going to do and gets on with it so he's doing fine.

@OhioOhioOhio it was December 2019, after many failed attempts at moderating, and a few stints of sobriety. Something clicked in my brain and that was that. I won't lie, the first part was hard. But now it's East and every day I feel grateful and relieved that I don't do that to myself any more.

*easy!! Not east

Oh @ apollo the third week is a great thought!

MyGhast - no wonder you are knackered.
I don’t feel any better - didn’t feel bad and still feel fine. I do have impetigo though - running all over my face ffs. I thought me immune system would be doing a happy dance. This is what I always feel hard - l love drinking and struggle to see the day to day impact whether I drink or not. I have to focus on the truth - whether I look like hell or feel normal my drinking could give me all sorts of horrors and the shame I would feel limiting my life whilst I have people so much more important than the next drink is what I need to believe in. DH needs to reduce and has been worrying me with his drinking (irony!).

I do wonder if I might see bigger gains over a longer time period. That’s difficult to visualise when I just want to have some drinks. I don’t miss the taste, the experience - just the drunk.

Hi everyone- day 15! Woohooo!

@Drybird2020 your post was really inspiring- I think that after Jan I'm going to try to keep going. We have our anniversary on Jan 26th when I'll have a drink and then finish DJ.

I am going to try to save drink for birthdays/Christmas and be done with it otherwise. Like you, I just want to be free of the constant thinking/guilt/feeling crap.

When I drink too much I get a horrible bruised feeling all over my chest, upper body, arms and neck. Like I can literally feel the toxins under my skin. Anyone else? Surely a sign that it's NOT GOOD FOR ME!

Day 15 here too - Glad we're at the half way point. Coping OK so far, got in the Becks Blue for tonight and tomorrow. I think next week is going to be the real test..

Had an AF birthday yesterday but still feeling the need to sabotage today and have a drink. Haven’t lost weight but skin clearer and feel better so no idea why I want to revert to previous tactics, but there it is.
Thought I would be over the worst by now!

I have some Eisberg sparkling for the evening. It will be interesting to see what it's like and whether it helps beat my cravings. Still feel shit but deep down I know getting pissed will not help and I'll feel worse afterwards. But still hate the idea of never drinking again. DP wants us to get some champagne to celebrate our anniversary after DJ and I'm torn. I love champagne but don't know if it's a good idea.

But is Champagne on your anniversary not the right time for alcohol?

Drybird2020
Thank you dry bird. I'm so enjoying being dry. I'm trying to work out what makes an occasion worthy of alcohol. I mean the money, the effort, the energy to basically poison yourself. Its odd.

Day 15 and I am feeling GOOD. Last few nights sleep have been deep and restful; mood is happy and content; I haven't missed wine apart from the odd wobble. (Haven't lost any weight but I have been stuffing my face with carbs and sugar so can't win it all!)

Journalling is helping me a lot I think. And, my goodness, I have never been so thirsty!

I am scared though of what happens after January. I really think that, in my life, the best thing would be to stay sober. I'm not sure I can moderate. So I just don't know. I'll get through January first, walk before I can run. One day at a time.

I know weekends may be triggers for some of us, particularly with homeschooling all week, so good luck to all.

Well done everyone. Feeling like I've been run over by a bus today, I did a circuit training class (not in Uk) on Wednesday and I literally can't even move with out being in agony . I feel really crap . I have a bottle of AF cava to drink tonight and a take away from my favourite restaurant, so confident I will still be AF tonight. Have a great weekend

Friday around now is definitely a trigger. Going to have a luxury bath as someone upthread said. Getting texts off a friend asking me if i was not going to drink when we meet up for lunch on the weekend - ( also not in uk) not even a glass of champagne shock horror! They seem incredulous that i wont drink which is not a good sign. Gearing myself up for it though.

Wow! Day 15! That's amazing people! How are we all?