Hop on up it's Dry January thread #2

[MyGhastIsFlabbered]

Shiny new thread to carry us onward through January

Hi @teelizzy, what a horrible experience with your gp. I actually credit my own gp with giving the motivation to quit (for a while at least!). She’s new to the practice and so lovely, everything a doctor should be. I’ve finally stopped burying my head in the sand about getting blood tests, checking BP etc.

Having said all that, I still wasn’t at all honest with her about my alcohol intake, despite her supportive and non judgmental manner! 😬

Thanks all for the support. I think that the good thing that did come from that period was recognising that I could help myself, I knew what to do.

@Frodont I'm seeing promising signs that my weight is starting to shift after being largely static in January. Lost 5kgs since last September but really should lose about 6kgs more.

I've not been around for the last couple of days and it is great to catch up with all of your wise words.

Hi all xx hope are all ok x not much to report here other than home schooling is a gruesome experience but it's still not making me want to have a drink which I'm taking as a positive!! Someone said further up the thread that they are not ready to moderate yet. I think this is me. I'm feeling great and positive but I think that I still have a bit of a way to go !!

Is anyone else still noticing an improvement in their face?

Yep @OhioOhioOhio skin is much better. Think it's partly more sleep.

That's one of the things that puts me off the booze. Waking up through the night.

Hellos everyone! Well done to those still onboard. Astonishingly that includes me this year! I’ve had two blips-my birthday and 1st feb. Drank about 2/3 bottle of wine and felt really crap the next day!! It just reminded me I didn’t really want to continue drinking and have stayed off it since. I genuinely feel so much better. Just an overall sense of better ness really, rather than any one thing I can pinpoint.

@ohioohioohio I think I've lost the initial bloat that my face had. I've wouldn't I was glowing yet but I always tend to have rubbish skin this time of year. I have actually started acting like a grown woman though and got myself in to a skin care routine instead of slapping a baby wipe around my face so I'm hoping to see some improvement soon !!

Morning all, just checking in to say hello. Not had a drink and still not sure of whether i am moderating of staying dry, will see on the weekend i suppose.
Am now sorting out what i look like! Felt i had really started to let myself go so to speak and looked a mess. Have been trying to lose weight and finally after 4 weeks i am seeing some losses. Skin better but because of treatment. Having laser treatment for my horrendous roscea in two weeks and having my very hooded eyelids lasered next month! Went to hairdresser yesterday and had my hair cut short! Love short hair but never liked it when i cut in the past but am happy with it. Sorry for self indulgent post but it all feels very much because of the lack of drinking, if i go back to drinking like i was it any improvements will be pointless and only cosmetic!
Hope everyone doing ok?

Hi all - day 4 for me of my new streak !

I had over a year teetotal until I had wine a a Xmas work do and have been back on it since then - yuk

For me, I want this to be it . I am so much happier and calmer without alcohol in my life and look 10 years younger

Sleeping so much better already and anxiety is diminishing

Really, alcohol makes everything worse IMO!

[quote PeacheyPeach]@ohioohioohio I think I've lost the initial bloat that my face had. I've wouldn't I was glowing yet but I always tend to have rubbish skin this time of year. I have actually started acting like a grown woman though and got myself in to a skin care routine instead of slapping a baby wipe around my face so I'm hoping to see some improvement soon !![/quote]
So nice isn’t it , doing good self care

I gave myself a face massage last night - lush !

@Humphriescushion where did you find an open hairdressers!? Good you you re the self care. I have noticed my skin seems better but could be wishful thinking!

Oh sorry @SwiftyFifty i am one of those annoying posters who forget to say not in the uk. Am in France.

Yeah I'm starting to realise that alcohol really does just make everything worse. Who knew?

Especially sleep.

Yes my sleep is better. I feel quite low at the moment though and wondering if a bottle of wine shared with dh might help...

@Frodont no it won't. Remember what I said about wine not making problems go away...it just makes them worse because you're now hungover too.

Though I'm very tempted to drown my sorrows at the moment. Things with DP are shit, I think Saturday was the last day he didn't make me cry. I take it because I know he's not really this - lockdown is really affecting him - but I don't know how much more I can take. I can't talk to friends or family because I don't want them judging him. It's really tough.

And my skin has gone to pot again so I don't even have that benefit now. Next month I might treat myself to some new skincare products and see if actually looking after my skin makes a difference.

Can you talk to us? We won't judge.

Oh ghast and Frodo-it’s so hard. Ghast is right though-drinking wine won’t help. Try it if you need to though-I think it’s the sort of thing you only really find out when you try it (bitter voice of experience!). Ghast, I’m sorry your dh is making you cry. It doesn’t sound like a great relationship if he’s doing that, no matter how tough lockdown is. I don’t mean to be harsh.

@Emmie2021 well done. If you've already done a long af period you know the first step is the hardest.

@Haggisfish well jell you can get a haircut but well done on the self care. I do agree that self care 'because I'm worth it' is so important, especially given how many competing demands many of us have. It's part of the reset needed to stop seeing "wine o'clock" as the go-to treat when there is so much else.

Happy Thursday all.

@MyGhastIsFlabbered I feel you. This year has been very hard on DH and I's relationship. Been together 27 years and honestly if it had been a newer relationship I'm not sure we'd have made it through.

@teelizzy thanks ) yes I already feel (cautiously !) back in the swing of sobriety !

Can I recommend the book ‘The Unexpected Joy of Being Sober ‘by Catherine Gray? It was so helpful to me the first time I quit properly

I'll go and look it up now. Thank you.

I usually try to stop alcohol for lent.
This year lent starts on 17th Feb, so I am going to try to go right through to the end of lent....which is only a few days short of 100 days.

I would have loved a glass of wine, but know that I wouldn't want to stop at one glass or even three.....
My ability to moderate once I have uncorked a bottle is not great!