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Mumsnet doesn't verify the qualifications of users. If you have medical concerns, please consult a healthcare professional. Even qualified doctors can't diagnose over the internet, so keep that in mind when seeking or offering advice.

Alcohol support

Hop on up it's Dry January thread #2

999 replies

MyGhastIsFlabbered · 10/01/2021 17:43

Shiny new thread to carry us onward through January

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MyGhastIsFlabbered · 15/02/2021 07:19

@OhioOhioOhio mid 40s is great - older but wiser. And far less likely to tolerate shit!!

I'm 47 this year and only met DP 2 years ago. We're (hopefully) getting married this September 🤞🏻

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OhioOhioOhio · 15/02/2021 20:12

How did you meet op? Thank you.

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PeacheyPeach · 15/02/2021 22:13

Hi all x I agree with you about being in your 40s. I feel so much more confident in myself and my abilities . The thing is I still think I'm about 23 until I look in The mirror 🤣

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MyGhastIsFlabbered · 16/02/2021 07:57

We actually met through Tinder
OLD is brutal - there are a lot of arseholes about but all it takes is one good one.

I'm still really annoyed at losing my AF streak for the sake of a glass of wine.

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OhioOhioOhio · 16/02/2021 11:43

Don't think of it as losing your af stripes. You are back on it and enjoying moderation.
Definitely agree that there are a lot of arse holes out there.

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PeacheyPeach · 16/02/2021 23:07

I agree with @ohioohioohio @myghastisflabbered just see it as a sign that you can moderate xx

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TSBelliot · 17/02/2021 08:22

How are we all doing?

I have quit Diet Coke. For me, ridiculous as it sounds, this brings more physical side effects and more cravings than stopping alcohol. Presume it’s the caffeine as I don’t drink anything else with it in. Anyway today my headache has lifted and I don’t have the urge to pop to the shop. To achieve this I have eaten more sugar than ever! Next I am going to eat healthily.

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MyGhastIsFlabbered · 17/02/2021 08:57

I'm impressed with myself. DP was moaning that the wine we opened on Sunday would go off by Friday so it needed drinking up. Plus we're now off work for a few days over half term so it wasn't a school night.

Anyway he had the wine, I had a hot chocolate.

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BooksMusicSnacks · 17/02/2021 11:30

Unfortunately I'm back to drinking, just as much as I was before (a lot).
I feel so ashamed and down. I think maybe I'm realising that it isn't just quite as simple as drinking too much and stopping. There can be many (many) Day 1s for it to all sink in. This is probably my 10th Day 1, I don't even know? I feel like I'm learning to ride a horse and keep falling off.

So I've said no more alcohol til March now. Considering doing Lent. Ironically through Dry January I felt so much better mentally and physically. Didn't lose any weight (but I was stuffing my face with chocolate!) My skin was much better - today I look haggard and puffy. How did I allow myself to get lured back in, I just don't know.

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TSBelliot · 17/02/2021 11:46

It’s hard BooksMusicSnacks. No shame in recognising that. I think we get sold quick change and huge behaviour shift in neat insta friendly packagers but in the real world it is usually messier.

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MyGhastIsFlabbered · 17/02/2021 13:17

Don't feel ashamed @BooksMusicSnacks even one day you cut out drinking is a plus. Unfortunately for any dependency there really is no quick fix and it's not as easy as just deciding not to drink anymore. We're all in this journey together, whatever our final destination is, be it total abstinence/moderation or whatever.

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PeacheyPeach · 17/02/2021 13:23

@booksmusicsnacks you are not alone which is why there is boards like this because we are all.going through similar challenges.
Good plan giving your self a set time to be AF. Did you find when you did Dry Jan that you wanted to drink or was it that you simply slipped back into old habits? Maybe this time around having a plan of action is needed when it comes to having a drink.
Maybe not having lots of drink in the house so it's not there to tempt you and plan when you are going to drink e.g Saturday night with a takeaway or Sunday with a roast dinner. Some thing that is going to make you feel in control.
This is what I'm planning on doing when I finally have a drink, for now I'm staying AF as I don't think I've got the willpower to just have the one.

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BooksMusicSnacks · 17/02/2021 14:15

Thanks all.

Dry January was okay actually; there were a few times I really fancied a drink but overall it was better than I thought? I was definitely happier and felt better (unsurprisingly, without a depressant inside me!)
And of course being in lockdown means no social situations of temptation. I nearly finished the month thinking I want to carry it on, I felt scared of drinking again. But more scared of not drinking I suppose.

Yeah I don't keep wine in the fridge so I can't be tempted. I'm not sure what happened in February, but the wheels just came off again. I thought of all these rules about moderating but just ended up going "fuck it" once too many times after feeling fed up. Did it make me feel better? No! Let me be a lesson to you all!

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Haggisfish · 17/02/2021 23:03

@BooksMusicSnacks me too!! Back to half a bottle/two thirds of a bottle a night! Doh!! I’m hoping to do lent as well but have managed my night one again this evening. I know I can do it. You can do.

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BooksMusicSnacks · 18/02/2021 09:02

Let's do this @Haggisfish

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boozynamechange · 18/02/2021 10:57

My old habits have crept in this week too and I'm frustrated because I felt so much better AF.

So I'm for stopping again for lent.

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MyGhastIsFlabbered · 18/02/2021 11:04

I'm actually feeling a bit smug right now. DP decided to attack the leftover gin we had from Christmas but I abstained. He's now feeling like shit this morning! I have to be very strict with myself or I'll be back to a bottle most nights.

Now if I could just stop eating all the sugar under the sun!

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Haggisfish · 18/02/2021 11:45

Well done @MyGhastIsFlabbered-that’s really good! @boozynamechange @BooksMusicSnacks come on, we totally can do it. I managed last night. And feel better this morning.

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OhioOhioOhio · 18/02/2021 15:40

It's thinking of the fresh morning and lovely sleep that gets me through the wine witch moments.

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boozynamechange · 18/02/2021 16:48

It's so weird how I was convinced during dry jan that my habits would now be changed because I felt all the benefits and it seemed like such an obvious decision. But as soon as I come to moderate I gradually slipped until I was drinking 2/3 of a bottle of wine on a random Tuesday!

I remember reading on the permanent AF thread that Drybird sometimes comes on and signposts, that someone said it's so much easier to abstain completely than have the constant decisions to make. I've found this so true. Since saying I'm giving up for lent, I keep seeing an open bottle of white in the fridge and think 'oh someone else will need to finish that, it's not for me.'

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Haggisfish · 18/02/2021 17:02

@boozynamechange my alcohol counsellor said the same.

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PeacheyPeach · 18/02/2021 21:35

I think abstaining seems to be easier than moderating, when we are doing these dry runs it's easier to see all the benefits and advantages that come with being AF . But it's scary how quickly that old wine witch gets back in to your head. I really really enjoy having a drink especially when in a social setting . I don't want to live a total AF existance but i really have to work on not feeling like I'm missing out by only having the one glass and not the bottle xx this is the scary bit isn't it 😣

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Hepzibar · 19/02/2021 08:21

It's Day 50 for the DJ-ers! Well done everyone who got this far. Thanks to everyone for the support.

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MyGhastIsFlabbered · 19/02/2021 09:31

News flash. DP bought wine 'for the weekend' yesterday. He drank his but I wasn't tempted. It's far too early to say I can moderate but I do seem to be doing okay. I just have to be very strict with myself and not be swayed by anything.

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TSBelliot · 19/02/2021 09:40

I have been drinking some non Diet Coke fizzy. I liked Fentimans tonic with grapefruit.

That’s a good change ghastly. I have partly stopped my Diet Coke addiction as it means I am tempted to put a splash in dh’s spirits. A practical barrier helps me too

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