Beyond Dry January - moderators and 100 dayers DJ#3

[MyGhastIsFlabbered]

New thread to take us beyond February. Pull up a chair, make yourselves comfortable...let's do this!

[TSBelliot]

I judge my fatness by the size of my belly compared o the water level of my bath. Currently I have protected island status. I would prefer to be a sunken village but reducing drinking has just seen me eat more. Am doing ok on the drinking - more than I keep planning but am actually within limits and entirely at the weekend which previously would have been unthinkable so doing ok.

[PeacheyPeach]

Hi everyone hope your all ok 😁
I know the weekend is a bit of a trigger for many of us so hope however you are dealing with it goes ok. A very lazy day here today and plans of a gorgeous curry for later x think a family movie evening and then an early night. Wow saturday nights have changed 😂

[MyGhastIsFlabbered]

I'm afraid this weekend is all about falling off the wagon. I've had an absolute pig of a week, for many reasons. I didn't lose the weight I was hoping to see to keep myself focussed. I'm angry and fed up at the world and I need to get myself chilled out and rapidly.

[PeacheyPeach]

@myghastisflabbered sorry you've had a rubbish week part of moderating is being able to enjoy a drink and chill out x enjoy and i hope you are able to relax x

[TSBelliot]

What helps you find your calm place again? So many of the things we enjoy aren’t really possible at the moment which makes it hard. Hope you regain your focus Myghast.

[PeacheyPeach]

Hi all 😁 just been looking at my dry app calender and i cant believe its been 10 weeks since i last drank!! it shows that if i can do it then anyone can especially when i usually have the willpower of a flea 🤣

[Haggisfish]

Well done! I’m back on-day one again here!

[Haggisfish]

Made it through day two again! How is everyone else?

[PeacheyPeach]

Hi all hope your monday hasn't been to Mondayish !! A new week hope everyone is ok x

[Stuckhere2021]

Hi all - mind if I jump on! I’ve been posting on the ‘sober 8/3/2021 whose with me’ but it’s very quiet and feel like I am taking over!

Long story short - on day 7 after a long period of abusing alcohol and almost losing everything. If you are interested in the gory details, they are on the other thread.

I also posted about cravings and why it’s so difficult to not be sucked back in - you may find it helpful so I will copy it to this thread.

Looking forward to being on this rollercoaster journey with you all and supporting each other.

[Stuckhere2021]

@Elzbells @Longjohn33 - well done! Good to get some positive reinforcement about not drinking. When I did dry January, partner and I went to friends house. I was amazed to see them all become more tipsy til they were drunk. Slurred speech, getting louder, laughing more etc. It really hit home how much alcohol actually drugs you and I thought then I’d never drink to drunkness again.......but of course I did, many times.

I read an article about alcohol effects on the brain and cues. It also explained why, from a brain perspective, stopping was so hard even when you weren’t outwardly physically addicted (ie not getting the shakes or other withdrawal symptoms). Apparently it’s because alcohol changes your brain chemistry (dopamine levels) so that cues remind you of pleasure and the dopamine tells the brain to expect pleasure.

Yesterday afternoon I found out my partner’s brother was coming for dinner (he’s in our bubble). I immediately thought about drinking. Since I’m ‘not allowed’ to drink at the moment, I started thinking about ways I could sneak it into the house. After reading the article, I can now appreciate why him coming is a cue - my brain expects to drink when he is here. Sounds obvious but I never knew it was because of an actual physical change in my brain. The article also explained it takes weeks if not longer for the brain chemistry to get back to normal hence it gets easier to abstain the longer you do. This has strengthened my resolve to stay off the booze and I’ve woke up this morning feeling okay that I won’t be drinking tonight. So day 7 and I will not drink.

I truly hope the rest of you are waking up well this morning and if you are not, have some flowers.

[MyGhastIsFlabbered]

Hello everyone. Back to day 1 here. I'm really annoyed at myself for giving in. Though I've moderated far more than I thought I would - normally I'd guzzle a bottle no trouble whereas I made 2 bottles last 3 days...small steps.

[MyGhastIsFlabbered]

I've just noticed I've done 64 dry days this year. We're only on day 75 of 2021 so that's a much better way of looking at it!

[MyGhastIsFlabbered]

And actually it will be 65 dry days today so only 10 non-AF days this year.

[Haggisfish]

That is a great way to look at it. Which app is that? Don’t give up giving up.

[PeacheyPeach]

@stuckhere2021 welcome we are a friendly supportive bunch over here x
@myghastisflabbered thats amazing think of how positive it is that youve had a few drinks and left it at that instead of diving headlong into a bottle every night again xx

[BananasAboutBananas]

Hi everyone can I join?

My drinking crept up through lockdown, until I realised I was getting through a bottle at a time and I couldn't remember the last time I'd had a dry day. I tried to just have a low alcohol beer but that makes me want wine, so I've decided to detox for 2 weeks and see what happens. I've had 2 dry nights so far and have been fine - a bit worried about the weekend as I definitely associate Friday night with relaxing - which in my head means alcohol.

I'm combining the no booze with better diet and and more exercise - I've lost 4lbs in 3 days which is massively motivating me - it feels like my body is still working with me (even though I know secretly it's probably just water weight...)

Anyway, checking in and feeling hopeful......

[Stuckhere2021]

HI @PeacheyPeach - thanks for the lovely welcome and hello to @BananasAboutBananas - lucky you on the weight loss! I need to lose about 2 stone (just posted on another thread about joint pain and the weight is not helping) but I am eating like crazy at the moment to counteract the not drinking. Day 8 for me today. A bit of a wobble yesterday but got over it. I am more of a 'normal' weekend drinker but my problem is 2 - 3 day benders (can strike at any time) when the black dog of depression takes over. I can actually have just a glass or two then stop when I am not "on it". But I am taking a complete break for at least two weeks, hopefully longer, to try and break the bingeing cycle. Fingers crossed.

[TSBelliot]

Hello everyone

Am doing ok here - have been drinking a bit a weekends but thinking if my ratio of dry to wet days then it would prob be similar to yours Ghastly. That’s some improvement from last year when it would have been more like 73/75. Plus am drinking much less when I do drink. My bank balance is looking fresher!

[MyGhastIsFlabbered]

Hi everyone. Feeling a bit more positive today. Got out for a run this morning so hoping to continue that.

[wintertime6]

Well done @MyGhastIsFlabbered and everyone else! I'm not sure I'd still be on the sober train if it wasn't for taking up running at the same time. Day 30 for me tomorrow, can hardly believe it! I've been absolutely exhausted this week though, not sure if it's the exercise or just my body slowly recovering from all the crap I've thrown at it.

[Stuckhere2021]

Good going @TSBelliot, @MyGhastIsFlabbered and @wintertime6 and everyone else for that matter!

Day 9 for me today. I've done this before, done dry January so day 9 in itself is not a milestone. If you've read my other posts, I tend to go on a binge every 12 - 15 days so I am coming up to my danger time. I've been here before, more than once, but I am determined not to let it happen again.

[MyGhastIsFlabbered]

I'm so sad - just ordered a new vacuum cleaner to replace the not affectionately known 'fucking shark' and I'm ridiculously excited.

[PeacheyPeach]

Little victory dance over here today 😍 had to go to the doctor's today and when asked how much I drank in a week I could happily say none !! This is so different to when I normally pluck a number out of the air to make me look good !!

[MyGhastIsFlabbered]

Ladies I'm in need of non-alcoholic thoughts. I'm getting married in September and am having a dress dilemma. I originally bought dress 1 (the lilac one) a size down from my current size hoping to slim into it. That's proving tricky and I'm starting to worry I won't get there. Whilst browsing the sales I spotted dress 2 for a bargain price just because. But now I'm wondering if it could be 'the' dress. Thoughts? Dress 2 fits perfectly.