Dry January 2022

[MyGhastIsFlabbered]

Did Dry January this year and we had an amazing little support group going on here and I wondered if anyone cared to join me next year? This time I'm hoping to stay dry longer - 100 days - but will see how January goes first. I don't want to set myself up to fail.

Who's with me?

@Youngatheart00 yes to the dreams. Insane. I dreamed the plot of a thriller novel with me in it. Exhausting. Woke at 4 for an hour ...

Checking in, Day 2 for me as- planned- had a drink NYD. But drank too much and was hungover yesterday
Not a daily drinker, but using DJ to have a dry month then to cut down at weekends.

My focus is my daughter's new pet rats which are providing great entertainment. Also know this month will be v stressful so need to be at the top of my game, good sleep etc

First DJ so will be learning from you guys!

@Youngatheart00 I did last night too!

DS is teetotal (last year student) and DD shows no signs in being interested in alcohol either!

I admire your will power @Iamblossom. I'm not sure I'd find it easy with a house full of wine!

I wonder whether the alcohol is the 'prop' for not quite right relationships or the cause of them?

DP who drinks much more than me (certainly in my recent very moderate drinking regimen) managed a day without alcohol yesterday, although taken up fizzy drinks instead.

I think the clear-headedness when you first wake up is what strikes me most. And generally being much more even-tempered.

BTW I totally agree that having a few 0% beers (or other AF drinks) in for when you feel tempted is a good idea.

Yep, I have lots of Becks, and have found Leffe do a 0% too

Morning hope everyone is well. Loving reading all the updates - really helpful for motivation. We are on day 5 of a 10 day Covid isolation here ( don’t have it but household members do ) it’s been a strange few days didn’t really feel like the weekend the past 2 days so have got through them ok with the aid of Mint Matchmakers. I am struggling more with being stuck inside to be honest - usually walk miles most days which helps keep anxiety in check. Did a couple of online Zumba classes & some just dance with DD yesterday which helped. Back to work tomorrow- think the weekend coming could be the struggle for me after a week of work & being cooped up in the house - will be checking in to the thread to keep me going.

Thank you for the supportive comments, have woken up this morning clear headed and determined to make changes January and beyond.

Hope you all have a good Bank Holiday Monday

The dreaded Day 3. I have fallen at this hurdle before. Another restless night so tired and grumpy

Yes sadly another restless night for me too, which is annoying as not had this before on AF nights.
But will crack on, Day 3 and it is a "school night" so back to work tomorrow - which I know would be worse if I caved.

Morning all (or afternoon/evening for those in different time zones!). Checking in - day 3DJ/day 8 AF. I’ve namechanged to something more positive - I was Stuckhere2021. I am also doing This Naked Mind alcohol experiment and yesterday’s “lesson” was about the importance of language, labelling and how we talk about alcohol etc. So I decided to change my username to something I want to happen as (apparently) studies show that just thinking about something in a positive way makes it more likely to happen!

Not much planned for today. Weather is awful but may be better late afternoon so planning to get outdoors then. Bit of housework then going to watch “Don’t look up” on Netflix tonight when DH goes to work. Had planned to watch it over the weekend but have spent all my free time listening to sober podcasts, reading quit lit and journaling - don’t really like the word but basically I have been really thinking about why I drink, my triggers and challenging my “reasons” for drinking.

Feeling good with no cravings. Hope everyone is staying dry and those who are struggling - hang in there - if I can do this, anyone can ❤️💪

I’ve woken feeling awful, with a headache and nausea. Urgh. Wondering if I’ve made too much of a change to diet giving up alcohol and trying to low-carb at the same time. Luckily no desire to even sniff alcohol anytime soon due to feeling so sick - I feel like I’ve drunk two bottles of red wine!

@dementedma

The dreaded Day 3. I have fallen at this hurdle before. Another restless night so tired and grumpy

@dementedma - my benders are usually so bad it is about day 5 before I even feel human again. Day 10 is my bogey day - this time I’m determined to get past it. Have you got much planned today? Can you just retreat somewhere quiet and be free from annoyance- at least for a while?

Hold onto that feeling of how rough you felt when you last had a hangover! That will really help if you're feeling tempted by alcohol.

Will be interested to hear what you think of 'Don't Look Up' @Mybestyear...

@Youngatheart00

Anyone else having really vivid dreams? And not necessarily good ones?!

Yes!! I have chronic insomnia but it’s only recently that I’ve clicked that drinking is keeping it going. After about a week AF I start to sleep much better.

But around 3 - 4 days AF, the nightmares and vivid dreams peak. Was telling DH the other day that I’d had a really weird night (he was out working night shift). This would have been day 3 AF for me - kept waking in terror over terrible things that were happening but I couldn’t remember any of what it was. All I knew was bad things were happening and it was all my fault. I think I was part asleep part awake. Also sweating buckets. The relief when I realised it was dreams not real life was palpable. Last night and the night before I slept much better. I’m having dreams but not nightmares. I’ve not had dreams as such in years as I was either awake most of the night with insomnia or blacked out drunk therefore no ability to dream.

It might help to think of the nightmares as your body ridding itself of toxins and all the bad thoughts you probably have about drinking and the negative effects on you. Hopefully like me you will start to dream better!! 😴 💭

Hello - a lurker checking in on day 3 (didn’t think I’d get this far tbh so haven’t posted before!)
Yes yes to the crazy dreams and crappy sleep. Normally I sleep really well when I don’t drink, but I think that was based on a “normal” when I wasn’t drinking so heavily the rest of the time.

I signed up to the DJ app and I find the daily emails are really helpful. Apparently that’s all normal for this stage, and the NYE booze is nearly out of my system.
I drank Waitrose no alcohol Chardonnay last night and it helped with the Sunday night need to hold a glass of wine in my hand. Taste was OK. I think dry white wine is the hardest thing to replicate AF so any other suggestions gratefully received!

@Mybestyear love the name change! I’m reading the 30 day experiment too. You’ve given me food for thought- I picked my user name 3 years ago at the start of an awful period in my life, which I’m hoping is coming to an end, so maybe it’s time for a change (“I was too far out all my life, and not waving but drowning”)

@Youngatheart00

Anyone else having really vivid dreams? And not necessarily good ones?!

Yes! Another rubbish night sleep (though definitely feeling clearer when I wake) and bizarre odd dreams....

@NewModelArmyMayhem18 - I’ve seen a few posts elsewhere talking about the ending and when I googled the movie, I got a spoiler alert. Will report back tomorrow!

@Toofaroutallmylife - go for it! I do believe in the power of positive thinking and the written/spoken word - just need to keep putting it into action!!

Swimmingnotdrowning???

Tucked up in bed at the end of my Day 2 Australia time. Weeknights aren’t so bad but am dreading Friday night as have reunion with old friends.

I bought Mindful Drinking for my kindle today and got excited when she suggested a 28 day break (instead if a whole calendar month) That’s so pathetic!!! Am determined to not drink until at least 1st Feb

Checking in on day 3. A big YES to the crazy dreams/nightmares here too - I read somewhere it's our brains resetting after drinking and all manner of weird, wonderful and terrifying things come up. It's all part of the healing process.

I'll be following this thread closely today as I've a grocery shop to do later and I already can feel the urge to pop a bottle (or three) of wine into the trolley.
Keep on keeping on people!

Re the unsettled dreams etc, I think it's not just the alcohol reset but also this time of year. There's so much intense focus on the past and future and being closer to people than usual, and then the return to work/normality this week after unstructured time. Things will settle down to general blandness soon! X

I almost had a wobble last night -day 2 for crying loud! I have three boxes of my fav craft beers, numerous bottles of wine and some lovely gin, all of which were Xmas gifts. Not sure which is worse, the fact that everyone buys me alcohol or that I struggled to not drink on day 2.
My OH is still drinking which is a bit harder but I resisted and was able to watch TV without falling asleep!
Well done everyone so far and if we wobble and give in the odd night we shouldn't beat ourselves up as we will still be drinking less generally and are giving more thought to it.

Hi, I am a lurker joining too .I have done two days and have found the stats on the Dry January app both shocking and motivating. I have done DJ once before but last year I only made it to day 6. I am determined to get to the end this time to prove to myself I can reset relationship with drinking

Hadn't realised the strange dream phenomenum was common. I had a really restless night last night, with odd dreams and a headache this morning. must try not to compensate with sugary foods, which don't help.

Oh the weird dreams! Not glad to hear other people are having them too, but a bit relieved it is not just me. I also feel "hungover" in the morning, albeit without the self-loathing you get after a heavy night. My GP advised Phenergan to help sleep in the short term but I think the dose is too much (am taking half a 10mg tablet) so will cut to a quarter tonight. I feel very groggy this morning.

I use Three Spririts drinks mixed with diet ginger ale, anyone else tried these?

DH is still drinking quit a lot (same as we usually drank together) and is miffed because I am being "boring" but he knows in his heart he needs to cut down too so hopefully will gradually come to this realisation consciously. Having the wine bottle on the table as usual is a bit of a challenge for me but I know I can do this.

Checking in too say I didn't have any alcohol yesterday and didn't have any want for alcohol. Fingers crossed that continues but highly unlikely though. I went to bed early last night and moisturised, wrote my journal and read a self help book. Still feeling tired and run down today but slept well. I took a selfie last night and will take another on the 1st of February. Thanks to a pp for that tip.

Good luck everyone 💐