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?

I've given up on AF wine, everything I've tried has been awful. On the other hand the Seedlip type drinks with tonic are a hit with me. Expensive though, so I'm sticking with cordial and tonic most of the time, and only a glass because sugar.

Feeling positive , I didn’t even have a wine twinge this evening ( though I’m not polishing my halo just yet )
The constipation has been cured , I think by a huge bowl full of home made celariac and butternut soup for lunch
Drinking sparkling water , I’m not sure of the alcohol free wine , I think that might just make me want the real stuff
Just had a camomile and lavender tea , and hoping for a good nights sleep

Day 4 ✅ anyone else's skin absolutely horrendous or just mine?

Hello! I've been lurking and reading along. Well done to everyone.. I'm off to London this weekend unexpectedly to see a show with my DD will be a test of my resolve to not have a glass of wine with dinner on a treat weekend.. not sure yet if I'll manage it.. feeling good not drinking, had got into drinking way way to regularly in November/December. Haven't properly gone back to work yet and the work stress is a definite key to my drinking. Hoping the yoga will be the same winddown 🤣🤔 unlikely but I can hope I guess.

Day 6 done & I feel crap, just can't sleep on a night not sure whether it's my age or lack of alcohol. I'll keep with it & hopefully things will improve 🤞

Glad to have got through Thursday as it’s when I usually make a start on the wine.
Did a yoga class this evening and have to say i didn’t think about wine. Tomorrow night is going to be the big test. I’m sure we can all get through it

Hi everyone, hope you’re all managing ok. Day 5 for me. Tonight was a real test as DP had cooked dinner and opened up the last bottle of wine, a beautiful red that he knows I love. I managed to refuse the multiple offers he made and stuck to soda with lime. Feeling quite empowered by my own resolve to do this but also know that I need to talk to DP about his lack of support. The thing is, I’m a better person sober and deep down he knows that, he just misses his drinking partner!

Day 6 over with, my chin is erupting in spots, think it's the badness coming out. I find the worst time is probably between 5-8pm, once I've got past 8 I feel beyond wanting a drink.

Day 6 over for me too, thank goodness!

@Ijustneedtosleep21

Day 4 ✅ anyone else's skin absolutely horrendous or just mine?

Mine is and it's usually great. Can alcohol do this??

Or should I say lack of?

Well done everyone!

I have a theory that you're best to drink AF 'drinks' that wouldn't be your usual tipple. I'm a red wine fan and the AF versions I've tried are beyond yukky (unfortunately, I think that goes for all the wine 'substitutes'). They aren't even up to Ribena standards! I'm drinking 0% beer because I don't normally drink it and so I don't really notice that it's not the real thing. Perhaps try to the 0% gin (unless you're a real fan)?

I don't feel as if I've rediscovered my mojo post my 'Christmas drinking week'. It's shocking if a week of drinking can make such a difference to one's equilibrium?

It's quite bad form if DPs/friends are trying to tempt one to break resolve .

Morning all.

Chin of spots here as well.

I agree with @NewModelArmyMayhem18 about AF drinks- i do not usually drink beer, but like AF beer. I cannot abide any of the AF wines I have tried so far. I do like the Sainsburys own sparkling though.

to everyone having personal strains and issues. I hope today and the weekend is better for everyone.

Morning! Got through another evenin resistingt the wine, but I can't stop snacking. Hope it's only temporary. My sleep is very disturbed too. i woke up stupidly early, but at least I don't feel hungover! Hope everyone else is doing OK x

Morning - I woke up really early too, instead of reaching for my phone and doom scrolling I did a gentle morning yoga. My skin is generally bad anyway so I’m hoping it improves by going AF. I wonder if those experiencing break outs could be detoxing?

Morning all- would have been a great night's sleep if I'd gone to bed a little earlier and not been woken by the (actually fabulous and really helpful) bin men very early!

It is tough if your OH isn't on board- though repeatedly being offered booze is so well done for refusing Cantdoitall

My OH is doing what he calls mildew January. He's cut right back, doing a few AF days and only one if he has a drink. His issue was never being drunk, just 'needing' a drink or two each day, and has had a daily drink for years. Hoping that he can keep this up through DJ to re-set his drinking habits too. And hopefully it will re-set our drinking habits as a couple as well, iyswim.

Good morning onto day 7 and feel like I've been hit by a train 😫 ds woke me this morning asking if I was getting up 15 minutes before he'd normally be off out the door!! I'm always up and at em by 6.15 but this morning I was still fast asleep !! He needs my assistance as he has autism so wasn't dressed or fed.. I feel like the worst parent ever! Fortunately his clothes were ready, taken his breakfast in the taxi and wasn't fussed at all.. let's hope the rest of the day isn't so hectic. Friday would be my trigger day, end of the week and take away night. I'm going to look up mocktails and get the kids involved this evening. Dig out some fancy glasses and make it special 😍 happy Friday all x

@NorthernChinchilla "If it's just work OR family OR money you can deal with it, but when all aspects of your life are stressful... ooh look, there's the 🍷!"

100%!

Today I have woken up feeling more refreshed and I had a better nights sleep yay.

No spots for me yet, oh man I just checked and I have woken up with two on my chin!!

Good theory on the AF drink type... it made me wonder if it would help put me off normal wine 😂 I've got becks blue to try this weekend and I'm excited to try some of the gin style replacements but might save those for a future weekend. I'd rather just a nice drink than trying to mimic something I think.

Happy Friday everyone, day 7 for me!! 🙏

What I am finding doing DJ (as opposed to very moderate, intermittent drinking in the two month lead up to Christmas) is that committing to 31 days of not drinking is a helluva lot harder than just doing it one day at a time and not necessarily thinking beyond that (which chimes with the AA mantra doesn't it?). It's mentally seeming more of a struggle, don't you think?

@NewModelArmyMayhem18 yes I agree! To be honest I'm taking it one day at a time. Everyday feels like an achievement right now. With a rough focus that being AF in a week day is a milestone. Then being AF at a weekend a milestone. Then next big milestone is half way through Jan as it is my birthday. Which is intend to be AF from. Then end of Jan...

I think setting smaller milestones is better, think pp mentioned this too.

@NewModelArmyMayhem18

What I am finding doing DJ (as opposed to very moderate, intermittent drinking in the two month lead up to Christmas) is that committing to 31 days of not drinking is a helluva lot harder than just doing it one day at a time and not necessarily thinking beyond that (which chimes with the AA mantra doesn't it?). It's mentally seeming more of a struggle, don't you think?

I think it depends where you start from! I hadn’t been able to moderate at all, so I’m seeing Dry January as a reset. It’s a target, and I am still taking one day at a time. Although I am ridiculously goal orientated, which may work in my favour in this case!

I got into a hard place yesterday panicking about the weekend, and thinking “ooh maybe it wouldn’t be so bad …”, but I managed not to drink yesterday which was an achievement in itself. This morning, the prospect of not drinking today doesn’t seem so daunting.

I also noticed a mind-shift this morning. The last week of January is going to be tricky, because I’m away by myself. I’ve been telling myself ‘I’ll worry about that at the time.” This morning I thought “I’ll decide about that at the time”. A really subtle shift, but quite empowering.

Day 4 here and the toughest challenge for sure as I ALWAYS drink on a Friday. Feel determined though... easy to say at 8.30am! Skin also breaking out at the moment.

Day 7. Sleeping like a log, but have earache.

Day 5 here. So far, so good.

Last night I had a (planned) overnight admission with DC3. Usually I'd reward myself with a few glasses of wine but tonight I'm going to reward myself with an early night in our lovely superking bed. Slept on what can only be described as a toddler bed last night

I'm pretty good at not drinking in the week (even Friday's) but my really trigger will be tomorrow. Saturday's evening always involves wine!!!

Happy Friday, everyone. Day six for me.