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?

Having realised that my January wasn't so much dry as moist, I had three glasses of rose, since DH was tucking into beers... and, you know, Friday (etc). Instant effect! Posted loads of shit on MN, etc. Stopped at 3 glasses and sobered up, but not before I had smoked a few fags and eaten my way through the kitchen cupboards, both of which I regret...

So I'm a week late, but DJ here I come...!

Day 8!! Blooming heck I'm proud. No desire to drink yesterday evening, I made me and the boys fancy mock-tails and we played family bingo at the kitchen table for a couple of hours. Completely different to my usual takeout and wine routine. I've woken very fresh and rested so that all the motivation I need. Determined to push on AF this weekend and beyond. H still staying strong which is a miracle quite frankly. Have a great weekend all x

@Alcemeg

Having realised that my January wasn't so much dry as moist, I had three glasses of rose, since DH was tucking into beers... and, you know, Friday (etc). Instant effect! Posted loads of shit on MN, etc. Stopped at 3 glasses and sobered up, but not before I had smoked a few fags and eaten my way through the kitchen cupboards, both of which I regret...

So I'm a week late, but DJ here I come...!

Never too late to get going!

Welcome aboard @Alcemeg! Never too late

Day 8 here too. Feeling pretty good, surprisingly. Think I can make it to the end of the month and maybe even beyond!

I have some quit lit on my kindle and have been doing other self-care-y things, like decluttering the house. Trying to be more minimalist and listening to a lot of the minimalist bloggers and vloggers, a surprising number of them are also sober. It's interesting how it ties in.

Anyway, off to make late breakfast and tidy round.

Starting day 8 here. Almost caved yesterday because my three teenage children seem to be tag-teaming my stress levels and it's utterly relentless but I sat with the uncomfortable feelings and rode it out and I'm really glad I did!

Didn’t wake until 06-30 which is good for me , then straight back to sleep til gone 8 am !
Weighed in 1 lb less than Monday , so that’s a result as I have had biscuits and chocolate every day in place of wine

Long walk planned for today , I’ve bought some waterproof trousers so I can beat the Wild Welsh Weather 🌧

Day 8, can't believe it.

Ran 10km at 8.30. I would normally do this but would normally feel groggy from wine when I set off.

Out for dinner with also sober dh tonight, I am really looking forward to it.

If I can do a Friday night quite frankly I reckon I have this nailed.

Thanks @NorthernChinchilla you're right I know, it is good in a way as I know I don't want to drink now! I'm probably magrat pre queendom either a bit of Nanny Ogg and a lot of Esne Weatherwax thrown in too! I need to learn to like myself a bit more I think and realise that alcohol makes me less clever qnd witty etc not more! It is interesting how ingrained alcohol use is in the general population. I started reading The Naked Mind book today, very good, and am going to do some journalling.

Checking in on day 5 for me. I'm feeling quite a lot better although my skin is shocking so throwing all the products in my arsenal to fix that.

Hi all, day 14 here for me.

I'm a combination of

Bored
Not sleeping
Constipated
Grumpy

What fun. But I guess at least I'm not hungover. I'm still back and forth on whether I'm going to try and continue after January (not a daily drinker, but a weekly binge drinker) and I'm not sure I can be sober in the long run. I miss wine. And being able to poo.

I missed wine too but last night has left me feeling so ill all day today and I only had a few glasses! Well done on 14 days!

Day 8 going ok. I pulled a muscle in my neck and even drinking tea is painful. I don't really feel like having a drink now.

My goal is stop drinking while cooking and only have alcohol during weekends like it was before covid. We used to share one bottle of wine during the weekend or having half a beer with dinner.

I managed not to drink last night but it's tough. I can't remember the last time I didn't have a drink on a weekend.

Cooking some nice dinner instead.

I have journalled. I would recommend it.

Hi everyone, just checking in. Lovely to see great support and tips on this thread. Today is day 7 for me and I've still not had a want for alcohol. I had a bottle of Frexinet alcohol free prosecco last night which was lovely. I still feel really tired and run down but my mood has improved and I am less bloated. I've not experienced sugar cravings or increased eating in fact I've found that I have no appetite and can hardly eat. My sleep is still really bad and I have no energy. I have been sticking to my daily goals of journaling, moisturizing and when I do eat making sure its healthy. Still not started any exercise will work on that next week. Still have massive dark circles under my eyes.

I am thinking about doing dry February as well and giving my body a complete rest and re start as I don't think January will be long enough to see the benefits of not drinking.

You are all doing amazing 💐

I've just survived a whole class six year old's birthday party for two hours, and if I can just have a Becks Blue after that I can do all of DJ !
But yeah, Saturday night without a G&T isn't the most fun...

Magrat I'd love to think I'm Esme Weatherwax but sadly Rincewind is probably closer to the mark...

Struggling tonight. DH really grumpy and snappy and I snapped back and now he's gone off in a huff. Should have let it go. Takeaway on the way and what I wouldn't give for a large glass of Chardonnay. But enjoying the good sleep so much....and think the mood he's in wine will just make it worse. I think he's partly cross he's lost his drinking buddy. Never straightforward is it.....

Hi all 😊
Well day 8 is here! We have friends coming over for dinner , who are usually who I enjoy a few drinks with, so it will be interesting ! I've bought some nice tonics for myself!! Not missed having a drink at all though.
I did over 100 days last year and then just drank at the weekend and I felt very in control of my drinking but then around October I've found I've slipped back to a daily tipple ( not as much as I drank before) but still daily, so I need to get back to how I was on the summer because I actually enjoyed having a couple of drinks on a Saturday or Sunday but that was it, and I looked so much better because I wasn't diving into the chocolate and crisps!!!
I look like a bloated whale and it's so depressing!!
Rant over 😂

Crap day today, for various reasons. This is toughest day yet to stay AF. Remind me why I'm doing this?

Started on 2nd January, after i did a Drinkaware quiz and reading about it on here.
I didn't think i drunk a lot and i exercise loads but the the drinkaware thingy basically said i was heading toward dependency and increased risk of 7 different types of cancer!!! :(

Loads more get up and go, done lots of jobs round the house/garden, i ve been drinking Diet Indian Tonic water, sometimes with fruit juice, do feel really anti social though.

Looking to join you guys. Day 6 for me. Absolutely bored out of my tree though as just finished two covid isolations back to back, all over Xmas and NY.

Determined not to let boredom make me reach for that glass of red.

@dementedma sorry to hear you've had a crap day if it helps I keep saying a mantra 'an alcohol free life is a better life' (even tho for me this isn't a forever thing, I need to believe I don't need it in my life). A few more bits that might help:

• how bad have you been feeling whilst drinking? Mental health? Grogginess? Tiredness? Bloated? Remember moments of how bad you may have been feeling or the 'never again' thoughts when you wake up the next day

• if you give in now, how would you feel tomorrow and after that??

• imagine the best version of yourself, what does that look like?

• are you concerned about your health? Remember it takes at least 2 weeks alone for the liver to start really recovering (I'm no expert but 2 weeks minimum!)

• remember the body is still healing, so first week or two is definitely hardest. Try to observe the cravings and feelings and notice them as part of the recovery process

• write down ideas of other things you can spend money on or do with your time!

Just a few - I'm sure have more personal reasons. As pp said definitely try journaling if you can :)

Day 8 on track so far... Thought I was at real risk of caving.

Added tonic to the AF wine which made it quite drinkable with some ice. Having a bath, roast dinner and quiet night.

A big well done everyone hear! Amazing to see so many doing well and equally don't be hard on yourself if you're struggling or have wobbled. Just start again! We're all still here cheering each other on no matter when you start

Delurking to join as am mid prime wine time and eating a lot of shit in an attempt to stave off the craving. By 7pm it will have passed - 5 to 7 is my 'bad' time. Read the thread again and holding firm. Agree with others, the boredom is the killer, though my evening looks no different, just sober. Loving my improved sleep though, so definitely worth it.

@Itonlytakesonetree keep strong, play it forward.. how would you feel tomorrow morning having caved and drunk alcohol tonight