Dryer than a Tena Lady - DJ2022 #2

[MyGhastIsFlabbered]

New thread for those of us attempting Dry January.

Hello just checking in not been on for ages. Well done @MyGhastIsFlabbered you have done so well. I moved to moderating after DJ drank more than I should have on half term holidays but other than that have been mainly doing 5 days AF and drinks the other 2 - just sticking to a couple when I am drinking which is good progress for me. Definitely craving alcohol less. Have eradicated all white wine from the house as that has been my traditional Achilles heel which has been a good move. I’m with you on the adulting it sucks! x

Just a quick check in. Day 70 yesterday and still going strong. Had a really rough week and almost caved - there's even wine in the fridge - but as yet it's unopened. Whenever I'm tempted I just repeat the mantra 'there is no problem that can't be made worse by alcohol'.

Hope everyone else is ok.

Well done my @MyGhastIsFlabbered, that’s great.
I’ve been mainly AF since 7th Jan apart from a few drinks over a weekend away celebrating my birthday late Feb, I was very moderate for a change! I also had a short holiday abroad after this where I also had a few weak drinks spread over 5 days rather than the usual tons. I’m back on the bus again having my AF drinks at night. I don’t want to slip again into drinking most nights. A lot of experts say you cant moderate, which is what I would want to do but it’s probably not best/possible for me. I think I have to have the approach of an AF drink is always my go to. I’m OK with it generally, my DH is still having a drink most nights but I don’t feel tempted or deprived. I’m just going to keep on doing my best to not drink. I do think my mindset has changed and when I have had a drink I don’t want to carry on drinking all night like I did before, I’m much more mindful. I’m nervous about slipping back into my old ways as I got into some scrapes and it was bad for my physical and mental health.

I have been doing fine. I only had several drinks when I met my friend who lives abroad. Other than that I have had few times a beer. Dry January really stopped my daily drinking that started in first lockdown. Then it was a beer a day but last months it really was two to four beers every single day. I don't wake up any more during the night and I have lost weight.
I don't really get cravings anymore and if I do AF beer will help.

Amazing @MyGhastIsFlabbered - I lasted until end of Jan - longest ever- and have well and truly been off the wagon since. I'm starting again. Day 1 today. I felt so much better not drinking. First two weeks were hard so kind of dreading that part but equally I'm so ready to be AF again.

Don't know if anyones still about whether on or off the wagon. Day 80 here but I'm so bored of sobriety.

Hey! Yes, still here but not dry. Drinking way less but my husband didn't want to push on into February and I found it difficult without the solidarity. Congratulations on day 80!

@MyGhastIsFlabbered I am really intrigued by your comment that you're bored of sobriety. In what way(s) are you feeling bored?

@brightspice when I first started this I actually loved sober me and could feel the benefits of not drinking. Whereas now, I just feel ground down by life and having to force myself not to drink and remind myself it's a choice I made just feels like another pressure I'm putting on myself. It feels like I can't drink rather than I don't want to drink.

Life is tough and there are times when, I don't want to get drunk, but I'd like to unwind with A glass of wine rather than the bottle. And even though I'm reminding myself why I'm not drinking it doesn't feel enough to get my previous enthusiasm back. And the motto 'there is no problem that can't be made worse by alcohol' isn't having the impact it once did.

I don't want to get back to my old habits of drinking because I've had a bad day, or because the kids aren't about or because the sun is shining. But I just don't feel any better for abstaining.