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Original poster

Dry January and beyond

998 replies

BulldogMumma · 23/12/2024 07:03

I couldn't find a dry January thread so thought I'd make one.
I've posted on the alcohol threads before but never see it through. This year I'm determined to do dry January and even beyond.
My drinking has really crept up lately and I know I need to address it. I lost my mum this year due to alcohol and I don't want to go the same way. I've been using alcohol as a crutch since losing my mum but now's the time I stop relying on the wine and take back control.
Anyone else who wants to join me are more than welcome, would be good to have some buddies along the way x

OP posts:
Original poster
BulldogMumma · 29/12/2024 21:34

@DrunkTinkerbell81 that's the one I was looking at ordering.
I never thought I'd say this but I'm looking forward to January although I'll admit I'm scared slightly too, I know it has to be done though so I'll give it my all

OP posts:
Frontroomroomjungle · 29/12/2024 21:38

Joining in! I'm doing Dry January, but I want to make it permanent. I've done nine months before (outside of pregnancy and babies), I wonder why I ever went back to it!

FiveShelties · 29/12/2024 21:41

I always wonder why I can have one or two measured G&Ts or whisky and stop there, but with wine I never stop at two glasses.

Buntyforgirls · 29/12/2024 21:47

Re quit lit, I like William Porter Alcohol Explained, and also found Annie Grace 30 day programme helpful too. Good advice and self reflective; active engagement.

Frontroomroomjungle · 29/12/2024 21:50

On the subject of quit lit, I found the Sober Girl Society Handbook and Drink? by Prof David Nutt helpful when I gave up before.

MillyGoat · 29/12/2024 21:52

I’m in please!

I was on the DJ threads last year and they were brilliant.

I did almost two months, unheard of for me. It felt great but I’ve fallen into bad habits and wish I’d never gone back to it honestly.

I think it taught me that I am no good at moderating. That is my ultimate goal after Jan this year.

Also had a boozy Christmas but abstained at a party today and wonder if I might just make today Day 1?

Try Dry app is good but you have to persevere, it doesn’t really do very much tbh and it’s not until eg day 10-20 that you start to feel the progress.

knightsinwhitesatin · 29/12/2024 21:58

Hi all, I think I’d like to do DJ, and maybe beyond. Drinking has crept up, mostly glasses of wine here and there and the odd night of overdoing it. But I’m too old for this and worry that I’m damaging my health, I want to be here to watch my small children grow up.

SwimmingFree · 29/12/2024 22:06

I'm over 3 years alcohol free, best thing I ever did and sometimes I can't believe it, I never would class myself as someone with an alcoholic problem but I was fully bought into the Prosecco culture and using wine to relax after hard days working and parenting. Was coming on to say quit lit was incredibly helpful in the early days. My favourite was Quit Like a Woman. I initially decided to try a one month break and have ended up over 3 years and it's fabulous! I'll never go back.

MillyGoat · 29/12/2024 22:11

SwimmingFree · 29/12/2024 22:06

I'm over 3 years alcohol free, best thing I ever did and sometimes I can't believe it, I never would class myself as someone with an alcoholic problem but I was fully bought into the Prosecco culture and using wine to relax after hard days working and parenting. Was coming on to say quit lit was incredibly helpful in the early days. My favourite was Quit Like a Woman. I initially decided to try a one month break and have ended up over 3 years and it's fabulous! I'll never go back.

Well done! What’s the biggest benefit or change you’ve noticed?

Miloarmadillo2 · 29/12/2024 22:26

Hi all! Placemarking - we’ve (DH and I) done dry January for several years running but always seem to slip back to bad habits - never actually drunk but sharing a bottle of wine far too often. Too many nights spent at home and it’s the ‘ahhh’ moment when everyone is back in from activities and it’s time to relax.
Good luck everyone!

coastergirl · 30/12/2024 06:04

I'd like to join please. I say I'll do it every year, and fail straight away. My drinking is way out of hand. I need to be there for my kids, so it just has to stop. I've used it to wind down after my very stressful job, but I've just quit that, so maybe I can do it this time.

SwimmingFree · 30/12/2024 07:00

@MillyGoat that's a good question thanks, there's so many benefits I've found. Beforehand I would have said I'd expect the benefits to be feeling fitter, healthier, better skin, sleep better, never feeling that anxiety the morning after, being able to drive, the safety of knowing I can drive anytime (eg if one of the kids got ill or my parents etc) and these are all there in spades.

However, my biggest benefit has been that I'm happier and it's hard to explain. I didn't realise when I drank but now I can see that the pure joy for life had gone, I thought I was happy but really I looked forward so much to my glass of wine and meals out with friends where we would drink Prosecco that it took the shine off other things. I liken it to being a kid again, where small things and life make me happy and I laugh so much more and am generally consistently happy instead of a high when I pour my glass of wine. I'm not sure I've explained that correctly but it's definitely the biggest positive for me.

MillyGoat · 30/12/2024 07:04

SwimmingFree · 30/12/2024 07:00

@MillyGoat that's a good question thanks, there's so many benefits I've found. Beforehand I would have said I'd expect the benefits to be feeling fitter, healthier, better skin, sleep better, never feeling that anxiety the morning after, being able to drive, the safety of knowing I can drive anytime (eg if one of the kids got ill or my parents etc) and these are all there in spades.

However, my biggest benefit has been that I'm happier and it's hard to explain. I didn't realise when I drank but now I can see that the pure joy for life had gone, I thought I was happy but really I looked forward so much to my glass of wine and meals out with friends where we would drink Prosecco that it took the shine off other things. I liken it to being a kid again, where small things and life make me happy and I laugh so much more and am generally consistently happy instead of a high when I pour my glass of wine. I'm not sure I've explained that correctly but it's definitely the biggest positive for me.

that’s wonderful well done! How long did that take to become apparent? I did two months last year and did feel good but I didn’t get any miraculous changes, although it was good to know that it was doing me good and overall I felt more balanced and less anxious. I did lose weight but I think that was more due to an illness than alcohol.

achangeofusername · 30/12/2024 07:13

I'll join!! I'm not a big go-out-and-get-drunk person but the wine in the sofa has crept up over the years and is now a daily habit.

hby9628 · 30/12/2024 07:16

I'm in. I've had a tough 18 months and my drinking has definitely spiralled. I feel crap & look crap and my weight has creeped up. I have a lot of friends who have given up alcohol and I've done it a couple of times and felt so much better. It's time for a permanent change.

hby9628 · 30/12/2024 07:24

Apparently Panorama did a documentary on drinking recently which is meant to be good. I'm going to watch that as I think it's easy to ignore how bad alcohol is for you. It's on bbc iplayer

Original poster
BulldogMumma · 30/12/2024 07:42

Morning all
@SwimmingFree 3 years is amazing! Hopefully that can be me.
DP is back at work today so it's a normal day in this house although I'm not back until next Monday so I need to ignore the voice in my head that will tell me later that I'm on holiday still so why not open the wine.
I need to give my house a good clean today, I'm debating wether yo take the tree down too

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SwimmingFree · 30/12/2024 07:43

@MillyGoat that's an interesting question too and hard to answer because looking back it felt very gradual. I gave up in the September and I by the summer I was feeling much more confident and happy I'd say. I'd say overall it's much more consistent happiness if that makes sense. Not artificial highs of alcohol then lows (anxiety feeling after drinking). It makes it much easier to identify my feelings or what I need to improve my mood, instead of always just looking to a glass of wine to pick me up.

Original poster
BulldogMumma · 30/12/2024 07:43

@hby9628 thank you I'll take a look at that documentary

OP posts:
SwimmingFree · 30/12/2024 07:43

hby9628 · 30/12/2024 07:24

Apparently Panorama did a documentary on drinking recently which is meant to be good. I'm going to watch that as I think it's easy to ignore how bad alcohol is for you. It's on bbc iplayer

I forgot about that documentary I still haven't watched it, my husband said it was interesting.

Coffeeandcake32 · 30/12/2024 07:45

Does anyone have health anxiety about their drinking? For example it would be bad for me to watch the Panorama programme as it would set off my anxiety worrying about what damage I have done to my liver. But maybe that says a lot of me as a person.

Allnewtometoo · 30/12/2024 07:47

Also joining, I've dobe Dry Jan before, I musded one day (best friends wedding) but otherwise completed it.

I do drink more than I'm happy with, my issue is wine. I can take or leave anything else but if there's wine in the house, I'm having some

I'm overweight and have high BP so this is all part of a way to change both those things. Good luck everyone.

skipandwhistle · 30/12/2024 07:47

I really recommend journalling to help get you through. I did it a couple of years ago and just kept going. This Jan I'm 2 years alcohol free. I used a book called Sober Starts Today 100 Day Sober Journal. It really kept my focus (and had lots of mocktail recipes!). Can honestly say giving up booze was one of the best things I've ever done. Feel great, look 10 years younger.

Original poster
BulldogMumma · 30/12/2024 07:50

@Coffeeandcake32 yes I get like this a bit. Any aches or pains and I think oh god it's because of my drinking. That will be the reality though if I do t take control now

OP posts:
MillyGoat · 30/12/2024 08:02

Coffeeandcake32 · 30/12/2024 07:45

Does anyone have health anxiety about their drinking? For example it would be bad for me to watch the Panorama programme as it would set off my anxiety worrying about what damage I have done to my liver. But maybe that says a lot of me as a person.

Yes 100%