Dry January and beyond

[BulldogMumma]

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

I'm day 12 too and looking for some advice please?

First week I couldn't sleep but have found this week I'm sleeping for 10hours +
Having some very weird and vivid dreams too.

I thought I would be bursting with energy but feeling very lethargic and can't be bothered with anything. Also I am eating stupid amounts especially chocolate.
Had a few cravings this weekend, but have been drinking Trip drinks along with lots of water.
Guess I just thought I would be feeling great by now but feels like I have a hangover most days. Does it get better? What am I doing wrong?

@Benny33 , well done for keeping going despite the issues with sleeping. I can think of a few things that might be causing it... Could you have caught a bug of some sort that your system is fighting off? Alternatively, if you are eating more than usual, and lots of carbohydrates, that might make you sleepier than usual. How many of the Trip drinks are you having? I suspect that CBD has a powerful effect on sleep and dreaming, as I experienced something similar last night. This morning when I woke up I didn't know what day it was!

Feeling very content this evening - a whole weekend with no feelings of missing out, quite unexpectedly.
Today I had a lovely winter walk with the family. The hills were covered in light snow and frost and there was a deep mist in the valley and I felt so full of energy and happy (although had actually woken feeling sluggish and as though I had had a drink, weirdly).

We went to one of our favourite country pubs after the walk and I enjoyed a lovely ginger beer whilst DH had a pint of ale! Then home for a roast along with a lovely glass of gorgeous botanical 0%spirit drink I bought massively reduced from Waitrose along with some ice and tonic. I'll post a pic of the drink if anyone is interested (although normally it's £15!).

I'm not under any illusion it will continue to be so easy but for now I'm enjoying everything about not drinking.
Let's see how this week goes, must get properly onto some exercise (only done light walking and a bit of yoga since start of the year).

P.S. I have had some Nytol herbal valerian elixir stuff before bed a few times this week and it's quite nice, I think it helps.
But I don't want to get into the habit of having it every night!

I’ve just watched the panorama on binge drinking and I’d be scared to have a liver test. It’s a shame she didn’t actually say how much she’d been drinking as I’d be interested to know what it generally takes and for how long to get that reading.

Definitely motivating me to continue on and get healthy beyond dry January - I’m doing 6 months - then going to get a health check

I’d be too nervous to get a health check now

@AuraBora , I'd be interested to know about the 0% spirit, thank you.

@Sammy900 , I wondered about that too. I suspect she didn't refer to the exact amount she was drinking because anyone who drank less than that might think they were OK and dismiss it, and if she was drinking a lot, that would potentially cause more harm by giving false reassurance.

I’m too nervous to even watch it let alone get checked! Likewise if I do get checked it will be in a couple of months. Is that a good amount of time?

I’ve also noticed after a week of sleeping terribly I could now sleep for England 😆. Not feeling huge energy but more alert and better overall. Skin is looking brighter too which I’m happy with, although it’s dry by eod because of the cold.

Good luck this week all, by this time next weekend we will be well into the home straight!

Day 12 and weekend 2 done. Up early this morning so went out with the dog. It was nice to be feeling fresh first thing and not slightly fuzzy. I have dinner out with a drinking buddy this week, so have told her I’m doing DJ and she’s doing a low alcohol month, so I’m thinking we might go to a place we know where they don’t have a licence, just to make things easier.

@Sammy900 i think it does vary from person to person, so I can see why the specifics weren’t mentioned. Why not get a test just for peace of mind? Better than worrying yourself every day about it.

Second weekend done, we're smashing it everyone 👏👏
I've said it before but I'm so glad I started this thread, I honestly wouldn't have got as far as I have without you all.
Day 12 done, ready for day 13 tomorrow. A DJ attempt a few years ago I caved on day 13. I'm feeling more determined this time round and didn't have the support. Once I get past tomorrow that will officially be the longest I've gone without alcohol since I was pregnant with my 9 year old.
I'm still reading the unexpected joy of being sober, although I didn't drink to the extent the author did it still really resonates with me.

Yeah I get that….maybe her diet was poor too or other confounding factors. I don’t want to have any tests done at the moment as would be devastated if they came back awful..and it just sets my anxieties off thinking about it. However I am on the right track now regardless…I’ll put testing to the back of my mind for a while and then get a check up when all round much healthier in a few months time

I'm getting better finally. That totally flattened me, I slept for 2 days and have moved gingerly this weekend but am definitely on the mend. Looking forward to seeing some DJ benefits as its been totally clouded by being ill so far! Well done all of you who are beating off the wine witch. I can't claim it's been too difficult for me to stay dry so far with how rough I've been!

I'm so glad you started this thread too!

Day 13 for me today, which makes it two whole weeks tomorrow!

Every day that I don't drink I feel better about myself, that actually I do have control:

Unfortunately caved on day 10 and have drank over the weekend. Sigh. A few things contributed to it but ultimately I was never very confident that I'd see the full month through.

What I have realised however is that after that initial reward feeling, it didn't really add much to my weekend. I ended up staying up late like I always do when drinking which made me tired and cranky the next day for one thing. Also feel bloated now and my anxiety was higher on Saturday than it has been.

I'm definitely getting back on DJ tomorrow. I know I've failed at the challenge but it has definitely made me reset my habits. This blip has also made me realise that it's not really worth it and sometimes the thought of a drink is better than the actual experience and certainly the aftermath.

Well done to everyone who is still going strong.

I read somewhere that vivid dreams are common during a break from alcohol. Alcohol suppresses REM sleep (the dreaming bit) so when you cut out booze the REM phases bounces back with knobs on. It settles back down to normal levels after a bit.

@fuzzylegs33 thanks for sharing how you felt. It’s really helpful to hear that it wasn’t all that! Helps to ignore temptation. You have recognised that and can absolutely jump back on board. Look back on this in another 10 days time when the wine witch starts again and just ignore her the silly bint 😆.

I remember during my second pregnancy around 4-6 months I just kept on day dreaming about having a nice glass of red and a cigarette- then one day I caved. Poured myself half a glass and lit a cigarette and it was the most disgusting foul vile tasting thing - like an ash tray. So I threw it away and poured the wine down the sink and I knew it wasn’t the taste or doing those activities in reality it was the thought of it and the thought or relaxing / unwinding that I was craving and missing. Didnt need to go there again for the rest of the time.

Thank you @Sammy900 - you are totally right, it's the thought of it that's appealing. For so long I've associated drinking with relaxing and distressing. But this weekend I didn't feel it at all, well maybe for the first half an hour but after that I was just over it. Could have been guilt creeping in that I'd broken my dry spell.

I think ideally I'd just like to be in a place where I can take it or leave it. I wouldn't turn down a drink in a situation where it would enhance something - an event or a special meal for example. But mindless drinking at home for the sake of it is just pointless and really does creep up on you.

Leading up to the weekend I felt flat and bored I won't lie. But I also felt more energised, clearer skin, less bloated, reduced anxiety. Now I feel flat again only without all of those little benefits! It's a no brainer really lol.

Thank you for posting I think the reality of your post really helps others and most definitely helped you to realise it’s the thought of the drink we love it’s not the actual drink and it’s proved it added nothing to your weekend if anything it kind of ruined your weekend with the anxiety and bloating.
Please jump back on board!! You already have 10 dry days under your belt, you had the craving, you had the drink and you realised it wasn’t worth it that’s a win in my eyes!
good luck to you 👍🏻

Day 16 here. I actually tried DJ last year but didn't manage it (or anywhere near it) but this year feels different. I do still have the wine witch calling on habitual days but I know have plans for those nights. Thurs night is one so I am going to a new gym class then for a swim which always exhausts me and Friday night I am meeting my friend to go to the cinema. Sat night might be tricky but I had a bath, pamper, put my PJ's on and poured an AF drink into a wine glass. I think the benefits for me are out weighing the negatives at the moment. The kids have loads of parties at the weekend just now which is helping (all first thing to)

Morning everyone
@fuzzylegs33 well done for posting and jumping back on the wagon. You've had more dry days than not and that's an achieving itself.
Day 13 for me, the longest I've ever done. Tonight will be easy for me as DP will be home and I would never give him the satisfaction of him telling me I couldn't make it the month 😂.
Work for me today and the first day I don't have to de ice the car woo hoo!!
Have a great day everyone

Achievement* not achieving

Haven’t completely caught up on the thread but wanted to say please don’t beat yourself up @fuzzylegs33 all those AF days still count. I see people say ‘I’m on day 56 (-2)’or ‘I’m on day 54/56’. Just imagine if you go the next 2 weeks how good you will feel.

I did this 4x4 breathing exercise in bed last night when my mind was wondering out of control and it did actually help me to get to sleep. Although I woke up about 3am I do feel rested. More so than I ever did after drinking. I’m so grateful for that.

Those struggling with boredom I really suggest you try not to think about what you have given up and turn it around to what you’ve gained. A clear head, a settled stomach, less anxiety, better sleep etc helps to reframe it from loss to gain.

@fuzzylegs33 - I got to day 10 too and caved last Wed (I started on the 29th Dec). I'm back on the DJ wagon too. There's still over half of Jan to go so all is not lost and I'm hoping to go beyond Jan.

I've started reading Allen Carr's Easyway for women to quit drinking - it's a good read so far. I need to work on my triggers as I got to day 10 in November too.

This thread is very supportive and really helping me thanks everyone. Including those who have had a drink - you're reminding me how bad I'd feel if I had a drink!

My local pub reopens end this week and that's going to be hmmm more challenging than chosing not to drink at home.