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

Day 19 for me

My dreams are very vivid and mainly about people who were in my life in the past, which is a little off putting 🤣

I had put on 4lbs since I stopped alcohol but glad to report it have lost 2 of them. I'm not craving/eating as much chocolate now.

Feeling pretty good!

Evening all!
Day 15 done and dusted, currently in bed with a cup of tea watching tv.
My sleep is much better but I've not had any vivid dreams yet,
I'm finding as the days go on the evenings are becoming easier, the weekends my trigger but I've got AF beers in in preparation.
Hope everyone's had a good day

Thank you for the birthday wishes. Day 15 done with a zero Guinness. Very vivid dreams here too....and peeing a lot!

Still here and still dry. Definitely sleeping well but dint know if that's post lurgy or because I'm AF. I have vivid dreams too. I quite enjoy them. Eating a ton of choc, need the evening sugar hit

Happy birthday @Hedjwitch and @Flicitytricity and congrats on staying AF through that 🎂Well, I'm delighted to be on Day 15 and half way through. Yay and double yay! I didn't check in last night because I was able to come home from working away early, but the trains were messed up so I didn't get in until almost 9pm. And boy was that wine witch calling, as one of my habit triggers was having a glass actually usually a bottle when I arrived home. So I sacked it all off and went to bed and read. Am v v pleased to have got past one of the key trigger points.

My sleep is definitely better, but yeah, I'm looking in vain for this weight loss I thought I'd get, sigh. Oh well, one step at a time. Keep going, everyone, and keep sharing, whatever the ups and downs.

Checking back in again guys. After my weekend indiscretion I have remained dry although was really tempted tonight. Wednesday is when I'd usually start drinking and it was calling me tonight. I started making the same old pointless bargains with myself - 'well if I have one tonight I definitely won't drink at the weekend' - which I absolutely wouldn't stick to.

Got to the fridge and realised we only have corked wine not screw tops and I'm so lazy I couldn't be bothered with the faff of opening one 😂

Anyway half an hour later when the trigger point had passed I wasn't fussed at all. Crazy how those danger times can be so powerful then they just disappear.

Well done to all those who are still smashing it.

Day 18 done for me (or just about as I am just heading to bed). I have a sore throat and sore head so definitely won't be drinking. I actually am finding it's getting easier now. I haven't lost any weight but do seem to look less bloated..

Day 15 done! Am finding it much easier than previous times but I've been so busy I've not had time to think about it! However, I DO have a social event to go to with DP on 24th and I'm worried my resolve will crumble, and if I'm honest, I'm worried I'll be bored and anxious unless I have a glass or two, so some advice and encouragement would be welcome 🙏

Bloody well done 😁
My friend said she bargained with herself every time she got the urge. Would set an alarm for an hours time and promise herself if she was still desperate when the alarm went off, she could drink.
She never drank and remained AF. She died last year, still miss her nuttiness.
Had a seriously crap birthday, but it never incurred to me to have a drink. How weird is that?
Everyone is doing brilliantly - keep going!

Sorry your birthday wasn’t great @Flicitytricity . I had a great time at the away day and didn’t have a drink - they had 0% Sauvignon blanc at the restaurant which was ok. Lovely group of people, I am seriously crap at pot throwing 😂

I just saw this in the active section. I joined the Jan 24 board and it helped me through the first month of what became a sober year. I've not had a drink in 380 days and it really has made such a difference to my health, fitness, mental health, relationships, resilience....I could go on. Just wanted to give a little cheer on and support as I remember how hard it can be in the first month. Actually once I committed to a year the mental torture stopped as i wasn't counting down the days. It's flown by and it was so worth it. I'll be surprised if I ever drink again. Good luck and keep going! 🙋🏼‍♀️

Day 21 for me.
I think Friday will be a wobble
I'm 3months behind on a course I'm doing for work, I'm so far behind because of a huge work project that started in Aug and my tutor is chasing. I have about 6 assignments to compete.
If I was still a heavy drinker I'd be looking forward to downing my sorrows on Friday with a Vodka or 6.

This is so inspiring!
Thank you for coming here and sharing.

Still here reading your posts and not drinking. Thank you

Day 14 done for me. Went out for drink after work with friend and told her in advance I was doing dry Jan — and she replied to say so was she!

My sleep improving but no weight loss which is disappointing, especially when I see how many calories my Try Dry app tells me I am saving!

Feeling a bit anxious and unsettled this evening, not sure why as I'd had a nice day. Not tempted to drink though, and the 0% 'whiskey' with Trip (peach and ginger) went down very nicely. Hoping that the CBD will calm me down!

Those of us who started on the 1st will be over halfway there by the end of tomorrow, which is amazing 😀. The time has gone very quickly.

Day sixteen done.

Day two of a migraine, so not feeling great.

3.30am and I am awake, again. Hope I can get back to sleep as I have to be somewhere at 10. Been like this every night except for a couple, can get to sleep but waking at this time most nights. Think I will try some Nightall or similar.
Going out for a meal tonight but not going to have a drink 🙂

@Flicitytricity Sorry your birthday was disappointing but well done for holding firm!!!

@teenmaw thanks for sharing! Can I ask when did you decided? I’m teetering on the edge!! Mental torture is exactly it!

Not about doing dry Jan I’m enjoying that!

But do I tell myself I commit to another month or 100 days or the year (hoping with that behind me I’ll have seen & felt the improvements & won’t look back!) have been here before & know I need to do this but two weeks in all the “well that wasn’t hard and that must mean it’s not really an issue” arguments are circulating but I felt very different 2 weeks ago!!

I Thought a month at a time might be the way to go but your point about the mental torture stopping has hit home now I just need to persuade myself!!

Morning all
@Flicitytricity sorry you had a rubbish birthday but well done on staying dry 👏
@teenmaw over a year sober, that really is an achievement thank you for sharing with us.
I'm definitely less bloated but in terms of actual weight I don't think I've lost any which is a bit annoying.
I can't believe we're halfway through January already. I'm not sure I'll want to drink when January's over, im actually enjoying being dry but I'm not making any decisions just yet.
Have a great day everyone

Day 19 for me and woppee I have actually lost 4.5 pound since New year. The pound showed no signs of shifting on the scales but I did look a bit slimmer around my thighs and face so I couldn't figure out why the scales were not budging. They finally have. This weekend will be tricky I think. Thankfully I have the cinema tomorrow night with a friend then DC2 has a party early sat morning which I have to drive to so no drinking for me.

Day 16 is here, have found it easy this year. However I dreamt that I had a drink last night and was really disappointed with myself! I was so happy to wake up and realise it was just a dream.

Remember the AF options are packed with sugar so weight loss will be less for those subbing their booze that way

I overslept this morning and am still feeling groggy. Obviously it's not related to alcohol, so it's good to know that. It could be an anxiety hangover from yesterday, which has happened before, or too much CBD!

Interesting that some are thinking of extending beyond January. Last year I ended up doing an extra two weeks, but I'd been drinking a bit more in 2022 than I did in 2023, so it's less likely this time. I'm never going to be teetotal, but I do like the idea of regularly taking a few weeks off. I have noticed a shift in perceptions around DJ - it's becoming a bit of a tradition, and an enjoyable one for many more people. It's no longer seen as an odd thing to do.

There is a new Sentia drink - Sentia Gold - I have ordered some. I'm loving having so many AF options, for which I suppose we must thank the more soberly inclined Gen Z!

Halfway through 😃!

@debauchedsloth , good point. Lots of options are low in sugar, but beers in particular can vary very widely. The Erdinger has loads in it (for example), but some of them have very little. I don't know about AF wine, but I imagine it has a lot of sugar.