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 have a separate sober instagram account - I set up with a completely different email so it's not at all linked and people won't find me (or know). I follow only sober accounts on this. I highly recommend as when I scroll through it on my phone I just get positive sober affirmations which helps me when I'm trying to go sober. I find #steppingintosobriety really good. She has a dry Jan podcast which got me through Dry Jan last year and I also recommend #soberdave

4 days is a great achievement if you can stay dry on NYE you'll smash dry January.
I'll be on this thread every day in Jan I think it's so helpful to have support from people who are going through the same as you

Well I managed NYE alcohol free! This is an achievement for me.
I was looking for excuses to cancel but went to the party in the end. It was so loud with many drunk people & I actually felt glad I wasn't drinking. I don't envy some their hangover this morning!

Keep going everyone!

I suffer really bad with post drinking anxiety, so I really feel for you.
Be kind to yourself.
If you're anything like me your friends & family won't have noticed & you're beating yourself up over nothing.
I hope you don't feel too bad this morning. X

Morning, i would love to join. I am 51 and my drinking has gone out of control as I am self medicating depression and anxiety and all round stress. I did 20 days AF last year in total.

I want to focus on good nutrition this year so I can really turn around my physical health problems as well.

Happy New Year everyone!

I'd love to join you please.
I think I'm borderline alcoholic, keep thinking I can cut back, but of course after the first couple of glasses, I just keep going.
I'm starting right now, so today is my Day One of giving up.
I really want to pop in every day, just to hold myself to account, support strugglers and draw inspiration from others.

Just found this thread, which has quite a few of us from last year on it.

Feels like we should join up in one place, I think I’ll move over to it?

www.mumsnet.com/talk/_chat/5239537-dry-january-2025-join-us-for-a-healthier-start-to-the-year-all-welcome?page=4&reply=140980975

Oh also (it's probably already been said) but Aldi have already stocked up in readiness for Dry Jan. I have 3 bottles of zeropointzero sparkling and they have always been good on AF lager (MY DH has not drunk for 7 years and rates their lager quite highly).

@Flicitytricity you're more than welcome to join.
I'm the same, once I have a glass of wine I have another, then another and so on.

@BulldogMumma do you want us all to go to the thread that Millygoat mentioned, or stay here for fewer participants?

I will be staying here I think. Unless everyone moves over that is! I hate joking threads I haven't been on since the beginning

I would like to join please. I just struggle saying no once I start, then regret it every time. This morning I don’t feel great after a bottle of prosecco- I wasn’t even going to drink last night but caved as work is so stressful. Am all in, downloading dry app, scored 8/12 - disappointed but this is day 1.

@Comeonicandoit I'm staying here, I find it easier to keep up with posts when there's fewer of us as posts can get lost on busier threads. I don't mind if anyone wants to join the other thread though

I’m staying too.
I’m making notes on how I feel today, so I’ll have them to read if I waiver. I feel anxious, ashamed, sad, nauseous, and worried. Not a set of feelings you’d want to bottle, but I’m worried in a few weeks I’ll have forgotten the ‘dark’ times and give up my challenge - Dry January.

I'm staying here, I like being in with people at the beginning, not joining an established thread where I don't 'know' people🙂

I am four months alcohol free - it was such a huge part of “me” that I can’t quite believe I’ve done it.

I found the most helpful things to be listening to a podcast a day, especially whilst cooking:

• Naked Life Stories from This Naked Mind
• Sassy Sober Mum

These episodes are just 30 mins of normal people talking about why they decided to quit booze.

Some great books and audiobooks for Quit Lit - my favourites are:

• Glorious Rock Bottom
• Sober on a Drunk Planet
• The Unexpected Joy of Being Sober

If you feel you need that “end of the day/week” drink, my favourites:

• 0% Martini and tonic (£9 in Sainsburys, tastes like a Campari Spritz)
• Grapefruit Tonic over ice with a slice of fresh grapefruit and a rosemary sprig

Top tip: for me, cooking in the evenings was a massive trigger as it coincides with the stress of the work day ending, so I only did slow cooker recipes for the first few weeks where I dealt with it all in the morning.

Good luck :)

So I have just watched the panorama show, it's only 29 min long so won't take up too much time if you haven't watched it already.

If you are worried about it making you feel anxious I wouldn't worry. It actually shows the positive side of refraining from alcohol and how it improves your liver score. It's quite motivational in that sense. I was worried it would make me panic but it really hasn't.

Here's to improving our livers!

@40andlovelife what's the panorama episode called please?

Comeonicandoit I've been there so many times, hope you feel a little better by now. I'll stay on this thread I think.
I slept really well for 11 hours, but I think that's mainly because I've had this chesty virus and have coughed my way through the past 6 nights!
I've installed the NHS drink free days app, I'll see how I get on with it, might swap if anyone can recommend another?

I've downloaded the TryDry app. I like it so far

It's called binge drinking and me.

To be honest I'm surprised there hasn't been more hard hitting stuff made about the issue of women and drinking

Sorry I'm late to this nice small group please can I join?
Day 1 - hangover. I feel exhausted, empty, flat, depressed. No motivation or energy. Feel and look bloated and pasty. Wearing yesterdays clothes and just want to sleep.

I'm a serious binge drinker. Gave up for about ten years 15 years ago. ThenThought I could just drink on holidays and special events and five years later it's back to mega drink sessions usually alone as I'm ashamed to be drunk in public. Drink cos I'm bored, and because I want my mind to feel different. Diagnosed adhd. Mid 50s

I'll stay here too. Drank waaayyyy too much last night. Feeling low today. I'll watch the Panorama episode later to really drive the message home that it is time for change.

Oh the slow cooker idea is great.

The last time I did a substantial time Dry it coincided with summer and DH working abroad for 3 months. I used to pack up a picnic and pick up the Dcs from primary school and drive to the beach about 30 minutes away. We would splash about and eat and then go home for bathtime and bed. Shaking up the routine of the late afternoon and evening (I am a cook drinker as well) just helped. I'd forgotten about shaking up the routine.

I'm downloading the trydry app- thank you!

I'm an emotional drinker, as well as habit driven, can't cook without pouring a glass of wine first, so top tip re slow cookers etc 🙂

This has the feel of a nice supportive thread😁