Dry January and beyond - Thread 2

[BulldogMumma]

Hey everyone
New thread as the old one was filling up
@Flicitytricity @coastergirl @TimeForNosecco

@BulldogMumma thanks for the new thread.
Still here - bored and tired tonight I'm sorry to say! In bed already and will stop scrolling after this post!

I caught about 2/3 of it. It's clear that the pandemic / lockdowns had a huge effect. I definitely drank more during that period. Also very interesting that public health hasn't improved yet overall, but I suppose that will take years.

I'd say good luck to anyone deciding to go sober, but some of those interviewed were a bit evangelical about it, which puts me off. But each to their own.

@Littletinytarzanswingingfromanosehair , best of luck to you. I remember those days (and long nights!) all too well. Remember, caffeine is your friend! 😉. You will get there.

Thank you for the new thread! I love reading all the posts. Day 16 almost done.

Thanks for the new thread

If you’re ill can’t you ask for an extension?

1 a day. Pretty much.

That's achievable, a drink now will just make it all worse ❤️

I did. I liked the idea of the alcohol free pub. It was called Dry Dock, great name. I was reminded of a great shop in Shrewsbury called Dry by choice that sells loads of cool non alcoholic drinks.

Doing ok here, not fancied a drink at all. Been on the Trip drinks some evenings when I fancied something nice.

Planning to be up early sat morning to drive to a local beauty spot for a walk as it's supposed to be dry so that's Fri night dealt with. Will prob get some NA beers for Saturday night. Well done all.

Day 19 done for me as I am now in my PJs in bed. I did struggle a little tonight as the wine witch was calling me. It had been another difficult day as my oldest really struggles at times due to his additional support needs. My middle child also has additional support needs but nowhere they are near as complex as the my oldest.

Anyway Ryanair kept me busy tonight by deciding to change all the flight times for our trip to Denmark in April. We are taking the kids as a surprise to Legoland and Lego house there but I had to go change tickets, parking etc. I poured an AF kopperberg into a wine glass instead of a wine and cracked on with it all.

I am also wondering how my liver is doing as it's not had this long a break from alcohol in a few years 🤔

Checking in on day 20 for me. Not really had many cravings but the tiredness and fatigue is still huge. Pushing through it though. Keep going everyone.

Evening everyone. I've really struggled tonight. Made it through though. It's a bit of a wake up call as I've been feeling really strong & convinced I won't ever drink again.
The thing that stopped me was thinking about how I'll feel tomorrow. I cba with rushing around in the morning with a fuzzy head
I'll watch the itv programme tomorrow for some motivation

Checking in

Morning all day 17 🙌🏻
well done to you all, I hope those of you that were struggling last night managed to stay on board! I know it’s really tough especially on bad/stressful days.
Haven’t got much planned this weekend silly me! So may struggle as the wine witch is relentless atm. But I’m determined to ignore and get through wondering why the pull is so strong this time round maybe because had a lot of booze in December 🤷🏻‍♀️
Hopefully she’ll F OFF soon! As I really want to stick to my goal of 100 days but atm it feels so unreachable.
enjoy your Friday, 🙌🏻

Morning all, checking in for day 17.
I'm working today and tomorrow, have to be up early in the morning so won't drink tonight and I have AF beers for tomorrow night.
Well done to those who struggled last night but powered through, anyone who has had a slip dust yourself off and start again.
Happy Friday everyone 😁

Watched with interest. I felt that alcohol was becoming a bit of a slippery slope. Wanted to lose a few pounds but actually a health scare was a factor and I stopped last summer after a holiday. Since then I have had one glass of champagne on New Year's Eve which was actually given to my by accident instead of alcohol free and that's it. Had a holiday in the autumn and didn't drink at all (to husbands amazement and who admitted he felt strange drinking and me not) so effectively now tee total.

Was it hard? No surprisingly it hasn't been. Is incredibly convenient as I always do the driving so DH and friends love it. Yes lost weight easily so great. What I am disappointed about. Has my sleep improved? No. Don't know why as everyone seems to wax lyrical about it. Do I feel healthier? Probably from weight loss but no great change. Would I start drinking again? No I've decided now to be totally alcohol free as I just don't feel any benefit, need or wish for the occasional,hangover.

But well done to those who are doing dry January as you may find like me it is then easy to extend it out and either do longer alcohol ,free or just give up

Morning all. Day 17..which is nearly 21 days - 3 weeks is a great break for a fatty liver.

Then when it's 21 days it'll be well over the half way hump and nearly the end of January.

Another weekend is approaching which is going to be tough psychologically...that's the hardest bit (staying off) don't let the wine witch chime in with all sorts of convincing reasons to give up your goal and if the self talk is saying "see it's easy, I can take it or leave it" remember that's a trick as if it was easy - why the internal battle then, surely we'd just breeze on through to the end if that was the case.

Read back through the previous thread on how people feel when they've succumbed (sorry to make an example) but just saying that's likely the reality of how you'd feel too.

I'm continuing on after DJ ..going to look for a local support group that isn't AA this weekend to join if poss.

Morning All🙂
Day 17!! Don't think I've ever gone this long before.
Apparantly 100 days AF is the very best target to get optimum results, which is sounding a lot less daunting than never even having a drink again, so I might just start thinking about at the end of the month.
Stay strong people 💪

Thanks for the new thread OP. I’m checking in day 18 or if you like numbers… 4% through 2025. I’m going for the whole year!
My skin is looking so good and it finally happened. I saw a school mum friend for the first time this year and she said they magic words “you look well” did a double take and said “you look REALLY well, you must of have a good Christmas”! Yay! Go me!

Good for you. Is easily doable as long as you don't have a mindset that some seems to of a blowout as soon as the month is over. I got a mindset that alcohol would not be part of my life for a few months as easier as well not to get on a slippery slope and now the decision to stay AF ...wasn't really a decision as I already was

Morning everyone. I have had a difficult week at work and really wanted a drink a couple of times this week- just so I could zone out. I have found this week the hardest. I won’t cave though. I’ve come to far.
my new kittens are keeping me busy and are a welcome distraction.
my skin doesn’t look better🙁
I am so goddam tired all the time. I mean I feel clearer headed but I am so so tired.
haply Friday all

Result@ThriveIn2025 ! Well done, and so motivating.

16/17!

Last Saturday I was out for the day with a friend. Got home and the evening ahead looked long and boring. So I (and OH, who has been unofficially doing DJ alongside me) had a few beers. I didn't enjoy them, or particularly enjoy how they made me feel. Sleep was crap and the next day was a bit of a waste. It's made the decision not to drink on the following days/nights a lot easier!

Morning all, and well done, especially to those finding it tough.

@Marie10f , good point about not going mad with it after January. Last year I found that my tolerance had reduced significantly. I used the first few weeks as a chance to establish a new routine, rather than going back to the old one, and will try that again, this time with a focus on incorporating more AF options.

A lot of you are being tormented by the Wine Witch it seems - it must be her busiest time of year! 😉. Perhaps it's possible to reframe it so that the 'witch' is trying to help you by testing your resolve?

Day 17 and another Friday - happy AF weekends all 😊.

Same here re the tiredness. Altho I generally feel quite good in the day, come the evening I'm just so so tired.. but not tired enough to drop off easily it seems. I know I need to increase my exercise levels I just really struggle to find the time!

One-off my DCs keeps waking in the night so I'm not getting good sleep either.

On a more positive note - even though I'm tired I still feel more in control of my life and am making good progress on mnever-endjning to-do list, much more so than I would be if drinking!
It just all feels a bit meh...

Dh and I are planning to take kiddos for their first curry this weekend, quite looking forward to that (wonder if they have AF Cobra..although I had decided to give Af beers a miss this time round!)

Best of luck for the weekend everyone!

@marie10f thanks for the inspiring post upthread. I hope I'll find it easy post-Jan but let's see!

@Frontroomroomjungle I get that. Part of me is looking forward to having a drink but part of me is scared.
i like the calmness that is coming with sobriety, the clear head, the reduced anxiety, that I am not trashed the next day.
but I don’t know how to switch off. The rawness of life without the numbing affects of alcohol is really tiring. It’s as if there is no escape from ME. I am doing patch work in the evenings and loving going to bed with a book.
i wish we could drink without any side effects.🤪

Reporting for duty