Dry January and beyond - Thread 2

[BulldogMumma]

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

Morning all 3 weeks 🤩
not much to report, feeling good but keep thinking there’s got to be more to life atm! Think I need to leave my comfort zone and start living instead of feeling like I’m existing.
I don’t even think my boredom is down to not drinking anymore I think it’s a bit deeper than that, That’s not to say I’m not grateful for everything I have atm my life is genuinely good and I’m lucky in more ways than one but I’ve been feeling like something is missing for awhile now.
Maybe the alcohol has been clouding my thoughts and now I can see clearly!! 🤷🏻‍♀️
well done to everyone I hope you’re feeling the benefits now what happens after Jan? I’m planning on carrying on and seeing it through this time

Good morning day 25 for me. I am also planning on carrying on staying sober. I am not saying I will never drink just that I will only drink on maybe nights out,holidays etc.

Day 22 - aren't we all brilliant???

To be honest, i forgot to log my dry day the past two nights, which I'm taking as a positive sign that ots not on my mind all the time.
Damp February sounds like a great idea for learning to drink in moderation, I'm not sure I really trust myself not to slide straight back and I have no great desire fir a drink, so I think I'll carry on being AF for now.
I'm away for a few nights at the end of Feb (Tenereife), so that will be interesting.

For now, I'm just happy with life🙂

Keep going everyone, the end is in sight!

Day 21 today and a switch seems to have flicked in my mind. I was counting down the days until February 1st but the past 2 days I've lost all interest in drinking. I don't want to commit to never drinking but I'm not feeling in any rush to have a drink in February. I think I'll likely stay on AF drinks until spring time.

😂

I wish my sleep would improve! I limited my fluid last evening as well, but I was too hot, too cold, itchy, restless and felt the need to get up 5 times to wee (tho barely anything there!) and I've had a headache since yesterday afternoon!

I manage to sleep between 7-9am so I just woke up.

I hope I start to feel some tangible benefits soon! 😡

Morning all. Bit of a murky day here weather-wise, and I got up late - again!

@BulldogMumma I seem to be waking up groggy too - I feel like I just started drinking rather than stopping. It might be the beer, which contains hops. But also, you said you are working long hours / 6 day weeks, so maybe you are just tired, and previously the alcohol was masking that in some way? In my case, I think it might be the sugar / carbs in some AF drinks, which I'm not used to.

On Damp February, I think it's a good idea because tolerance levels will have plummeted in the course of a month. So even if you return to a moderate level of consumption, you might find it's too much. It's also a chance to establish a new routine of drinking less on a longer term basis, if that's your goal.

Day 22 - 70% done! 😃

Hi , I also have been so so tired @BulldogMumma

@Neptunium93 i think you’ve hit the nail on the head for my reason (full time intense wk & life with a young child) if I’m tired & still need to get stuff done in the evening I’ll have a drink to perk me up/ease the boredom of the task in hand maybe!! Not having the drink has highlighted this for me and I have managed to push through and just get on with it Altho there have been a few more very early bedtimes!!!!

@TimeForNosecco I feel a bit like this also but I’m hoping it goes, for me I feel like it’s adjusting to not having the alcohol adding fun / entertainment / avoiding those awkward emotions and it’s quite unsettling and I keep wondering is this it is this my life from now on.

Yet when I look at my life it’s interesting and full of great people so I’m going to ride it out a while longer & hope my perspectives change as I adapt to not drinking over a longer term.

on the more difficult days I’ve held onto the hope that it should be longer without alcohol if nothing else!!!

stressful week this week but I’ve not wobbled too badly so I’m proud of myself and grateful for this thread & all of you!! Even on days I haven’t posted, I’ve read & it’s so helpful!!

@Neptunium93 yeah it possibly is down to tiredness, I'm working 6 days a week at the moment.
Even though I'm waking up groggy I feel a real sense of achievement. A colleague said to me today "you're looking really well you've lost weight" not that I'm massive anyway but I was pleased to see that others have noticed a difference

I understand the meh feeling now there’s no wine to look forward to and that was what I considered to be my fun treat - so now it just feels like I’m working or being sensible or being a mum mostly and not enough me time even though there is- hopefully that’ll change and improve once the brain chemistry settles down / re wires

Im glad some people are seriously thinking about carrying on beyond DJ as I hope you don’t all leave and it’s just me left haha

That's encouraging, people seeing weight loss! I know we do it for ourselves, but external validation is always nice!

@Sammy900 People have told me DJ threads do keep on going post Jan, so hopefully that support will still be here!

@Sammy900 i’m definitely sticking around! 90 days is my next target!

100 days is my target now. I am not hugely missing booze so will be sticking around to. I fancied something nice tonight so am having alcohol free gin and diet lemonade in a gin glass. It's lovely and refreshing.

I feel exactly like this too!

Physically and mentally I'm feeling so much better but I am also very much aware of the fact I need to be doing other things, not only with my time in the evenings but also making some longer term plans/goals.

I struggle with energy levels - once kids are finally settled and atm only really feel like watching TV or reading (and scoffing copious amount.of chocolate!). I do look forward to when evenings are lighter and not so cold - but that's a bit of while away!

I'm another one aiming for 100 days, and reassessing my relationship with booze then! I'm pretty sure already I'm a far better functioning and nicer person all round without it!

Sorry, meant to quote @timefornosecco post there (from 6am this morning :)

@BulldogMumma that's great your colleague commented on you looking well :)

How's everyone doing today?
On Saturday it will be one week until a full month! It's the home stretch!
Assignment update! The 3 I managed to crack out this weekend....all 3 got distinction! A weight lifted. 2more to do.
I would have been boozy and celebrating this weekend feeling like utter Jive on the Sunday& Monday.

We've got this!! X

Huge congrats @Littletinytarzanswingingfromanosehair, what an achievement!

@Sammy900 I will be here, my plan is a year. I feel very committed to it right now. Everything in my life is better without alcohol.

I so wanted a gin this evening. Really tough day at work ( primary school). Then at lunch time I was asked if I would take on another kitten- a sib to the ones I have had for 2 weeks now. The new house wasn’t working for it. So I said yes. My two aren’t happy even though he’s their litter mate and they last saw him only 2 weeks ago!
I am sure they will settle. New kitty is happy and playing. I just wanted a drink so badly to relax me.
seems so long until the end. I am feeing bored and resentful. I will get through this last weekend and hop things will be easier.
i am just so bloody tired all the time.
i have been drinking coffee at work and I have NEVER done that before.

Day 22 done. Got a bloody headache but at least it's not because of the booze!

Well done @Littletinytarzanswingingfromanosehair , amazing work! 😃

@BigButtons , I really do sympathise - I would have loved a glass of wine tonight. If it helps, the Tanqueray 0% gin is indistinguishable from the real thing (to me anyway - I'm no connoisseur!). Last year I was really getting into it by now, but this year I am looking forward to February (albeit a damp one).

Testing out my theory that the hops in AF beer might be making some of us tired. Downed a very delicious Super Bock 0.0% Pilsner (pilsners are very hoppy), and indeed, I barely had the energy to cook dinner and feel like I could go to bed right now. Whether the effect is enough to make me oversleep again tomorrow remains to be seen.

Do you like alcohol free options? I bought alcohol free gin and had it with diet lemonade tonight in a gin glass. It was lovely and I really enjoyed it.

Well done @Littletinytarzanswingingfromanosehair

I'm here. As I've already confessed - I drank on Saturday night but not since. Does this mean that I'm only four days dry and that the previous 18 dry days don't count? I do think that if I can to the end of January having only drank once - that would be a great achievement.