Dry Jan 2026- anyone care to join in?

[BigButtons]

Since there doesn’t seem to be a dedicated dry Jam thread I thought I would start one and see if I get any company.
I so need this. Drinking has made me feel sluggish, anxiety ridden and awful. I remembered how great I felt doing it last year but slipped back into old habits far too easily.

@Eyesopenwideawake it may be about novelty. I go into dry Jan feeing so crap due to the side effects of drinking that I am relieved to stop. Then when I start to feel the benefits I kind think ’I feel better now I could murder a drink’. A bit like loosing weight then eating too much again because you feel slim.
maybe it’s just me.
i am also going to quit vaping because my reliance on that is doing my head in.

@Eyesopenwideawake that is amazing re the radio! Are they going to do a follow up to see whether you managed it!

I’m joining too. I have developed the habit of one or two small glasses of white wine every early evening.
I’m going to try and kick it.
My DH is drinking the rest of the bottle plus opening another most evenings since he retired. I am feeling really anxious about him.
If I mention it he gets quite defensive- he’s normally easy going. My son has moved back home for a few months as he’s working locally he’s confessed that he’s worried about his dad’s drinking too.
He just laughs at me as he thinks I’m a lightweight in comparison.
Anyway I’m going to try and stop. 5pm is my danger time and it’s fast approaching- If I can avoid an aperitif between 5pm and 6pm it doesn’t tempt me after that!
Best wishes to everyone on the same path!

Joining in. Have done DJ before but always slipped back into old ways. Hoping for a pretty much AF year this year.

Yes, count me in!. have done DJ before and managed a few months in the middle of this year for health reasons but I can see my self slipping back into old habits and need a reset. This one is going to be tricky one I’ve a few occasions this month that I would normally drink

I'm in too. Been drinking far too much last year so need a total reset. Hoping to carry better habits through the whole year.

@Misspost I am worried about my oh and his drinking. To be fair he is too. I might drink 1/2-3/4 of a bottle of wine say on a weekend night . He will drink a whole one to himself and then finish mine. He will often also want to go to the pub before hand as well.
He is not fussed about DJ but says he wants to look at his alcohol consumption in general. I think that most people find it enormously difficult to moderate though and I think he will.

I'm in. I've done really well at moderating this Christmas, when family have been drinking heavily. But all year I've found it hard to resist a glass of wine in the evenings. My eldest child is nearly 8 and starting to stay up later and I don't want him to always see me with a glass in hand. Dry Jan for me, then strongly moderating through the rest of the year.

Me! Been drinking way too much

What apps are people downloading? I used a good one last year that showed calories and units saved but cant remember the name of it. We had New years day dinner but had appetisers with it.

I'm in too. Never tried it before but need a reset. Drinking at least three nights a week, usually a bottle at a time. Feel tired, overweight and bloated. Hoping for clearer skin, to lose a few pounds and gain a few £££.

Hello! I would like to join too. Have had issues with alcohol in the past and feel like it's creeping up on me again. I also have a stone to lose. Like others on the thread, I also lose willpower at week 2/3! Maybe we can keep eachother straight.

I’m in, worked last night so last drink was actually last Saturday. Normally only drink Friday and Saturday evenings though so won’t really notice until tomorrow!

I am doing it for health reasons and am considering staying alcohol free. At the least I intend to stop drinking at home, only holidays or meals out. Next holiday is Feb so got 5 and a bit weeks minimum.

I see so much harm from alcohol in my job and I think I need to really consider if it is something I want to continue consuming longer term. I’m really doubtful at the moment.

I use the try dry app. I find that easy to use and it shows units and how much money you save

I have the try dry app. I like the little yellow boxes building up and helpful to measure my mood, sleep etc. Have set my target as dry January. In bed already with a camomile tea. 😊

I am feeling restless this evening. I don’t want a drink at all but it’s like I don’t know what to do with myself . Crazy really because if I were sitting with a drink I would still have the same amount of time but would be zoned and numbed out.
I think that is a big part of the issue for me . I have often found myself drinking even if I actively didn’t want to and didn’t like the taste.

Hello to everyone- so glad you are here . We can do this!🙂

Thanks I have just downloaded it. Having a visual check in really helps me.

@BigButtons What are you trying to numb?

Im also in, came on specifically looking for a DJ thread so thank you @BigButtons

Have drank 5 out of the last 7 nights to varying degrees. Didn’t really want to last night but joined in as it was NYE. Pre Christmas we have both been consuming too much per week, probably 2-3 times a week and at least a bottle each. I would like to reduce both the frequency and amount moving forward. Hoping to loose a few pounds, lift the brain fog and save some money.

Currently sat in the bath with a diet coke 😇 Good luck all!

I’m planning on 3 months off the booze same as last year. I feel sooooo much better for a good long stint of abstinence.
I have a raging hangover today after going way over the top with the fizz last night.. not felt this bad in ages 🤮today has been a complete write off.
Good luck everyone.. our livers will thank us!

@Eyesopenwideawake good question and it has made me think. I think feelings of inadequacy and anxiety. Of course I also know that alcohol makes anxiety far worse. Tbh I have used this as a coping mechanism since my teens. I shall continue to investigate what I am trying to escape from 🙂

I literally feel poisoned today.

@BigButtons I can identify. I keep thinking about stopping for good. I don't drink every night. I have 3/4 bottle a wine, 3 nights a week. Sometimes on other evenings I will have 1 pint of beer. But I think about it a lot. Sometimes daydream about having a secret drink. I enjoy feeling foggy and numbed... I like it too much. I worry that if I gave up forever, I'd have to be sober 100% of the time without ever having something to take the edge off.

Joining too! I drank far too much last night, feel like death today. Will be glad of the break after a heavy few weeks. Think I’ll struggle on the weekends as usually DH and I share several bottles of wine each night.