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Original poster

would anyone like to try a dry January with me?

411 replies

coppercolouredtop · 30/12/2018 17:50

i really struggle with not drinking daily.

i have tried before and cheated. my dp hates how much i drink and i would like to try and see if i can do a month without and see if it breaks the habit a bit.

i can easily sink a bottle of wine plus a cocktail and still want more. i go two days without simply because i work nights two days a week.

i am getting fat. i am choosing drink over food. i am reliant on treating myself with alcohol almost daily.

i can give up anything else really easily - smoking? stopped with no help when i decided to stop.
put a box of chocolates in front of me and i can take a couple and leave the rest.
open a bottle of wine and its gone. and i want more and i dont get hangovers so there is no incentive to stop!
ive gained 6lb recently and i know its booze - dp and i used to work same hours and i moderated a bit better when he was around but now im not.
i know he hates what i drink and the annoying bint i become after the third glass.
i have lost motivation to do anything. i dont get up early. i cant be arsed to do much anymore ( i know i am depressed which doesnt help. and i think i depress the people around me)
despite being quite outgoing and bubbly i have no friends and no social life. my kids are grown up and dont see me much. i moved to a village i dont know 4 years ago and know not a soul. i also got pregnant which i was ecstatic about but then found the baby had a disability that would have been life altering for me and her, but i always felt being a mum kept me going and motivated and now my life feels completely empty and hollow. im in a job i hate. with a partner who doesnt like spending much time with me. my kids are gone, i have no friends here and alcohol fills the gaps.

ive decided to try and get to grips with that one problem and bin the booze for a month to see if it makes any difference to anything. (waist line would be good!) i never used to drink like this.. (though i did smoke about 3 cigarettes a day)

does anyone relate? anyone fancy giving this a go and supporting each other? im going to find it extremely difficult but i want to try it.

OP posts:
Original poster
coppercolouredtop · 01/01/2019 19:14

Ditzy
It's just the dry January app....it's free and it links to a website about drinking- on that they have taste tested alcohol free wine, alcohol free spirits and I've a few to try - one red wine is apparently better than a lot of the full strength stuff!

I'm going to go on line later and see if I can get some.

There's also a ready mix g&t and a cubre libre- all get very good marks and alcohol free!

OP posts:
Original poster
coppercolouredtop · 01/01/2019 19:19

The website is alcohol.change.org.uk

OP posts:
SeaEagleFeather · 01/01/2019 20:22

chickydoo there are some really nice non-alc gins out there. Seedlip and so on. Not cheap, mind

DitzyPrints · 01/01/2019 20:37

Hope everyone’s first dry evening is going ok I’m off to bed now so that’s first day down anyway

Spfairydust · 01/01/2019 20:57

Relaxing in bed. Pleased that day1 is done!

Original poster
coppercolouredtop · 01/01/2019 20:58

I feel ok! Tho I have had a packet of crisps and 4 biscuits with cheese....idea was to lose weight !

I'm amazed I've stayed so resolute tbh after drinking a bottle a night for so long.

OP posts:
Deeandwizzy · 01/01/2019 21:30

I'm in too. I waste so much time feeling rubbish after one too many so dry Jan sounds good. I have done it twice before but it was tough!

russianbubble · 01/01/2019 21:59

Day 1 done here too... although completely agree copper it’s definitely resulted in me eating 4 times the amount of crap I normally would!

whynot93 · 01/01/2019 22:06

Day 1 no alcohol 😁 feeling positive about last the whole of January.

CeciliaMcFlange · 01/01/2019 22:21

Well done everyone on (hopefully) successfully making it through day 1!

I'm in Australia so already into day 2 - I have downloaded The Sober Diaries which looks quite good - I'm going to take the dog for a walk shortly and start listening to it.

I had some really bad nightmares last night so am looking forward to better sleep as the month goes on. I also have some health issues that would benefit from a no alcohol Paleo/Keto diet so am looking for a major overhaul through Jan and beyond.

FiveShelties · 02/01/2019 07:10

8pm here and resisting a chilled Pinot Gris calling my name from the fridge. 30C at the moment so a cold glass of wine would be lovely.😃

Still resisting .........

CeciliaMcFlange · 02/01/2019 07:53

It's 6:30pm here, I really want a drink now. Sad Angry

Nutellaoneverything · 02/01/2019 08:33

Woken up to a clear head and in a good mood for once Feeling very hopeful to the rest of dry Jan, just have to remember the benefits when the bottle is calling... that's the hardest bit!

DitzyPrints · 02/01/2019 09:14

Best nights sleep I’ve had in ages deep sleep all night which is so unusual for me- hopefully the same tonight :) well done and keep going everyone

Original poster
coppercolouredtop · 02/01/2019 12:22

Now being honest my sleep wasn't that great but maybe it's going to take a while to adjust.

OP posts:
singleascheeseslice · 02/01/2019 14:01

I had broken sleep as well and woke with a sore throat... I guess its detox time >.

Roussette · 02/01/2019 15:06

I think it takes ages to adjust. A friend of mine said she's not bothering to do dry Jan because she'd heard you don't get any benefit from not drinking until after 100 days had passed Hmm

DavetheCat2001 · 02/01/2019 15:23

I'm doing DJ..my 3rd one, and I normally find that once I am through the first weekend, it becomes a lot easier and the craving for a drink diminishes.

I don't do a lot of socialising during Jan, the only time I feel tested is my son's birthday party (he turns 8 on the 14th) and typically after the chaos of a kids party I'm ready to sink a bottle!

Taking 14 x 7 and 8 year old (mostly boys)bowling..god help me!

DitzyPrints · 02/01/2019 16:33

Struggling now would actually quite like a drink tonight and Dh has announced he is having a couple (he wasn’t doing dry jan). Might have to go bed early again to be out of the way of temptation.

pointythings · 02/01/2019 16:54

I find alcohol aggravates hot flushes, and last night I only had one minor one so that was worthwhile. The only big downside was that today was my first day back at work, so I was having that great sleep and then my bastarding alarm went off at 6.25 am. I think we should all just get Dry January Leave on top of our annual leave allowance.

karala · 02/01/2019 18:18

I slept much better than I thought I would - last DJ I did it took a few days for me to cope with sleeping without having had wine. I think we need to remember to be nice to ourselves and allow ourselves some treats to replace the alcohol. We can do healthy eating once we're in the swing of not drinking

Mammyofonlyone · 02/01/2019 18:25

It is totally ridiculous but I'm bored and don't know what to do as normally I'd be 'relaxing' with a drink. Absolutely proves to me why I need to give DJ a go though

SeaEagleFeather · 02/01/2019 18:29

she'd heard you don't get any benefit from not drinking until after 100 days had passed

Not true at all ime.

Oh I do hope Dry Jan helps the hot flushes, really do

Musti · 02/01/2019 18:31

I'm off out to play badminton now. I found it helped me if I had fun stuff planned in the evenings. Doesn't necessarily have to be outside the house, it can be a jobby like drawing, sewing etc. Keeping yourself busy doing enjoyable things that don't involve alcohol helps.

ThroughThickAndThin01 · 02/01/2019 18:31

All good so far, feel resolute, long may it continue. But only on day 2, so a lonnggg way to go yet.