# Dry January



## AJLang (Dec 28, 2017)

Is anybody else planning to try Dry January? I'm going to start on January 2nd. I'm going to do my best but won't beat myself up if I have the occasional slip up.


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## Amigo (Dec 28, 2017)

AJLang said:


> Is anybody else planning to try Dry January? I'm going to start on January 2nd. I'm going to do my best but won't beat myself up if I have the occasional slip up.



Unless you’re talking about keeping out of the rain AJ, the answer is _no_. Life has little enough pleasures (in moderation)  x


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## AJLang (Dec 28, 2017)

You're right Amigo, you're so right  x


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## Kaylz (Dec 28, 2017)

I haven't touched a drop of alcohol since about the middle of January so next year will mark a year off it for me, which is amazing considering what I could get through in a few hours just last year, and woah if it was an all day sesh  is all I can say lol, but good on you for giving it a go  x


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## Lucy Honeychurch (Dec 28, 2017)

Probably not, though the answer may be yes on Jan 1st depending how hungover I am


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## Ingressus (Dec 28, 2017)

Well you know me il have a go lol i normally do really well first week still in a coma, il try the second week


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## eggyg (Dec 28, 2017)

It wouldn’t be fair for me to try and get sponsored or whatever as I am a total lightweight when it comes to alcohol now. I don’t know why but the last few years I really haven’t been bothered about it at all, I have it to be social most of the time and really only enjoy one or two then I can’t swallow it. Very strange because a glass of chilled white wine used to to be one of life’s greatest pleasures. Now if you said Chocfree January, not a chance!


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## AJLang (Dec 28, 2017)

Kaylz said:


> I haven't touched a drop of alcohol since about the middle of January so next year will mark a year off it for me, which is amazing considering what I could get through in a few hours just last year, and woah if it was an all day sesh  is all I can say lol, but good on you for giving it a go  x


Well done Kaylz xx


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## AJLang (Dec 28, 2017)

eggyg said:


> It wouldn’t be fair for me to try and get sponsored or whatever as I am a total lightweight when it comes to alcohol now. I don’t know why but the last few years I really haven’t been bothered about it at all, I have it to be social most of the time and really only enjoy one or two then I can’t swallow it. Very strange because a glass of chilled white wine used to to be one of life’s greatest pleasures. Now if you said Chocfree January, not a chance!


Aaah now dry chocolate I could manage easily


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## AJLang (Dec 28, 2017)

Well after the latest phone conversation with my Dad (we currently speak 2 or 3 times a day)  - him grieving I can manage, it's the rest that's difficult - I'm not sure at the moment if I'll manage dry January 2nd. So I will contemplate whilst enjoying Christmas holiday Rum and Black


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## Bloden (Dec 28, 2017)

Go for it, AJ!  (No pressure)


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## AJLang (Dec 28, 2017)

Lol Bloden was that for Dry January or the Rum and Black?


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## Hepato-pancreato (Dec 28, 2017)

Good luck to everyone doing dry January.  This will be my 13th dry January. My being dry wasn’t my choice more my consultants plural. So I don’t think mine counts, as it was easy for me.


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## mikeyB (Dec 29, 2017)

I’m compulsory dry too, Amanda, but flipping heck if I can do it, you can Can’t really advise, but I found the substitution of caffeine for alcohol using exotic tea, coffee and IrnBru helped a lot.  That applies to everyone doing a dry January. 

Best of luck, gang


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## AJLang (Dec 30, 2017)

I admire you both Hepato and Mike. With regard to alcohol it doesn't help that I don't like tea or coffee in any form whatsoever, I have tried to like them ever since I was a child but nope can't stand them, even the fruit teas. It doesn't help me that I struggle to get over the barrier that wine is my treat because I can't eat much without feeling really rough. Even alcohol free lager affects my BG levels but alcohol has no impact whatsoever. Anyhow less of my excuses...


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## Greyhound Gal (Dec 30, 2017)

I've been dry for over 2.5 years now (due to liver problems) and I don't generally miss it, although Christmas is the worst time as everyone is going out drinking, pubs only ever have Diet Coke which gets very boring, people don't accept that you can't 'just have one' and the constant bombardment of booze adverts on the TV.
Like Mikey says I just found a few substitutes which have now whittled down to cordial with tap water or cordial with sparkling water with the occasional  can of something 'zero'.


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## Browser (Dec 31, 2017)

No intention of going dry in January but well done those who want to and intend doing so. I find a glass or two of red wine, combined with sensible carb control suits me.


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## zuludog (Dec 31, 2017)

For a long time I was very fond of a drink, a bit too fond sometimes
Then, at the start of 2014 I think, I thought I'd make an effort and give up for January
Then I thought - that's not very long, why not make it till my birthday in April?
Then I thought - well, blow it, why not make it for the whole year?

So I did. The hardest part was making that decision and getting my 'ead round it. Once I'd done that everything was simple, and fell into place

Two things kept me going
I wasn't giving up completely, there was a definite end point
The realisation that I could still get out & about & go into pubs, but drink blackcurrant & soda. At one time, especially if you were a man, ordering a soft drink in a pub raised eyebrows , but now no-one minds

I didn't keep a record, but my shopping bills were definitely lower

When the time was up I found that I was no longer so bothered about having a drink. I do drink now, but nowhere near as much


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## Lucy Honeychurch (Dec 31, 2017)

Well I shall be sober tonight, not because I'm being virtuous but because I've got a heavy cold and basically just want to go to bed  just as well really as I'm cooking a big dinner tomorrow for mother in law's birthday, may indulge in a sherry if I feel better.


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## Hepato-pancreato (Jan 6, 2018)

Nearly a week! Hope all you temporary teetotallers are still on the wagon. Keep going wit yed down.


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## AJLang (Jan 6, 2018)

I really shouldn't drink but still grieving for Mum, supporting Dad and finding out about my facet joint osteoarthritis has meant that I've continued with the alcohol. I know that's not good...all the best to those managing to give up alcohol.


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## Carolg (Jan 7, 2018)

mikeyB said:


> I’m compulsory dry too, Amanda, but flipping heck if I can do it, you can Can’t really advise, but I found the substitution of caffeine for alcohol using exotic tea, coffee and IrnBru helped a lot.  That applies to everyone doing a dry January.
> 
> Best of luck, gang


? All in one glass mike?


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## mikeyB (Jan 7, 2018)

Now there’s an idea.....

Thanks, Carol


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## MikeTurin (Jan 10, 2018)

Amigo said:


> Unless you’re talking about keeping out of the rain AJ, the answer is _no_. Life has little enough pleasures (in moderation)  x



An here we absolutely need some rain, because water levels in lakes is low and if there is not eough water reserves for the summer, plants and fields will suffer and die. Hoping that the water won't arrive all in the same moment.

Monday there was a storm here after months of dry climate. The result was that all the oil and grime deposited on the road got mixed with wated and made the roads extra slippy.


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## AJLang (Jan 12, 2018)

Well it looks like enforced Dry January and beyond for me with starting the amitriptylene tonight. Not feeling happy about no more champagne cocktails etc especially when my food intake is so limited because of the gastroparesis. Yes I'm feeling sorry for myself but I do aim to return to positiveness.


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## grovesy (Jan 12, 2018)

Good luck.


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## AJLang (Jan 12, 2018)

Thank you Grovesy. Well after some childish sulking from me Mark has been filling my wine glass with alcohol free lager and diet lemonade and it doesn't taste too bad


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## AJLang (Jan 16, 2018)

Yay my last alcoholic drink was on Thursday - I'm beginning to develop a love affair with non-alcoholic lager!!! But even better there is a whole website devoted to selling non-alcoholic drinks.  My dentist said about it today and I said I know. She said that the stuff is good!!!!


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## Chris Hobson (Jan 23, 2018)

I've only just spotted this thread so I'm a bit late to the party but I thought I would add some thoughts anyway. I've never really been a fan of this type of abstaining, not just from alcohol but anything that is deemed to be a bit bad for you. To me it just smacks of puritanism and general joylessness. On the other hand though, I can see that there might be value in not drinking for a month in the new year if only to be sure that you are not becoming alcohol dependent. I think that if you make a decision to abstain for just one month and can't make it, it might be time to consider that you might have a problem. Anyone who has read my other writings will know that last year I gave up drinking to train for a 140.6 triathlon. Being a morning person I did most of my training very early and even mild hangovers would be likely to have hindered my progress. I have been planning to do another big triathlon this year and have been booze free since new year's eve. Unfortunately I have some health issues to deal with before I can start to train for it and I might have to withdraw, but until I know more I am going to stay dry anyway for the time being.


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## AJLang (Jan 23, 2018)

I'm sorry to hear about your health problems Chris. Well I managed a week without alcohol but after all of my medical issues/appointments this month I'm back to my wine and as it's making me feel all warm and fuzzy I think it was a good decision


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## Hepato-pancreato (Jan 26, 2018)

Try 12months? If not you must be an alcoholic.


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## AJLang (Jan 26, 2018)

I wouldn't want to try 12 months so does that mean I'm an alcoholic? Oh well never mind...


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## Hepato-pancreato (Jan 26, 2018)

Maybe actually there is no such medical term.


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## Hepato-pancreato (Jan 26, 2018)

Alcohol is a class A drug. They are moaning about prescription drug addicts. Oops Alcohol worse drug in the world. Too late can’t do anything about it now.


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## Dave W (Jan 26, 2018)

Oh drat!
I saw the header for this thread and optimistically thought ir was a weather forecast.


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## Hepato-pancreato (Jan 26, 2018)

Reasearch this. Bill Wilson founder of A.A. sober for 37 years demanded whiskey on death bed. That’s what kind of drug alcohol is.


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## everydayupsanddowns (Jan 26, 2018)

Hepato-pancreato said:


> Alcohol is a class A drug. They are moaning about prescription drug addicts. Oops Alcohol worse drug in the world. Too late can’t do anything about it now.



Alcohol is not classified as a Class A drug, though it can be harmful. 
http://m.talktofrank.com/faq/what-drug-classification-system


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## everydayupsanddowns (Jan 26, 2018)

AJLang said:


> I wouldn't want to try 12 months so does that mean I'm an alcoholic? Oh well never mind...



Certainly not Amanda, it is perfectly possible to drink alcohol in moderation as part of a healthy lifestyle. Recent advice of no more than 14u per week gives lots of opportunity for the odd tipple


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## AJLang (Jan 27, 2018)

Thank you Mike


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## Chris Hobson (Jan 27, 2018)

"Bill Wilson founder of A.A. sober for 37 years demanded whiskey on death bed."
C'mon, cut the guy some slack, he stuck to it for all that time and what harm would it do once he was actually dying? It would appear that alcohol is highly addictive to some people and not others. There have been periods in my life when I have had a drink on a very regular basis and sometimes a bit more than I probably should but I have never had the slightest difficulty when I've decided to give it a break for a while. It should be mentioned that you need to take government guidelines with a pinch of salt, they are not based on any kind of sound science, they were compiled by a Methodist based on nothing but his own puritanical, lemon sucking opinion.


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## zuludog (Jan 28, 2018)

AJLang said:


> Yay my last alcoholic drink was on Thursday - I'm beginning to develop a love affair with non-alcoholic lager!!! But even better there is a whole website devoted to selling non-alcoholic drinks.  My dentist said about it today and I said I know. She said that the stuff is good!!!!



Can you tell us what the website is, please


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## mikeyB (Jan 28, 2018)

No advertising allowed on the forum. Consult Google. Other search engines are available


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## AJLang (Jan 29, 2018)

Zuludog I found it by googling non-alcoholic drinks.


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