Dry January 2024

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:DH and I are doing bc we got in the bad habit of almost daily - both stressed with work and using it to unwind. Already sleeping better and actually feeling less stressed.

What's wrong with almost daily if it's always just one drink?

I’ll answer although not that PP.
When I do drink, I want to feel a nice buzz! I’ve found that if I have a daily drink, eventually it does nothing for me. But if I take a break and then have a glass of wine or a scotch, I get a nice feeling even from just that one, and I like that.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:No thread yet? I will kick it off.

I am actually going on 16 months sober so this will be my second Dry January. Last year I was putting effort into staying sober every day. Now I find it much easier. I am much better off alcohol free - that's personal to me.

What are your reasons for Dry January?

Honestly, if you’re not an alcoholic, it just doesn’t make sense. If you’re not gonna drink, just don’t drink why does it have to be in January?

I used to think the same thing, but after doing it last year I realized doing dry January instead of taking off a random month is because (1) it is too easy to keep saying “I will start next week” if you choose your own time frame and (2) it’s more socially acceptable because it’s trendy. It is ridiculous, yes, but true.

[Anonymous]

The Naked Mind 30 day experiment helps with a lot of these questions. It really gets down to the science of alcohol and our relationship with it.

For me, I think alcohol was the reason for my peri- menopause weight gain and it’s catching up with me. And there really is no reason for me to drink.

[Anonymous]

I'd like to stop drinking completely this year. I am 51, and a glass of wine with dinner now makes me too sleepy to be productive in the evenings after work. I hate that. I have been noticing how much more I accomplish when I don't drink at all.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:DH and I are doing bc we got in the bad habit of almost daily - both stressed with work and using it to unwind. Already sleeping better and actually feeling less stressed.

What's wrong with almost daily if it's always just one drink?

Can you stop? Dry January is a great test, and takes some of the questions off your shoulders because there's a socially-acceptable answer that isn't simply "I don't drink" (why aren't you drinking? Dry January.)

And if you can't, well, that's diagnostic, innit?

Not drinking in this culture raises eyebrows, which is a whole separate thread. Dry January gives people a socially-acceptable break/reset/sobriety check.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:DH and I are doing bc we got in the bad habit of almost daily - both stressed with work and using it to unwind. Already sleeping better and actually feeling less stressed.

What's wrong with almost daily if it's always just one drink?

World Health Org, Jan 2023

“No level of alcohol consumption is safe for our health.”
“Alcohol is a toxic, psychoactive, and dependence-producing substance and has been classified as a Group 1 carcinogen by the International Agency for Research on Cancer decades ago – this is the highest risk group, which also includes asbestos, radiation and tobacco.”

https://www.who.int/europe/news/item/04-01-2023-no-level-of-alcohol-consumption-is-safe-for-our-health

[Anonymous]

I’m doing it! I want to lose weight. And I’m seeing if it will help with my anxiety levels (I use alcohol for social anxiety). Good luck everyone!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:DH and I are doing bc we got in the bad habit of almost daily - both stressed with work and using it to unwind. Already sleeping better and actually feeling less stressed.

What's wrong with almost daily if it's always just one drink?

Can you stop? Dry January is a great test, and takes some of the questions off your shoulders because there's a socially-acceptable answer that isn't simply "I don't drink" (why aren't you drinking? Dry January.)

And if you can't, well, that's diagnostic, innit?

Not drinking in this culture raises eyebrows, which is a whole separate thread. Dry January gives people a socially-acceptable break/reset/sobriety check.

This is all true but dry January is a helpful reset even for people that aren’t concerned about whether they are alcoholics. I never worried I “couldn’t” stop but just wanted to get healthier and focus more on tea, water and other drinks.

[Anonymous]

4th year for me. I don’t think that I really notice anything different. I tend to drink more regularly than heavily (I.e., usually just one serving). So it’s more a reset to notice that I really don’t need it, which hopefully will help me be more conscious and selective about when and what I do drink. Although I’m considering doing 6 weeks this time, just to see if that makes any difference in terms of what I notice physically.

[Anonymous]

^^^ I should add that I really like doing it in January because that’s always been a time when I tend to be more quiet and introspective. It kinda just ties everything together in terms of noticing things and figuring out what I want for the year.

[Anonymous]

First weekend complete!

I know in December I go from a weekend drinker (fri/sat) to an almost daily drinker. If I dont have to wake up early for work? Oh why dont we share a bottle of wine... Oh sunday brunch? Well sure lets have a few bevvies... It all adds up! DH and I have also been doing healthier meals and working out too, so its definitely a kick in the butt to get restarted for the year. I will say yesterday was NOT very healthy (there may have been some ice cream and pancakes involved) but I kept telling myself "its healthier than alcohol, its healthier than alcohol" LOL. So now I need to get the sugar monster under control.

I havent for a few years, but used to do a liver/blood test before/after 4-8 weeks of sobriety. Definitely noticeable results! The liver can entirely heal itself, as long as its not too far gone. So IDC what anyone says about not needing to do dry jan (either because you dont need it or you are too far gone as an alcoholic), it has only benefits IMO.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:DH and I are doing bc we got in the bad habit of almost daily - both stressed with work and using it to unwind. Already sleeping better and actually feeling less stressed.

What's wrong with almost daily if it's always just one drink?

Can you stop? Dry January is a great test, and takes some of the questions off your shoulders because there's a socially-acceptable answer that isn't simply "I don't drink" (why aren't you drinking? Dry January.)

And if you can't, well, that's diagnostic, innit?

Not drinking in this culture raises eyebrows, which is a whole separate thread. Dry January gives people a socially-acceptable break/reset/sobriety check.

This is all true but dry January is a helpful reset even for people that aren’t concerned about whether they are alcoholics. I never worried I “couldn’t” stop but just wanted to get healthier and focus more on tea, water and other drinks.

Absolutely! There's no bad reason to stop drinking.

[Anonymous]

More good impetus to quit alcohol altogether, from the American Academy of Neurology:

https://www.brainandlife.org/articles/moderate-drinking-may-be-bad-for-brain-health?utm_source=Informz&utm_medium=Email&utm_campaign=BL%20Healthy%20Living&utm_content=5

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:^^^ I should add that I really like doing it in January because that’s always been a time when I tend to be more quiet and introspective. It kinda just ties everything together in terms of noticing things and figuring out what I want for the year.

Same. People also are laying fairly low offer the parties, holidays and travel in December.

I always have about 2 weeks off of work abd does my husband at end of December and my teens don’t have to get up early for HS so we stayed up late, enjoyed wine many more nights, etc.

Come January I’m excited to do Dry January have a reset. My bday is in February so I will have a nice dinner out and a cocktail. But the reset usually lasts. I drink less always after dry January for some time.

[Anonymous]

Another Feb birthday here who does ~7 weeks of dry Jan-Feb until I turn a year older. I think this is my 4th one? At least my third. I look forward to it so much bc the holidays leave me feeling bloated and gross. I love the reset.

I pair it with “no eating/snacking after dinner” and that makes it even better.