Dry January 2023 Thread

[Anonymous]

I haven’t had a drink yet, but will tonight. Going to a friend’s celebration party and there will be wine. I feel okay with drinking out at gatherings. Just not at home to numb my emotions. Hopefully my organs are okay with that. Usually have some kind of multiple friend get together twice a month.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I'm going to keep it going because it makes me feel like a morally superior contrarian. I'm not kidding.

I couldn’t have said it better! I too will keep going for the same reason. 😎

[Anonymous]

Had a super fun time last night sitting at the bar at a Mexican restaurant with DH. We each had two amazing not-sweet house margs and dinner. Fun talking to each other and the bartender.

Felt like absolute ass this morning. Not sure it was worth it. Still loafing around the house feeling vaguely down and worried about the workweek.

[Anonymous]

This is the longest into the year I've continued with a reduced amount of alcohol. I still drink but when i was on vacation recently, i had no more than two drinks a day. I went to a show on Thursday and had a bunch of drinks, but last year that would have kicked off the weekend. I didn't sip wine last night and not tonight either. Not sure what it is about this year.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Had a super fun time last night sitting at the bar at a Mexican restaurant with DH. We each had two amazing not-sweet house margs and dinner. Fun talking to each other and the bartender.

Felt like absolute ass this morning. Not sure it was worth it. Still loafing around the house feeling vaguely down and worried about the workweek.

This is why I stopped drinking when I hit 40. Alcohol is a depressant and when I was younger I think I could shake it off bit as I aged even 2 drinks left me feeling bad the next day. Not worth it.

[Anonymous]

Heading out for a birthday event. I've scoped out the drink selection and am super happy there are a few NA beers and 2.5 ABV drinks. I'm not opposed to drinking, but I am excited to have a moderate night and a full day tomorrow. Last year this would have been a night where I had cleared my calendar for tomorrow. I can't believe the experiment has gone on this long for me. I'm liking it a lot.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Heading out for a birthday event. I've scoped out the drink selection and am super happy there are a few NA beers and 2.5 ABV drinks. I'm not opposed to drinking, but I am excited to have a moderate night and a full day tomorrow. Last year this would have been a night where I had cleared my calendar for tomorrow. I can't believe the experiment has gone on this long for me. I'm liking it a lot.

What physical changes have you had since Jan 1?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Heading out for a birthday event. I've scoped out the drink selection and am super happy there are a few NA beers and 2.5 ABV drinks. I'm not opposed to drinking, but I am excited to have a moderate night and a full day tomorrow. Last year this would have been a night where I had cleared my calendar for tomorrow. I can't believe the experiment has gone on this long for me. I'm liking it a lot.

What physical changes have you had since Jan 1?

It's just more days where I feel 100%. I just got home. I had 1 NA beer, 3 glasses of wine and a nice full meal with lots of water in between. Last year it would have been closer to 5-6 drinks. Not an every day occurrence, but because it was a birthday or celebration. I have been keeping track on the Try Dry app, and apparently based on last year's baseline I've saved about 7000 calories (since Jan 1) and 220 dollars. I've just now (last 2 weeks) noticed a drop in weight of about 4 lbs with no other action. Overall, I just feel better. I've got Try Dry set to a goal of 300 dry days and I should hit that this year, happily.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Heading out for a birthday event. I've scoped out the drink selection and am super happy there are a few NA beers and 2.5 ABV drinks. I'm not opposed to drinking, but I am excited to have a moderate night and a full day tomorrow. Last year this would have been a night where I had cleared my calendar for tomorrow. I can't believe the experiment has gone on this long for me. I'm liking it a lot.

That's awesome! I am on day 209 here!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Heading out for a birthday event. I've scoped out the drink selection and am super happy there are a few NA beers and 2.5 ABV drinks. I'm not opposed to drinking, but I am excited to have a moderate night and a full day tomorrow. Last year this would have been a night where I had cleared my calendar for tomorrow. I can't believe the experiment has gone on this long for me. I'm liking it a lot.

That's awesome! I am on day 209 here!

Another night last night where I had 2 drinks and last year it would have been 4-5. All in this year I've consumed 68 units, 303 dollars worth, and 9021 calories worth fewer than I would have this time last year per the Try Dry app.

[Anonymous]

^^Thanks for reviving this thread PP!

My AF/sobriety decision has been on my mind today. I am at day 279 - 9 months, 9 days. That's the longest I have gone without alcohol since my pregnancies. And even when I was pregnant I had a little alcohol - like a toast at a wedding, a few sips of wine at the very end. Kind of sad to think about now. And even though I wasn't drinking regularly while pregnant I was hugely defensive about it. Just a really different, and messed up, mindset.

But what has me thinking about my decision and how to maintain my sobriety is that I have a "milestone" coming up - first visit with a longtime friend who was also a major wine drinking buddy of mine. I actually think she drinks too much as well, and I think she sort of knows it. She's made a few comments that make me think that. Anyway, last month I was thinking I might consider drinking a little wine with her, telling myself that I believe I now have it under control enough to stop and start at will. But the more I thought about that the more dread I felt. Being AF has been really liberating in a way I didn't anticipate. I really can't describe how amazing it feels to not order a drink at dinner and just know that I am not going to have to worry about drinking too much, or that I won't be able to stop, and that I'll undo everything I have done. Like, I get a real sense of joy every time I have that realization.

So this past week I decided that I am going to get some AF wine and AF mocktail ingredients and stick with being alcohol free. I feel really good about that decision. It was also a really weird realization that as much as I value this friendship I am not willing to sacrifice my sobriety to re-create the experiences we had previously. I hope it goes all right.

Happy Sunday to all!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:^^Thanks for reviving this thread PP!

My AF/sobriety decision has been on my mind today. I am at day 279 - 9 months, 9 days. That's the longest I have gone without alcohol since my pregnancies. And even when I was pregnant I had a little alcohol - like a toast at a wedding, a few sips of wine at the very end. Kind of sad to think about now. And even though I wasn't drinking regularly while pregnant I was hugely defensive about it. Just a really different, and messed up, mindset.

But what has me thinking about my decision and how to maintain my sobriety is that I have a "milestone" coming up - first visit with a longtime friend who was also a major wine drinking buddy of mine. I actually think she drinks too much as well, and I think she sort of knows it. She's made a few comments that make me think that. Anyway, last month I was thinking I might consider drinking a little wine with her, telling myself that I believe I now have it under control enough to stop and start at will. But the more I thought about that the more dread I felt. Being AF has been really liberating in a way I didn't anticipate. I really can't describe how amazing it feels to not order a drink at dinner and just know that I am not going to have to worry about drinking too much, or that I won't be able to stop, and that I'll undo everything I have done. Like, I get a real sense of joy every time I have that realization.

So this past week I decided that I am going to get some AF wine and AF mocktail ingredients and stick with being alcohol free. I feel really good about that decision. It was also a really weird realization that as much as I value this friendship I am not willing to sacrifice my sobriety to re-create the experiences we had previously. I hope it goes all right.

Happy Sunday to all!

Happy Sunday, thanks for sharing! Here I am on Sunday about to go relax with my book. Last year I would have been having 2 big glasses of wine because it's Sunday. The Sunday blues are not as bad without a lot of drinking the night before and here I am having enjoyed the full day! I'm so happy you are feeling good about your choice.

[Anonymous]

I stumbled upon this thread tonight and while I did not do Dry January, I did Dry May and have kept at it. I feel fantastic and have dropped 10 pounds.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I stumbled upon this thread tonight and while I did not do Dry January, I did Dry May and have kept at it. I feel fantastic and have dropped 10 pounds.

Good for you!