Dry January, anyone? I'm looking for a buddy to keep up morale...

[Tosca]

I'm not sure if this is the right section. I've done "dry January" before, but I didn't complete it last year - I gave up a few days before the end. I'd really appreciate a buddy for mutual help in dealing with those days/nights going out with friends or family when most others are enjoying alcohol. I suppose it says something about both groups that I'm the only one doing it.....they're than I am at moderation!

[Angelina]

you did most of it, so well done you!

It is hard - you have to find something to fill the time - it's better though. It's so easy to just drink to fill the time/ evenings. You're going to have to be creative as you will have hours to yourself you didn't have before. Is there anything you dream about doing? Well, now's the time to think about it even more.

As you've suggested, find a friend and do a shared activity. Do you know, the gym on Crystal Palace Rd is free for Southwark residents? you could try that! It may not be easy and you may have to force yourself at first, but get a good playlist and some headphones and you'll be fine.

The change in lifestyle is surmountable and you will feel fab :-)

[KidKruger]

Alcoholics Anonymous is an established organisation for this kind of addiction.

[Sue]

May be better to try and moderate drinking always (or mostly) rather than not drink at all for just one month of the year?

Or have a couple of dry days a week, a bit like the 5:2 diet?

[rendelharris]

What Sue said. I cut down to weekends only for January and February, but don't beat up on myself if there's a special occasion midweek - friend's birthday or something - for which I want to break the fast; might compensate with a day off on a Saturday or Sunday. For me personally giving up anything completely with the subsequent feeling of missing out has always been the worst way. Still, horses for courses and best of luck to you!

[Earl Aelfheah]

Or take part in tryanuary instead: https://www.tryanuary.com/

[Sue]

rahrahrah Wrote:

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> Or take part in tryanuary instead:

> https://www.tryanuary.com/

:))

[hammerman]

KidKruger Wrote:

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> Alcoholics Anonymous is an established

> organisation for this kind of addiction.

AA is there for this kind of addiction you are right.

But just watching the new female celebrity big brother starting tonight.

The adverts during the break are all about gambling/betting/glamorising the game?

[hammerman]

Hope you're doing ok Tosca.

[Robert Poste's Child]

Yes, how are you doing so far, Tosca? Assuming you weren't already knocked off track by the comments about addiction above - I didn't get the sense that would apply to you.

[Earl Aelfheah]

I was playing poker with a friend the other night. He was drinking and smoking heavily (and gambling too, obviously) and announced with no sense of irony, that he was giving up bread in January as it was not good for your health.

[DulwichFox]

I'm doing Dry January. Survived 1st Week.

Did it faithfully in 2016 but did not do it at all in 2017.

Miss going to Pub but EDT charging ?3.50 for a bottle of Bitburger (Non-Alcoholic Beer)

Case of Becks Blue Non Alcoholic Beer (15 bottles) ?6.00 from Tesco. 40p a bottle.

[Mick Mac]

Something different this year - allowing myself one night out per week, so 6 dry days per week.

[Earl Aelfheah]

DulwichFox Wrote:

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> I'm doing Dry January. Survived 1st Week.

>

> Did it faithfully in 2016 but did not do it at

> all in 2017.

> Miss going to Pub but EDT charging ?3.50 for a

> bottle of Bitburger (Non-Alcoholic Beer)

>

> Case of Becks Blue Non Alcoholic Beer (15

> bottles) ?6.00 from Tesco. 40p a bottle.

Going out to the pub and sitting at home drinking Beck's Blue aren't really comparable experiences though.

[edcam]

Non/low alcohol beer and wine are vile. If you're not drinking, you're better off with water.

This year we're doing no booze Monday to Friday night. So far so good.....

[DulwichFox]

edcam Wrote:

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> Non/low alcohol beer and wine are vile. If you're

> not drinking, you're better off with water.

>

> This year we're doing no booze Monday to Friday

> night. So far so good.....

I already drink 6 glasses of water a day..

[DulwichFox]

rahrahrah Wrote:

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> DulwichFox Wrote:

> --------------------------------------------------

> -----

> > I'm doing Dry January. Survived 1st Week.

> >

> > Did it faithfully in 2016 but did not do it

> at

> > all in 2017.

> > Miss going to Pub but EDT charging ?3.50 for a

> > bottle of Bitburger (Non-Alcoholic Beer)

> >

> > Case of Becks Blue Non Alcoholic Beer (15

> > bottles) ?6.00 from Tesco. 40p a bottle.

>

> Going out to the pub and sitting at home drinking

> Beck's Blue aren't really comparable experiences

> though.

I dont just drink Becks Blue when I am at Home.

For the last 5-6 years I have kept a Excel Spead Sheet of savings by staying in and cutting down on Alcohol.

Base on 3 pints at (Currently) ?4.10 per pint .. ?12.30 a night, any underspend goes in a tin and an envelope

at the end of each month.

2017 I saved ?2,007.75 It's a great way to see the benefits of cutting down / out

I would strongly recommend anyone say giving up Smoking to do the same.

Just see how much you would of spent.

Foxy

[Sue]

DulwichFox Wrote:

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> edcam Wrote:

> --------------------------------------------------

> -----

> > Non/low alcohol beer and wine are vile. If

> you're

> > not drinking, you're better off with water.

> >

> > This year we're doing no booze Monday to Friday

> > night. So far so good.....

>

> I already drink 6 glasses of water a day.

I may be wrong but I think edcam probably meant fizzy water eg with lime or blackcurrant ..... Pound a pint max, often much cheaper ...... quite palatable with ice :)

I agree low alcohol beer is vile. Haven't tried low alcohol wine.

What's the point of either of them?!

[malumbu]

Just accept that you are part of Northern Europe - Britain, Germany, Denmark, Sweden where drinking to excess is the norm, as well as fighting for our country. Even worse in Norway and Finland where they try to control it.

I'm being ironic/mischievous but as someone who spent much of his 20s and 30s drunk as others have pointed out this is something that is generally supported in our society as a lifestyle - including as pointed out the industry and marketing. It's age, and responsibility (and lower tolerance) that has sorted me out.

That said I hate the new puritanical view of some colleagues, and see nothing wrong with the occasional lunchtime drink.

The profit margins in our pubs and restaurants on soft drinks (most which rot your teeth) are excessive and alcohol free beer is truly disgusting. Soda water with fresh lime or lemon (and a tiny bit of sugar if you need), most brilliant.

A couple of final whinges. Pubs and underage drinking and related to this preloading. We drank underage. Most did. You couldn't drink too much on your pocket and paper round money, and it was a fairly controlled environment. we didn't feel the need to get peed before we went out. Curbing underage drinking in pubs seem to have the opposite effect in terms of reducing drinking.

[bodsier]

66 days is considered to be the time necessary to truly see the benefits of not drinking, it's likely that after that time you will no longer feel the need for it as the benefits will far outweigh the urge. Good luck!

[DulwichFox]

bodsier Wrote:

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> 66 days is considered to be the time necessary to

> truly see the benefits of not drinking, it's

> likely that after that time you will no longer

> feel the need for it as the benefits will far

> outweigh the urge. Good luck!

Apart from my stock of Non-alcholic beer. I have 2 cases of Cobra and Peroni..

several small bottles of Red Wine. a Selection (8) of Liqueurs

I have no urge to drink them. They are always there if I stay in and fancy a tipple.

The real benefits are Finacial. Don't get the "I feel charged with energy since I gave up Drinking" Thing.

Must add, Food tastes better.

[redjam]

I did Dry January last year, but sort of by mistake - I didn't fancy a drink in the first week as I'd overdone it on NYE, then in the second week I got a heavy cold and cancelled all social nights out (and again didn't really fancy alcohol), by which point I was already on around 20 January so I thought I might as well keep going till my birthday, which is the end of Jan.

Although I'd not really set off to do it at the start, I did feel better for a month off (slept better, more energy etc), and interestingly for the rest of last year I felt like I cut down a lot on alcohol as a result, as I'd got out of the habit of automatically pouring a glass or two of wine when at home midweek. I was also more conscious of how even just a couple of glasses affects my sleep.

So I'm taking the same approach this year - I'm aiming to cut it out in January (at least until my birthday) but I'm not going to beat myself up if I fail. But I do want to reset my habits again after the booze levels inevitably crept up over Christmas.

Anyway, good luck Tosca - I'm off to the cinema tonight, and plan to be on the elderflower!

[Northeastview]

I can?t bare Becks blue. I love Erdinger alcohol free, and sainsburys stocks a nice lager called Nanny State. I went dry for January 10 years ago and never went back. Beers of Europe do a great mixed box of alcohol free beers, I treat myself sometimes. I found being naturally exuberant helps as others rarely realise I?m not drinking.

Good luck with your dry time, however long you last;)

[redjam]

How are you doing, Tosca? Did you get through the second weekend? I reckon I'm on the home straight as I've only got one more weekend to get through (I will definitely drink the final weekend as I've got a lovely birthday meal planned - though ironically I know I will suffer from a worse-than-usual hangover afterwards now I've lost all my tolerance).

It's been fine for me actually - mainly if I'm honest because I haven't been out much. Though I've had a couple of wavers at my 'weak time' (just after wrestling the kids to bed) when a glass of cold, crisp white wine never seemed more inviting...

[Mick Mac]

redjam Wrote:

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>

> It's been fine for me actually - mainly if I'm

> honest because I haven't been out much.

I'm still going well with my one drink night per week allowance. Its obviously not as full on as a complete dry stretch, which I have done lots of before, but I think the one night per week might be more helpful to me in the longer term. it allows you to still see friends, rather than just sitting in, avoiding socialising for a month.

I might increase it to two nights per week for Feb - and see how that goes. Its certainly helping with not drinking at home at all, which is a good habit to get into.