My Dry January has gotten all wet

Anyone else trying to do a dry January? I started off strong. Got past the shakes pretty easily. :laughing:

But last night had a wonderful dinner so I wanted a glass of wine to go with it and poof, my 20 day streak came to an end. Once that first glass was gone, I figured what the hell time for some whiskey. :tumbler_glass:

Have a dinner tonight with some friends so I think I will pick myself back up on Sunday and limp across the finish line after having fallen down twice.

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Thatā€™s why I never started. I am aware of studies that claim doing a dry month might mean fewer drinks for the rest of the year, but I donā€™t buy it.

Just like anything peeps do for a month - be it Whole30 or similar diets or ā€œcleanses,ā€ bc most folks canā€™t sustain anything thatā€™s a radical change to what theyā€™re accustomed to.

Baby steps & changes that are possible in the long run seem far more reasonable to me.

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My idea of dry January:


Have never done it. Why would I want to deprive myself of this little pleasure of enjoying a glass of wine or a beer whenever I please?

I donā€™t drink more than a glass of wine or a beer, or sometimes both, any given day anyway. Unless on holidayā€¦ thatā€™s when I can drink 3 times my capacity (mostly because I have a limited time there and the beer or wine is not available at home).

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Iā€™ve been dry all January so far without much intent, and I have to admit I donā€™t miss a drink unless Iā€™m with people who consider drinking a core part of spending time together (and so get extremely uncomfortable if one refuses to partake-- (yes, that means all kinds of things about them, I know :roll_eyes:).

I think Iā€™ll get through till next weekend, when those people become a factor again, because one of them has a birthday :rofl:

In any case, having a glass of wine because it goes with a lovely dinner, and so on, I donā€™t think thatā€™s a fail.

I drastically cut back on alcohol a few years ago (because of an odd allergy issue that couldnā€™t be diagnosed but was highly correlated with consumption) and havenā€™t really missed it in that quantity. I still drink, when something appeals or an occasion calls for it, or I have a hankering for something (like an old fashioned or a sauternes).

I think dry January is positive for those who need a reason to cut back, just like all those other January things. Itā€™s nice to have a reason sometimes.

No reason you canā€™t make up the fallen week and take it into February!

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Hmm, maybe I have a problem then if no one else feels the need to clean up. :wink:

This past holiday season was finally back to normal after the covid inhibited celebrations of the prior two years. So at least for me starting with Thanksgiving, there were a lot of events to meet friends and family and coworkers and clients and drink. Had not seen a lot of people in over two years so there was even more reason to celebrate. Once I get past new years, I find it helpful to cut back and have a goal. I know I certainly sleep better and more soundly when I donā€™t drink. Also means I can work out with a little less intensity as I donā€™t have to offset the extra calories from the drink. I like the suggestion of just making up for the bit of lapse with a push into February.

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Instead of dry January, which Iā€™m not sure I could manage, Iā€™ve cut my consumption in half by spacing my drinks with water. Itā€™s not as good as abstaining altogether, but itā€™s something.

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In years past I had parties and gatherings darned near every night feom Thanksgiving thru New Years, so a dry January was welcome (i could almost feel my liver pisting strike notices)

This year was very quiet, so I did t feel horribly guilty at having a glass of wine a week later. I tend to bot erink by myself, so theres not much temptation.

What a strange crowd.

Drinking now? :wink:

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Doing my first Dry January. Itā€™s been a good opportunity to break mindless habits, explore new interests and pleasures, and take a hard look at whatā€™s really necessary to have fun, and why. I donā€™t regret it, but different strokes. I donā€™t see much in the way of downsides. Livers and brains thank you.

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My dry January lasted 10 days. It was mainly to lower my blood pressure before a drs appt. and blood work. It didnā€™t help much this time. I usually only have one cocktail and one glass of wine so dry January wasnā€™t a big deal for me.

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Its the damned autocorrect elf again. Out to convince the world Iā€™m drunk and illiterate.

Bastard.

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I was having a dry January only because I was out of beer & waiting for it to go on sale.
Untilā€¦ I received my anniversary gift from Sunshine (today)!!
YEAH!! I donā€™t know what 11 years is supposed to be, but I got BEER.
I got her a coral necklace and matching earrings.
We are both very happy with our gifts!!

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Yes, first time trying dry January, so far so good. I did eat a gummy last night though, so Iā€™m not sure if that breaks the rules.

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Its not alcohol!:rofl:

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Sounds like we ended our dry January on the same night for the same reason! No shame in my game, though :slight_smile:

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Decidedly not! :sweat_smile:

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OK, well Iā€™m going to consider that an official ruling then!

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Awesome, come live here and persuade my family of the same, please :laughing:

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Also how on earth did you go 20+ days before getting out a gummy? I think it was like day 4 or 5 for usā€¦if that :laughing::laughing::laughing: