I have done several dry periods, enough to know that I will get a sweet tooth and be hungry more than normal because I am used to skipping dinner and just having some wine. My plan of attack was to give myself about 2 weeks of no booze and then crack down more on the diet. So far so good on no drinking since the 2nd and slowly starting to get better sleep which in the past isnt normally the case so that is really helping the motivation. Did a dry June 2023 but then went to sh*t in the fall and holidays. Having a second round of dry period semi close together seems to also be easier. Keep on keeping on at this point.

I have the same sweet tooth when I cut back on alcohol. You're plan to ease into it is such a good idea.

Not a doc - this is what helps me, so talk to a doc, not a drunk lawyer.

Sweets, nicotine (not great either but at least you can function) and even THC are ok (in my opinion) if it keeps you sober.

I don't smoke weed, but for my sober month of Feb '23, I found 1/2 a THC Delta 8 gummy around 6 pm helped me get through the evening. I don't do it daily now like I did in Feb '23, but my neighbors had a NYE party last NYE. We shot clays at from 3 pm until dark, then the drinking started. They hired a guitarist for the party that night and as is typical for NYE everyone got sauced. Fun party, but very dangerous for someone trying to quit alcohol.

I did 1/2 a THC 8 gummy when the drinking started to take the edge off with a bunch of sauced idiots around me. I drank diet coke covered with a coozie all night so no one other than my GF knew I wasn't drinking alcohol. Took the other half around 11 pm or so to get me through until we left at 1 am. I've only done THC once or twice since and only on the weekend. I'm trying to go full sober of any intoxicating substance.

For me, I found the THC Delta 8, not the delta 9 helped. Not sure the law in TX, but In Georgia you can buy it at most convenience stores. I bough mine online. Delta 9 is the trippy "high." One I bought that had 8 and 9 was a "stuck trippy high" that lasted for two days. That was awful. The THC Delta 8 is more mellow, take-the-edge-off but still-able-to-function kind. Be sure to wait at least an hour before you do any more. It is slow to kick in. Learned that lesson the hard way. I take the smallest amount I can get by with. Like I said, I have it, but I only use it for an "emergency" when I'm feeling pressure I'm going to relapse. YMMV - not medical advice - talk to a doc.

I fractured my orbital eye socket on a skateboard in 2018 or so (yes, alcohol related) and now I have hardware and constant facial tingling and pain on one side of my face. I've been to a neurologist and he prescribed gabapentin, and he recommended THC to help. I'm looking into experimental facial stimulator wires in my face to numb the pain. I used alcohol, in part, to numb the annoying 24/7 pain in my face. I can't blame it all on that, though. And the next day the tingling was always worse.

I am currently "on" Nicorette gum 2 mg when I feel any kind of need to drink. Dipped a can or more of Copenhagen a day when I was at TAMU until I got a growth in my mouth removed. Doc told me to quit, but I was so addicted I had to smoke a pack a day through first year of law school. I hated cigs the whole time I did it. Met my first wife and didn't want to stink and cough around her, so I finally quit for good. I only smoke a cigar once in a blue moon. GF quit cigs with the gum, and I tried those and they help me control cravings for alcohol. Again, this is me - not advice for you.

They also have the pouches that are nicotine supposedly without all the bad stuff in tobacco. I had those, but didn't care for them. Once again, not a doc or any kind of psychologist, so don't take any of this as "advice."

Day 13, let's do this!

get some grapes and freeze them

For the folks just doing Dry January (i.e. not a longer term deal) how do you manage social situations like happy hours, neighbor get togethers, etc.?

Do you:
A) Attend everything you would otherwise and just don't drink
or
B) attend fewer things

For me, it's a little of both. I'm not avoiding any social situations, but I'm also not fully seeking them out.

Agree with this. Anytime I remotely consider drinking, I pretty quickly decide against it because I know it will either impact my recovery if I drink after a workout, or negatively impact my workout if I drink the day before a workout. Since I lift 4 days a week, that doesn't leave any days available for it.

I know the feeling of being pissed off that I wasted a week of opportunity for progress isn't worth whatever pleasure I would get from it.

Owen Kellogg said:

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For the folks just doing Dry January (i.e. not a longer term deal) how do you manage social situations like happy hours, neighbor get togethers, etc.?

Do you:
A) Attend everything you would otherwise and just don't drink
or
B) attend fewer things

For me, it's a little of both. I'm not avoiding any social situations, but I'm also not fully seeking them out.

---

I am probably attending a few less than usual, but I just tell my friends/colleagues, I am doing Dry January and they are very supportive.

Honestly, there usually isn't a lot going on for me in January (besides my bday), so it's pretty easy to avoid the situations. Otherwise, I just tell people I'm doing Dry January. Seems quite a few of my coworkers are as well.

Tell people I'm not drinking.

Got in late (1/3), but dry since. Always the most productive time of the year (and the best for my mental health). This might be the start of a personal prohibition. I say that every year, but...

Geriatric Punk said:

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Got in late (1/3), but dry since. Always the most productive time of the year (and the best for my mental health). This might be the start of a personal prohibition. I say that every year, but...

---

..... But then Aggie football comes back.

It doesn't bother me to not drink at the bar or happy hours. For parties I'll go but not stay as long. But like other have said this time of year is slow and there are lots of people avoiding alcohol. I do love me some topo chico or soda water with lime and a cherry at the bar when I do have work functions. Nobody ever knows it's not a drink, not that it matters for me but I know some are more worried about it.

Great work.

Most people don't care what I am drinking as long as I have something in my hand. If I am going to a house party or something like that where I know people will try and get me a drink I make sure to have something with me. Nobody really asks what you are drinking if you have a koozie. If I am at a work function will have a soda with a lime or something similar.

There are a lot of mocktail type stuff, more and more companies are doing non-alcoholic drinks (beer and even White Claw has seltzers), and slowly more are coming out with zero alcohol beers like Heineken and Bud for those that truly do not want any alcohol. Stuff taste like normal beer too.

And I don't hang around people that try to shove drinks down my throat when I tell them I am not drinking. Most of the time those are the annoying drunks. They are also the same ones still in bed after noon and they have kids they could be doing stuff with.

I will still drink after my bet with my coworker is over but a lot less, not only because I am sure my tolerance has gone to heck. Not waking up with a hangover or just being a little more tired than normal is rather nice

Scriffer said:

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Weight has finally started dropping as I've focused on cutting out snacking too. I'm not doing anything drastic, just eliminating the small bits junk food throughout the day.

Down six pounds from 168 since NYD, but I'm assuming the large amount is water weight as salty snacks are eliminated. Want to get down to 155 or so by the end of Feb, so I can go dunk on my doctor for my physical.

I find the first two weekends are the easier for me, but the third is where the real decision must be made. At that point I feel like I've "proven" I can do it without much trouble, so why worry about a small cheat. But once I crack through that, I'm off and running.

---

I'm with ya on this. I do two dry months a year. January and August because as someone said on here, a dry month ahead of the annual September football disappointment is a good idea. I either go the distance or blow it on or around the 3rd weekend. This year, we have a sales kick off meeting in Vegas next week. That's gonna be my everest for this month. Then I've got a ski trip the weekend after, which I suppose will be my K2 and then a wedding last weekend in January, which'll be my annapurna I suppose. I'm basically the Nims Purja of Dryuary this year.

Keep up the great work. Alcohol and snacking go hand in hand.

1/3 complete

Everyone still holding strong ?

Yup. Last night was tough after a hard week. But I didn't cave. Today was busy with the kids so not too bad.

Still in!

Yep- had a few tonic and limes wistfully thinking of Gin, but didn't cave! Almost halfway there!

All good!

Still going strong!

Yep agree about dreams

Last night got weird