Dry January (or "January" to Trag)

[Dev]

In mid-March I decided I needed to have a drink. It wasn’t a craving. Because my first day without a drink was February 1st, I knew exactly how many days it had been every single day, and it was weighing on me in a weird way. Kind of like a Wordle streak. If it gets too long, I find myself not enjoying the game anymore because I’m so obsessed with the streak.

Anyway, I had a couple drinks before bed. It was enjoyable. A little over a week later, it was my birthday. I didn’t go anywhere or anything, but I used it as an excuse to drink a couple before bed. Again, it was nice. Less than a week later, I was on spring break and decided to start it by watching my hockey team with a couple drinks. Unfortunately, that became 5 nights in a row. On the last of those 5 days, I even drank during the day because I was bored.

I woke up the next day feeling disgusted with myself. I wasn’t hung over or anything, but I had let myself turn one night into five so easily. Just right back into the routine. Fell into a pretty deep depression for a couple weeks. By coincidence, that was April 1st.

So it’s May 3rd, and I once again know exactly how many days it’s been. April was so much easier than February. No headaches. The first week was tough with cravings, but it’s been easy since. Summer vacation is just 4 weeks away. I don’t want to teetotal all summer, but I don’t want to fall back into the nightly routine. I have no idea how it will play out. My simple goal is to drink less days than I do this year. I drank every day in January. I drank 7 days in March. I wouldn’t say I’m winning, but I’m ahead.

Sounds like you're winning my boy

[tree_]

Way too wett right now. But then again,, everything is relative right?? Lol! Ohh fuckk

[Dev]

Way too wett right now. But then again,, everything is relative right?? Lol! Ohh fuckk

[tree_]

oh man i really gotta cut back again

[doug rr]

In mid-March I decided I needed to have a drink. It wasn’t a craving. Because my first day without a drink was February 1st, I knew exactly how many days it had been every single day, and it was weighing on me in a weird way. Kind of like a Wordle streak. If it gets too long, I find myself not enjoying the game anymore because I’m so obsessed with the streak.

Anyway, I had a couple drinks before bed. It was enjoyable. A little over a week later, it was my birthday. I didn’t go anywhere or anything, but I used it as an excuse to drink a couple before bed. Again, it was nice. Less than a week later, I was on spring break and decided to start it by watching my hockey team with a couple drinks. Unfortunately, that became 5 nights in a row. On the last of those 5 days, I even drank during the day because I was bored.

I woke up the next day feeling disgusted with myself. I wasn’t hung over or anything, but I had let myself turn one night into five so easily. Just right back into the routine. Fell into a pretty deep depression for a couple weeks. By coincidence, that was April 1st.

So it’s May 3rd, and I once again know exactly how many days it’s been. April was so much easier than February. No headaches. The first week was tough with cravings, but it’s been easy since. Summer vacation is just 4 weeks away. I don’t want to teetotal all summer, but I don’t want to fall back into the nightly routine. I have no idea how it will play out. My simple goal is to drink less days than I do this year. I drank every day in January. I drank 7 days in March. I wouldn’t say I’m winning, but I’m ahead.

I understand this...its been a tough year with all the shit going on and we had stopped for a couple months and then MIL and FIL stuff came up and it was impossible to stop..once everything slows down this week we're going back to maybe one a day...good luck daft and go broncos..

[daft twat]

Hang in there man. The best way to stay out of the routine is to simply not do it again. I’m very much the same way. “Just this once” turns into once a week, then a few nights a week, then we’re back where we started. I know full well it’s easier said than done but I’ve found it best to just stay away from those things I feel are negatively contributing because I know I’m not a one-and-done guy.

It’s probably the best advice, but it’s not what I want. Or what I want to hear is probably more accurate. The two single nights I drank in March are what I want. I’m not a one-and-done guy either, but I’m usually a two-and-done guy. Sometimes three. Then I brush my teeth and go to bed, wake up at 4:45 to walk the dog, and then I do the New York Times games with my wife and I go to work.

I want to sit on the patio and watch the sunset while I listen to yacht rock with a drink. What I don’t want to do is stack nights. I guess I aspire to be an everything in moderation kind of guy. Alcohol hasn’t negatively impacted my life beyond the damage it does to my body, but I don’t want it to be a routine anymore. Right now, I don’t want it. That feels good. If the Wild give up 9 again tonight, things may change.

[daft twat]

Also, go Broncos!

[Dev]

Basically if you have trauma you become uncomfortable with waiting so you get anxious all the time. This is basically the source of addiction and probably most mental illnesses too. No idea if this is scientific just fyi.

[tree_]

Yeah, gotta numb that anxiety or deal with it with actual hard work, real effort, which makes it seem like you will never relax or have fun again. But sometimes you just get sick of suffering, being sick and tired all the time, and just gotta get to work. I'm getting back to work again after a several month hiatus.