"Dry January" Challenge

tsavorite · ‎03-09-2010

Saw this segment on TV about a lady think she is a doctor doing a no alcohol for the month of January. I am really surprised at the way this is being portrayed. Really it's a big deal to not drink alcohol for 30days?? WHAT?

I must be totally out of the loop....I have a niece who non stop complained during her pregnancy of having to go without wine...all she did was tell everyone she was bringing wine with her to the hospital room and the second she delivered she'd be drinking her wine. Each and every time we saw her that's all she did was complain of her misery not being able to drink her wine.

I am of the opinion that if you think about drinking to that extent you must be developing a serious dependence on alcohol and are oblivious to this OR you already are a alcoholic.

I have a drink maybe 2-3 times per yr at the most....I don't even think about it....and I don't use it to help me relax as they say.

My father was a functioning alcoholic....for about 40yrs....he did stop when he got some kind of bad test results...just came back from doctor visit and never drank again. ANd this was shocking to us all....he would drink 10 beers or more each and every night of the week and then binge drink all weekend long...staggering around drunk and mean terrifying us all with his out of control behavior. Drove us all drunk to many times...scary.

This just really got on my bad side this morning....I know my background growing up is causing me to probably have a more negative reaction to drinking but I know the signs of dependence and now I am thinking this Doctor on ABC has got a borderline problem if going for 30days is any kind of a "challenge".

Just my thoughts and opinion...should have changed the channel!

software · ‎06-08-2016

Since I've never seen a challenge like that, maybe it will encourage people to re-think their attitudes about their drinking.

I really enjoy a cocktail. There's a certain restaurant nearby that makes the best "homemade" sangria. I don't think I've ever met a drink I didn't like! 1 or 2 drinks is the most I can get down and I don't drink every day.

My grandparents were alcoholics and my late mother would not allow alcohol in the house so guess what I did the first chance I got?? Yep, drink alcohol. Friends would steal it from their parents when we were in high school. All it did was give me a headache.

I'm sorry for your experience with your dad, but try to think positive about the potential good that can come from this.

@tsavorite

sidsmom · ‎11-25-2011

I see ‘Veganuary’ as the same thing.

Food & drink can be addictive properties.

Food & drink are also very social properties making abstaining very difficult.

Doing without drink, like doing without animal products/byproducts, is a wonderful way to re-think attitudes, like @software said.

Do we need alcohol? No.

Do we need animal products? No.

For 30 days...that’s all.

I think it’s wonderful to challenge yourself to do something different.

Exercise your ‘Challenge Muscles!’

Shanus · ‎05-17-2010

@software wrote:
Since I've never seen a challenge like that, maybe it will encourage people to re-think their attitudes about their drinking.

I really enjoy a cocktail. There's a certain restaurant nearby that makes the best "homemade" sangria. I don't think I've ever met a drink I didn't like! 1 or 2 drinks is the most I can get down and I don't drink every day.

My grandparents were alcoholics and my late mother would not allow alcohol in the house so guess what I did the first chance I got?? Yep, drink alcohol. Friends would steal it from their parents when we were in high school. All it did was give me a headache.

I'm sorry for your experience with your dad, but try to think positive about the potential good that can come from this.

@tsavorite

@software I’m definitely an alcohol lightweight...I’ll have a glass of wine with dinner out, every once in awhile...not that big a deal. I like Cosmos, but can’t finish one without slurring my words.

I don’t understand giving up something like alcohol or smoking for 30 days unless you have an issue with it and need to “test” your willpower.

software · ‎06-08-2016

@Shanus wrote:
@software wrote:
Since I've never seen a challenge like that, maybe it will encourage people to re-think their attitudes about their drinking.

I really enjoy a cocktail. There's a certain restaurant nearby that makes the best "homemade" sangria. I don't think I've ever met a drink I didn't like! 1 or 2 drinks is the most I can get down and I don't drink every day.

My grandparents were alcoholics and my late mother would not allow alcohol in the house so guess what I did the first chance I got?? Yep, drink alcohol. Friends would steal it from their parents when we were in high school. All it did was give me a headache.

I'm sorry for your experience with your dad, but try to think positive about the potential good that can come from this.

@tsavorite

@software I’m definitely an alcohol lightweight...I’ll have a glass of wine with dinner out, every once in awhile...not that big a deal. I like Cosmos, but can’t finish one without slurring my words.

I don’t understand giving up something like alcohol or smoking for 30 days unless you have an issue with it and need to “test” your willpower.

I guess you could call it a test of discipline. Lots of people do it for a variety of reasons. It's not a bad thing. (but it's not MY thing)

lovescats · ‎03-10-2010

I've never smoked but I think it would be harder to give up smoking for 30 days than drinking.

I hardly drink at all now but I used to like drinking one drink almost every day but it adds up to empty calories too. I used to like to drink a glass 1/2 beer and 1/2 ginger ale in the summer time.

I sometimes think they show things on TV and don't realize how flip they are portraying them.

KentuckyWoman · ‎03-13-2010

I maybe have one or two drinks a year. I just never developed a tasted for it. My parents didn't drink and I wasn't exposed to alcohol in the home. I drank in college but soon figured out it wasn't for me. My husband has a beer or cocktail occasionally but not all that frequently.

Ms tyrion2 · ‎05-08-2017

I enjoy a glass of wine when dining out or entertaining friends. I don't see any reason to change this small enjoyment.

Maybe the challenge should be to cut out sugary and diet sodas for a month. I suspect people indulge in them on a much more regular basis than the occasional alcoholic drink. A much more dangerous habit IMO.

cherry · ‎03-09-2010

It wouldn't bother me either way. I don't drink ,nor do I make a fuss about those who do

Unless they are drunk drivers ,I mind my own business. How people live their lives ,is their business, and not mine

Moonchilde · ‎05-23-2010

@software wrote:
@Shanus wrote:
@software wrote:
Since I've never seen a challenge like that, maybe it will encourage people to re-think their attitudes about their drinking.

I really enjoy a cocktail. There's a certain restaurant nearby that makes the best "homemade" sangria. I don't think I've ever met a drink I didn't like! 1 or 2 drinks is the most I can get down and I don't drink every day.

My grandparents were alcoholics and my late mother would not allow alcohol in the house so guess what I did the first chance I got?? Yep, drink alcohol. Friends would steal it from their parents when we were in high school. All it did was give me a headache.

I'm sorry for your experience with your dad, but try to think positive about the potential good that can come from this.

@tsavorite

@software I’m definitely an alcohol lightweight...I’ll have a glass of wine with dinner out, every once in awhile...not that big a deal. I like Cosmos, but can’t finish one without slurring my words.

I don’t understand giving up something like alcohol or smoking for 30 days unless you have an issue with it and need to “test” your willpower.

I guess you could call it a test of discipline. Lots of people do it for a variety of reasons. It's not a bad thing. (but it's not MY thing)

This ^^^ to all of the comments above.

If one vows not to have an item of food during Lent, or for any other reason (health, weight loss/maintenance) at any time does not mean they have “a problem with food” or that they’re “addicted” to it. They may simply be using a little healthy self-discipline for multiple reasons.

But bring alcohol into it and you have this belief/feeling among children or spouses of alcoholics, or lifelong teetotallers, that there’s no such thing as NOT being an alcoholic - if you enjoy a nightly drink or a couple at lunch out with the ladies, then you are an alcoholic because there’s no such thing as someone who can control their consumption. I see this attitude all the time - the assumption that no one has any control, or that you can be sure no control will be attempted, because anyone who would think of doing that “obviously” has no control at all about anything.

My father was an alcoholic. His father was also, and his sister - and my cousins were, though now are not. I drink alcohol. I have never had the slightest desire to drink non-stop nor have I been compulsive about it in any way, ever. The alcoholism gene just isn’t in me. I’ve never feared becoming an alcoholic or shunned alcohol. But the plain fact that I consume it doesn’t make me an out-of-control alcoholic. The hyperbole just gets old.

Life without Mexican food is no life at all