The first time I remember binge drinking was at a party thrown by my Dad’s work I think in my early teens. It was the beginning of a very problematic relationship with alcohol, which involved unfortunate and embarrassing bouts of binge drinking from then until my forties. For the most part after that, my drinking settled into a more sedate pattern of habitual weekend drinking – a cocktail and perhaps half a bottle of wine every weekend night, and then the odd drink or three on plentiful “special occasions” during the week.
November 2025 |
7 minutes
Celia cut down her drinking with help from the Try Dry ® app and Try Dry® Online community . Now she manages her drinking in a way that works for her.
"I knew this was unhealthy, and had seen the devastating effect of alcohol in my family, but my attempts to cut back or stop drinking altogether never worked."
I think that having an external motivation (to help my husband) helped, but what really made all the difference was using the Try Dry® app, and being part of the Try Dry® Online Community on Facebook.
"I’m a goal-orientated person, and being able to set goals using the app was highly motivating. And the support of the Facebook group was amazing!"
One of the group members is now my friend outside of the group and we follow and support each other’s running endeavours. Although I can’t say I’m a fan of it, “quit lit” was useful initially as well.
"My goal was never to stop drinking completely, and fortunately I have not found it necessary to do that."
I do try to take an extended break (30-40 days) every few months, but the rest of the time I moderate. I continue to use the Try Dry® app to keep myself honest and avoid falling back into habitual drinking. I’m up to 1,107 dry days, having logged every single day since 1 January, 2022! I generally don’t set myself goals in the app anymore, but I use it to make sure I have at least 300 dry days a year (ideally more), and to track the amount of units I’m consuming so that doesn’t get out of hand. I think that knowing I will need to log it keeps me from having that one more drink.
I am very happy with my current situation. I am finding it easy to keep to my resolve to not drink because of stress, or just for the sake of it, but only when I feel like having a drink will really be a pleasurable thing to do. And I have no problem saying no to a drink or not drinking even in situations where everyone else is imbibing. But I have no intention of stopping my daily logging in Try Dry® any time soon, as I could definitely see myself slipping back to old ways without that little daily motivator.
