Dry January – No alcohol for one month

At the time of writing this, we are three-quarters of the way through January, so a perfect time to reflect on the start of the new year.

We met up with friends last Friday evening, even though were initially reluctant to go out. The reason for their hesitation was the fact that they were participating in Dry January (abstaining from alcohol consumption), and were worried about being led into temptation by their peers, who would perhaps buy them a wine or beer without thinking.

The term ‘Dry January’ was first registered as a trademark of Alcohol Change UK, of to whom I have no affiliation.

Before I go on, I am fully aware of the problems some people have with alcohol, but I would prefer not to discuss those issues. My blog posts are intended to be light-hearted, and hopefully educational. Therefore, my intention is not to trivialise the subject, I simply want to write about my experiences with alcohol.

I will openly admit that I like to drink alcoholic refreshments. I grew up watching my parents drink wine and/or beer at dinner time, and in the evenings, with them appearing to derive great pleasure from doing so. They are both octogenarians now, and although they have minimised their alcohol intake, they still enjoy a drink most evenings. As soon as I was old enough, I adopted their habit, and still enjoy a tipple on a near daily basis, whether it be a beer after work, or a glass of wine during dinner.

As far as I’m concerned, it all comes down to moderation, and fortunately I’ve been blessed with the ability of knowing when to stop. Therefore, I was rather intrigued to hear about my friends’ plan to embark on a month of abstinence, and wanted to know more about their experiences.

For them, the main factor was to detoxify their bodies to improve their health. Swapping sugary alcoholic drinks for soft drinks, has led to a much reduced calorie intake and therefore a loss in weight. They also reported that they had slept better, and had got to bed earlier too, because they hadn’t spent their evenings in restaurants or bars. Remaining sober, meant they woke up feeling fresh, without that hangover feeling, associated with a night of heavy drinking. The final positive factor is, they had saved a lot of money.

So, what are the negatives. Naturally for bar and restaurant owners, a loss of customers is bad for their businesses. Our friends reported a stigma of drinking non-alcoholic drinks, when out drinking with their friends, who weren’t doing Dry January. They reported on peer-pressure to have ‘just one’ and the lack of understanding for their decision to refrain from doing so. As a result they have declined invitations to social gatherings, which has had a negative influence on their otherwise busy social life.

For anyone reading this, who is taking part in Dry January, I wish you good luck for the final week of sobriety. Let me know of your experiences in the comments, if you’d wish to do so.