People Who Are Doing Dry January Are Sharing Their Impactful Reasons Why
Lately, my social media pages have been flooded with people participating in either dry January (a phrase coined for when you completely give up drinking alcohol for the month of January) or embarking on a longer sobriety journey.
It makes sense that people are choosing to remove alcohol from their lives, considering earlier this month, news broke that the surgeon general wants a cancer risk warning label put on alcohol bottles in the near future. In addition to cancer risks, consuming alcohol also increases your risk of liver disease, heart disease, brain damage, pancreatitis, and more.
I recently asked members of the BuzzFeed Community who are choosing to participate in dry January or choosing not to drink alcohol indefinitely to share how they came to this decision and if they have noticed any benefits to it. Here is what they shared:
1."I participated in dry January last year and extended it to dry February and March. We celebrated our anniversary in April, and I decided to have a drink. I felt so terrible afterward that I eliminated alcohol completely. My budget doesn’t miss it. My body appreciates the change. The one unexpected downside is my sex life. I never realized how much I used alcohol to lower my inhibitions. I have ADHD, and my hyperactivity is in my mind. The alcohol turned my inner monologue off and allowed me to just enjoy the experience. I still feel it was the best decision."
— Anonymous, 39
2."Alcohol honestly just doesn’t do anything for me anymore. I drink two or three drinks, and my sleep is messed up, I feel bloated/gassy, and I crave shitty food the next day. Also, I want to have control over my emotions and attitude because I become sad and drowsy when I drink. I feel like I’m naturally not drinking, and I no longer care what anyone says to me at a social event. It feels empowering to not drink and feel good the next day!"
—Anonymous
3."I used to go out drinking every weekend with friends. Once COVID hit and closed the bars, I stopped drinking. I realized I didn’t enjoy the feeling or really the taste. I went out and joined my friends at bars simply because that was how those friends socialized. I met my now husband a year after Covid, and he is not a drinker. He grew up in a family that didn’t really drink, and he never liked the taste of anything when he did try alcohol. I realized I was only drinking alcohol because that was the social norm, and since my husband doesn’t drink, I don’t care to either. Now, when I do have a drink, maybe a few times a year, I instantly get a headache and feel sick. Most of my friends don’t drink now either. We prefer to go get tea."
—Meg, 28
4."I stopped drinking when it started giving me palpitations. I discovered that alcohol allowed me to stay up late, have conversations with lots of people, and tolerate lots of noise, but I don't really like any of those things. I still go out, but I go to bed at a reasonable hour and manage my energy better. No more having to spend days recovering from a few drinks. I don't even miss drinking anymore. I really like not drinking!"
5."Every January, my spouse and I do Whole30, which restricts alcohol (among other things). We're one week in, and it's been hard. I mostly notice I only want alcohol as a form of making myself relax (big oof here that drinking has been how I do that) or because I can't have XYZ comfort food. But that got better after about the first five days. On our first dry weekend, we made mocktails with apple cider vinegar to make the weekend feel more special, and it did the trick! Even though I do this several times a year, I was really looking forward to the sobriety because I noticed over the holidays that my tolerance had skyrocketed. It seemed like I had to try really hard/consume too much to get drunk, which really bothered me. It's hard, but honestly, every time it's hard, I think to myself, 'It's not okay with me that it's hard to give up alcohol for one week/two weeks/etc,' and so on."
—Anonymous, 29F
6."I never liked the feeling of being drunk. I'm autistic and ADHD, and I just would do it because I thought it was required. I never liked it. Then I passed my driving test, and I am a mum of three mentally complex kids with health issues I was the only driver, so it was easy to say no more."
7."I got my gallbladder out several years ago. It was fine initially as long as I stuck to wine or cider. But a few years ago, I started getting intense cramps whenever I drank. Three days of cramping and being unable to eat anything is not worth the pain, and I save tons when I go out now. Plus, no hangover."
8."I gave up alcohol four years ago for health reasons. I was not a heavy drinker, mostly a glass or two of wine. I noticed one day I had jaw pain after one glass of red wine and started perspiring. I ignored it, but it happened several more times after a glass of wine. I was diagnosed with atrial fibrillation. The wine triggers my heart to beat too fast. No more wine for me."
—Anonymous
9."I've been alcohol-free for a year and a half. I don't regret quitting drinking at all. I started researching the sober curious movement, dry January, reading books, joining sober online communities, exploring non-alcoholic drink options, listening to podcasts, and doing longer and longer stints of sobriety. In 2023, I finally reached a point where I decided alcohol had no place in my life and decided to quit for good. I learned too much about the terrible shit even one serving of alcohol does to your body and how long it takes to heal."
"It was hard for the first couple of months, like the first wedding, happy hour, holiday season, etc. But this is my second January sober, and honestly, I was SO happy to wake up Jan 1 and know that I didn't have anything to 'reel in' and no resolution to make around alcohol. I highly encourage everyone to at least get curious about what sobriety could be like! It has changed my life for the better in so many ways."
10."I'm in my 30s, and for the last few years, I have been experiencing intermittent pain and swelling in my index finger (rheumatoid arthritis). Over the holidays, I overindulged in alcohol and drank almost daily. This exacerbated my arthritis, and it was very noticeable. My finger was almost double in size, and it was painful to bend the knuckle. I haven't had a drink since January 1 and I gradually noticed improvement in my finger. It's almost back to normal, and I am 100% confident it was due to increased alcohol consumption."
—Anonymous
11."It's a migraine trigger most of the time. No telling which times, but usually not worth the risk."
12."It’s only been a week, and I only plan on dry January for now, but I’ve actually really been enjoying it. I’ve tried cutting down on alcohol in the past, but this is the first time I’ve ever completely quit for a length of time. I like not being hungover, not feeling bloated, not feeling groggy, losing extra weight, and being able to enjoy my hobbies after work instead of scrolling on the couch because my two glasses of wine made me sleepy. I also like being able to drive home from social functions instead of having to pay for an Uber and get my car in the morning or having to crash on someone’s couch."
"The best part is my husband and friend group are doing it with me, so we’re all being supportive of each other, and we realize that we enjoy being around each other without being intoxicated, so I would say it’s even improved my relationships. Sometimes, it’s a little concerning when a craving hits — I never really thought of myself as 'craving' alcohol until now, when I know I can’t have it. But it reaffirms my decision that it’s something I need to do. I hope that by the end of the month, I’ll be more confident in my social interactions, be more present in my relationship, and able to see improvements in my overall physical health."
—Taylor, 25
13."Alcohol costs a lot of cash, adds a lot of empty calories, and screws with your brain. In fact, as a volatile compound, it's one of many items scientists now have added to the cause of our higher and higher rates of neurological problems, including dementia."
14."I had a head injury, which meant I wasn't allowed to drink alcohol as it impairs healing. When I tried to reintroduce it, one mouthful of hard cider was enough to put me to sleep. It wasn't worth trying to build up my tolerance again when my body was quite clearly telling me it didn't want it."
—Anonymous
Are you participating in dry January, or have you decided to give up alcohol completely? If so, share your experience with me in the comments below!
