Dry January
What is Dry January?
Dry January is a public health campaign that urges people to abstain from alcohol for the month of January. The first-ever Dry January campaign was organized by the charity Alcohol Concern in January 2013.
The history behind Dry January
Dry January is one of the flagship awareness programs of Alcohol Concern, a British charity and campaign group founded in 1984 whose aim is to reduce the harm caused by alcohol. This program is also known for the Alcohol Awareness Week programs.
In April 2017, Alcohol Concern merged with Alcohol Research UK, and was named Alcohol Change UK and has now become a recognized national agency on alcohol misuse for England and Wales.
The idea was the brainchild of Emily Robinson, who gave up alcohol for January 2011 in preparation for a half marathon and joined Alcohol Concern in January 2012 while abstaining again. Partnered with Public Health England, Alcohol Concern began promoting the campaign in December 2014 and it quickly became popular among the people of the United Kingdom.
How Dry January is practiced?
Practicing Dry January by abstaining from alcohol can be beneficial for your health. It can provide valuable insight as to why you’ve been regularly drinking.
People like boozing especially during holidays, with family and friends. And when it is winter time the shear need for alcohol rises during the month of December. And at first, it might seem that a glass of wine really does perk you up and wash all the day’s worries away. But over time though, if consuming alcohol becomes a main coping strategy, it may hide underlying depression or anxiety.
According to Ashley Jones, APRN-CNP, a certified family nurse practitioner at The Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center “Alcohol tends to make these symptoms worse, so you may find that your mood is actually more stable when not consuming alcohol.” Hence, stepping back from your daily dose of alcohol can provide the distance you need to assess your motivation for drinking.
In 2014 the government started with the digital campaign that included a website, Twitter feed, and Facebook page offering tips and encouragement to those taking part in the campaign. Apart from these, there are App Support, Fundraising support, and other types of support programs being organized by the charity. People listen to the Try Dry podcast now for some added inspiration, interest, and ideas for their Dry January practice.
According to Alcohol Change UK, “Dry January started in 2013 with 4,000 people. It’s come a long way since then, with over 100,000 signing up and 4 million took part in 2020“.
In which countries is Dry January practiced?
This is particularly practiced in the United Kingdom, France, and Switzerland. Dry January Switzerland was launched in 2021 by a broad coalition of non-profit organisations, including public innovation platform staatslabor, Blue Cross Switzerland and GREA.
Want to practice Dry January?
If you are in the United Kingdom and want to join the campaign then get in touch with Alcohol Change UK. If you are in France, get in touch with Dry January France.
