Analysing Your Dry January Efforts – What Do These 5 Outcomes Mean?

You committed yourself to a month without drinking, and gained some important insights about your health and the role that alcohol plays in your life. Understanding these impacts can help you move forward in an informed and healthy way.

You started this new year with a clear head and a full commitment to Dry January. You might have decided that you needed a break from the health impacts of drinking, or perhaps you were simply curious about what life might be like without those after-work cocktails. Whatever the reason for choosing to embrace a month of sobriety, you likely have had some interesting insights as a result. Here’s what to know about some of the more common outcomes of Dry January.

Outcome 1: Staying Sober Was More Difficult Than You Thought It Would Be

You went into Dry January thinking it would be easy to give up that evening glass of wine, a few beers during the game, or weekend cocktails out with friends. But a day or two in, you began feeling uncomfortable without a drink. You might have realised that drinking after work was actually a way that you cope with pressures at your job, and without that, you feel stressed and anxious. Or you may have found that when you are in social settings without alcohol, you feel awkward and struggle to fit in. 

Recognising that you use alcohol as a way to cope with stress or negative feelings is an important insight, and could be an indicator of a deeper issue. Many people with undiagnosed mental health disorders, such as depression or anxiety, use alcohol as a way to self-medicate symptoms. Increasing reliance on alcohol can lead to misuse and addiction, and actually worsen mental health over the long-term. 

If staying sober was emotionally challenging, consider talking to a therapist about your experience to understand more about your relationship with alcohol, and what it could indicate about your mental health.

Outcome 2: Your Relationships with Others Have Changed

Giving up drinking often takes you away from established routines – heading to the same bar after work, gathering at a club for drinks on the weekend, or even just sitting down to watch the news with a beer. These regular activities are being shaken up, and on top of that, you are clear-headed and sober. 

This can change your relationships with those around you in some key ways. On the positive side, removing yourself from a routine can expose you to new activities or give you time you didn’t have before to spend with friends, family, or your partner. You might have found that you got outside more with friends, or spent time just chatting with your partner, and that your relationships deepened and improved over the month. This can indicate a need to further regulate your use of alcohol so it doesn’t prevent you from having those close conversations or bonding experiences that you had when you abstained from alcohol.

On the other hand, giving up alcohol may have made you realise that you are using it as a coping mechanism to emotionally manage problematic relationships in your life. While alcohol can be momentarily effective in alleviating stress or numbing strong emotions, more support is needed to get to the root of your distress and help resolve the issues you are having in your relationships. 

If you found that giving up drinking has led to some important insights about your relationships, consider seeking further help to make the changes necessary to maintain positive developments and address any problems.