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Ten years ago, South Africa was the 19th biggest drinking nation in the world according to the World Health Organisation (WHO). Fast forward to now and unfortunately, we’re in a worse position as sixth-highest consumer of alcohol globally.
Since starting off in the UK in 2013, the ‘Dry January’ campaign encourages alcohol sobriety during January, and about 6.5 million participants around the world took part in 2021 alone. If you’ve pledged to take part this year, you might need these tips to see you through.
1. Put it out there
Let people know you’re abstaining from alcohol says Janet Gourand, founder of Tribe Sober. ‘Write down the pros and cons of taking a break from the booze, and make sure you tell everyone around you about your intention. Not only will this help you stick to it, but you may also influence other people to join you too,’ she says.
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Allan Sweidan and Lekha Daya from Join Panda, a free mental health support app suggest linking your behaviour to meaning.
‘Whether it is for health reasons; to lose weight, give your body a break, save money, have more energy or spend more quality time with your family – you greatly increase your chances of success if you are reminded of the reason why you are doing this,’ they say.
2. Get rid of temptation
Whether you pour it down the drain, give it away or bin it; make sure you have no more alcohol in the house. You may need to avoid some relationships that always involve alcohol.
‘If you must see these people, chat to them about what you’re doing and why before you see them. If your partner is still drinking, ask them to hide their stash or consume it when they are away from you,’ says Sweiden and Daya.
3. Keep track of your progress
Gourand suggests writing down your feelings from day one, as well as recording your physical changes and sleep patterns. ‘Reading back through your journal when things are not going well to see what you have accomplished will help you see that things are getting easier,’ she says.
4. Keep busy
Sweidan and Daya suggest using this opportunity to start new habits like exercising, drinking more water, building a healthier sleep routine, and other new behaviours that will bring joy and be the fresh start you’ve been waiting for. Concentrating on these will help keep you on track.
5. Get help if you need it
‘All habits are hard to break, and if you’ve been drinking more over December, you might find that suddenly stopping is harder than your thought it would be. Chat to your GP, especially if you’ve been drinking every day or most days as you might need some help along the way, especially in the first few days as you’re detoxing,’ says Sweidan and Daya.
6. Don’t be too strict
‘Not all New Year resolutions need start on 1 January, especially if you are still out of your routine and in holiday mode,’ says Sweidan and Daya. Dry January can start in or run into February too – the important thing is to give yourself a break from alcohol for four weeks – about the time it takes to break a habit. You should try not to celebrate completing a ‘Dry January’ with a drunken binge at the end of the month,’ they warn.
