Why is Dry January Getting So Popular?
After toasting the start of a new year, more and more people are now choosing to abstain in the week’s that follow. It’s known as Dry January, and it’s a way for people reflect on their relationship with alcohol.
“Often times I think people forget they are relying on a substance to rewind at the end of the day or be able to be more of themselves on the weekend,” said Dr. Melissa Brown, a psychologist at UPMC. Brown says people have different reasons for participating in the trend. They also have different results.
“Sometimes people are doing this just to see how they can cope and just develop new habits,” she said. She says people are more successful when they enlist the support of friends or family and when they set attainable goals. “I certainly would encourage them to set goals and be realistic with those goals,” Brown said. “If you’re someone who drinks heavily and on specific days of the week, perhaps on the weekend when you go out with friends or engaging in parties or other type of events, then be realistic with how much alcohol you are planning on consuming.”
Excerpted from ABC27
