From mocktails to mindfulness: Embracing the different purposes of ‘Dry January’

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Dry January has gained popularity in our culture amid a sea of directionally different trends. On the one hand, alcohol-related deaths have increased over the past two decades, particularly between 2016-17 and 2020-21 when deaths jumped a shocking 29%. On the other hand, younger people are drinking less and the mocktail industry is growing rapidly.

Dry January, of course, is a trend where participants abstain from alcohol for the month when many people set resolutions for the new year. It is more popular among the younger generations, but it has different functions for different people. If you are thinking of participating, what might Dry January mean for you?

For those who are generally health conscious

Remember when moderate alcohol consumption was thought to be beneficial for health? Well, those studies have now been largely debunked. In fact, less alcohol is better for your health. When I was in clinical practice, I found it telling that the people who would cite the “wine is good for the heart” studies were often people who drank too much. We all have a bias for lifting up data that supports our status quo.

You don’t need to have a problematic relationship with alcohol to try Dry January. Even for moderate drinkers, you might find drastic improvements in your sleep, mental clarity and well-being by taking a break. You might find yourself ruminating less and losing weight. Your blood pressure might go down and your liver will definitely thank you. Instead of setting unreachable goals for 2025, why not sample some foundational healthy behaviors to start, and see what you can learn about yourself?

For those who are at-risk

If you’ve wondered about your relationship with alcohol and whether it may be crossing a line, Dry January is a great way to evaluate. You’ll likely discover a net of social events, relationships and cues that draw you in to drinking in ways you didn’t before. Sampling a month without alcohol will reveal the rip currents of life that pull one toward consumption. One note of caution: Going a month without drinking does not necessarily mean someone doesn’t have an alcohol use disorder — there are many patterns to problematic drinking.

Taking this a step further, some people at-risk for substance use disorders may try to maintain the same social routines and substitute nonalcoholic beverages or mocktails this month. That is a healthier alternative, for sure. However, one hallmark of an emerging problem is the “reward” that comes from anticipating consumption. For example, if you drink alcohol each night in your favorite armchair, eventually sitting in your armchair will prod you to drink. Therefore, substituting the consumption but hanging onto all the people, places and things that have become linked contexts and behaviors may make it difficult to sustain long-term.

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Zooming out a bit, there are a couple of things that I hope Dry January highlights this year for many of us. First, while people have consumed substances together socially since the dawn of time, it’s kind of odd that so many social events are inextricably tied to alcohol. The habit of pouring a glass for every occasion — from celebrations to commiserations — has seeped into our daily lives so deeply that it seems almost obligatory. There has to be a way to continually broaden that social norm. It’s one of the reasons I really like how Dry January is changing the conversation.

Second, I often cite that 20% of Americans consume 80% of the alcohol in this country. While that’s true, it’s less about alcohol being a binary good or bad. It’s that things like alcohol and the industries that surround it depend on the highest-risk people consuming the most. From rosé wine to craft brews, consumerism without checks slides vices into our lives in the most innocent and agreeable ways. Dry January can be that moment of perspective taking for all of us.

If you are on the fence about trying Dry January this year, ask yourself a couple of questions. What are your best two or three reasons for taking a month off from alcohol? If you were successful with Dry January, in what ways might your life be better a few months from now? Finally, for those of you who’ve worried about your drinking or a loved one’s, know that there’s a wonderful and thriving community of support and healing. All you have to do is reach out. My wish for you in 2025 is that you explore your own relationship with substances and take the first step on a new path of health and wellness.

Dr. Joseph Lee is the president and chief executive officer of the Minnesota-based Hazelden Betty Ford Foundation. He is the author of “Recovering My Kid: Parenting Young Adults in Treatment and Beyond.”