In case you haven’t already heard, the world is buzzing about Public Health England and its joint effort with Alcohol Concern to promote Dry January. Alcohol Concern’s catchy slogan is “Bid the Booze Goodbye, Keep January Dry”.
Last year they had over 2 million people across the world sign up and commit to an abstinence from alcohol for 31 days.
Why is this important to you? It may not be. If you are one of the few people able to sail through the holidays with a one drink limit and stick to it, you may not reap the rewards of cutting back your drinking.
However, if you are like many and either travelled from party to party partaking of your favorite festive adult beverages, or stayed at home drowning out the noise of the holidays and New Year with a six pack, you may reap the health and psychological benefits of taking a month off from booze.
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Will Your January Be Dry
This becomes a greater concern for you if the thought of participating in Dry January causes stress or anxiety for you. If you are not sure you can do it, or if you know you cannot, you may have a bigger problem. You may need to share your concerns with a professional to evaluate the possibility of you being an alcoholic.
Alcoholism is a serious illness. It can affect you physically, psychologically and socially.
Physically – Alcohol can affect your cognition, gastrointestinal tract, heart, blood sugar as well as your susceptibility to cancer, and even death.- Psychologically – Alcoholism has been shown to attribute to depression, anxiety, psychosis, phobias, delusions, personality, mood and disorientation.
- Socially – Alcoholism can have a negative social impact as well, affecting relationships, employment and social function.
How does Dry January affect you? If you participate in 31 days of abstaining from alcohol, you can improve your health and psychological well-being. The ability to set your mind to a goal and achieve that goal boosts self-esteem by demonstrating your strength and will power.
If you struggle with the thought of facing 31 days without booze, this may be a catalyst to help you get back to health and recovery from an addiction to alcohol. Talking to someone you trust, seeking professional help, or seeking out group support in your area can be the first step to a new you. A you with a freedom in recovery from addiction.
About the author: Jane McGuire is the Executive Assistant for Jacquelyn Ekern, Founder of Eating Disorder Hope and Addiction Hope. Jane graduated from Eastern Oregon University with a Bachelor’s degree in Business. Jane believes that everyone has a story of trial, that when shared, can be used to benefit and encourage someone else who is struggling to find hope and direction.
The opinions and views of our guest contributors are shared to provide a broad perspective of addictions. These are not necessarily the views of Addiction Hope, but an effort to offer discussion of various issues by different concerned individuals.
We at Addiction Hope understand that addictions result from a combination of environmental and genetic factors. If you or a loved one are suffering from an addiction, please know that there is hope for you, and seek immediate professional help.
Last Updated & Reviewed By: Jacquelyn Ekern, MS, LPC on January 13, 2016
Published on AddictionHope.com