One in six Britons – almost nine million people – plan to take part in Dry January from tomorrow, which involves cutting out all alcohol for the month.
Most will see it as part of a new year's health kick, a way to lose a few pounds – or even just a way to save money.
But experts who spoke to The Mail on Sunday have warned that many of those drawn to attempting Dry January may have a drinking problem without realizing it.
Lucy Rocca, a former heavy drinker who runs the alcohol addiction support group Soberistas, which has 75,000 members, says: 'Dry January attracts people with a dysfunctional relationship with alcohol. If you didn't drink too much, you didn't have to set yourself the challenge of quitting for a month.'
Lucy Rocca, a former heavy drinker who runs the alcohol addiction support group Soberistas, which has 75,000 members, says: 'Dry January attracts people with a dysfunctional relationship with alcohol. If you didn't drink too much, you wouldn't have to set yourself the challenge of quitting for a month'
Ms Rocca, 48, who gave up drinking in 2012, the year before Dry January was launched by the charity Alcohol Change, adds: 'I did similar things – I told myself if I could go for six weeks or a month, I 'I'm fine, I have no problem'
Ms Rocca, 48, who gave up drinking in 2012, the year before Dry January was launched by the charity Alcohol Change, adds: 'I did similar things – I told myself if I could go for six weeks or a month, I'm fine, I have no problem.
'Dry January is a formal version of that: it's a test that people use to prove to themselves that they are doing well, when in reality they are not.
'I could drink more than a bottle of wine on a night out, sometimes three. I used alcohol to numb emotions, to cope with stress and to cope with life. And I think that's the case for many people participating in Dry January. It's a story I hear again and again from our members.'
Clinical psychologist and addiction specialist Dr. Richard Sherry agrees. He says addicts often unconsciously make compromises or symbolic behavioral changes that allow them to continue “using” – a phenomenon known as “bargaining.”
He says: 'We see it with gambling addicts who say everything is fine as long as they don't bet on races and only use scratch cards. For drinking it could be: 'It's no problem if I only drink on the weekends', or '…if I can go a whole month without alcohol.'
'These do not address the core issues that cause someone to drink too much. That's why for some it ends up being a month-long break and then they go back to business as usual.”
The majority of Soberistas members are middle-aged, middle-class, college-educated women, with families and busy lives. Yet they once drank far more than the recommended maximum of fourteen units per week (the equivalent of six pints of beer or lager, or one and a half bottles of wine).
The rise of Wet February – a social media trend that encourages people to start drinking once Dry January is over – is a good example of this, Ms Rocca added.
The rise of Wet February – a social media trend that encourages people to start drinking once Dry January is over – is a good example of this, says Ms Rocca.
She claims that a major problem is that many people do not see themselves as 'the type of person' who has an alcohol problem.
The majority of Soberistas members are middle-aged, middle-class, college-educated women, with families and busy lives. Yet they once drank far more than the recommended maximum of fourteen units per week (the equivalent of six pints of beer or lager, or one and a half bottles of wine).
Ms. Rocca labels them “gray area alcoholics” – outwardly functioning yet dependent on booze. And many often drink too much.
“But they don't fit the stereotype of an alcoholic, so they don't see that there is a problem,” she says. 'Alcohol problems exist on a broad spectrum, and anyone who drinks regularly will experience some degree of dependence.'
One member of Soberistas, businesswoman Kim Hughes, 57, who regularly drank a bottle or more of wine a night, says: 'I've done Dry January numerous times and also given up alcohol during Lent. I told myself that if I couldn't drink for a month, I wouldn't have a problem. But I was counting down to the end and couldn't wait to start drinking again.'
Charity Alcohol Change claim Dry January offers the opportunity to 'reset' people's relationship with alcohol.
Research from the University of Sussex has found that Dry January participants claim to have experienced a sense of achievement at the end, thought more deeply about their relationship with booze, slept better and even had better skin. And when they were surveyed again six months later, many said they were still drinking less.
But the charity Drink Aware, which compares alcohol sales data with self-reported surveys, found that people consistently underestimate their consumption by at least 30 percent. Other research has shown that drinkers underestimate how much they drink by up to 76 percent. And one in five people still regularly drinks more than the recommended limits.
Statistics show that one in four adults regularly binge drink, and in 2020 there were 8,974 alcohol-related deaths in Britain – an increase of 8.6 percent on 2019. Research has shown that many regular drinkers are cutting down on their consumption during have increased the pandemic.
Ms Rocca says members of Soberistas cite a range of problems that lead them to drink frequently, adding: 'Some talk about anxiety and sleep problems linked to menopause, and others talk about being caught between the care for elderly parents and teenage children, or whether they suffer from empty nest syndrome. when their children go to college.
'Others are in unhappy relationships, lonely or have difficulty balancing work and private life. These are the issues that need to be addressed.
'I focus my time on exercise, meditation and trying to live in the present, rather than worrying about things I can't control and beating myself up. Ultimately, you have to change how you handle the pressures of life.”
Dr. Sherry adds: 'Most people will participate in Dry January because they know their drinking is not healthy. But it's important to use it as a moment to ask yourself, “Am I using alcohol in an unhealthy way?” Am I using it because I can't deal with stress, health or work?'
'When we stop drinking, we sleep better and feel better. Dry January should prompt personal reflection and deeper conversations, possibly with a healthcare provider.
“Think of this as the start of lasting change, rather than a month to get through it or a temporary pause.”
Despite her concerns, Lucy Rocca believes Dry January can be used to test your alcohol addiction: “If you end up climbing the walls, then you know you have a problem.”