Did You Slip Up During Dry January? Don’t Lose Hope!

Give yourself grace, count your wins, and keep trying. Read on for tips on learning from your triggers.

Did you start the year feeling fresh and motivated? Maybe you made some resolutions, and maybe one of them was to try Dry January…but you slipped up. Saturday night rolled around, and you met up with friends, and the next thing you know…there goes Dry January.

Slipping Up & Learning From the Experience

​​All is not lost!

You haven’t failed. Slipping up is a normal part of changing a habit. 

If you’ve had a drink during Dry January, don’t beat yourself up. 

The first step is acceptance. Give yourself a little grace—changing a habit is incredibly difficult. Our brains are wired to stick with our habits. Be kind to yourself and accept that you made a mistake, but it doesn’t mean you’re a failure or that you’re unable to change.

A mistake is an opportunity for learning. Evaluate the situation and what triggered you to drink:

• What made it easier to give in? 

• What was going on at the time? 

• Where were you? Who else was around, if anyone?

• How were you feeling before you drank? How about after?

Once you identify your triggers, it can be helpful to write them down and be aware of what to avoid in the future.

You may also want to reconnect with why you started Dry January in the first place; remind yourself what you feel is important about it. Did you want to improve your energy levels, or boost your heart health, or get better sleep? Whatever your reason, it can help when you stay close to your original motivation.

Any Amount of Time Without Alcohol Is Good for You

Even if you didn’t make it the whole month, any amount of time you can abstain from alcohol is a win. Congratulate yourself for taking a step toward positive change. 

Even a few weeks without alcohol give you the following benefits and more:

• Improved sleep

• Better hydration

• Reduction in blood pressure

• Improvement in blood sugar levels

• Improvement in energy levels

• Fewer empty calories consumed

• Money saved

Don’t Give Up on Dry January!

If you drank during Dry January, keep trying! Don’t let setbacks get you down. You can always start again or extend your goals into February and beyond.

If you find that you need help managing your alcohol use, please reach out to us at (607) 432-0090. Our staff can connect you with local resources to help.

Sources:

“Alcohol and Diabetes | ADA.” Accessed December 26, 2024. https://diabetes.org/health-wellness/alcohol-and-diabetes.

Cleveland Clinic. “Why You Should Try a Dry January.” Accessed December 26, 2024. https://health.clevelandclinic.org/is-doing-a-dry-january-good-for-your-health-or-not.

Priory. “Benefits of Giving up Alcohol for a Month,” December 21, 2023. https://www.priorygroup.com/.

Solan, Matthew. “Thinking of Trying Dry January? Steps for Success.” Harvard Health, January 3, 2022. https://www.health.harvard.edu/blog/thinking-of-trying-dry-january-steps-for-success-202201032662.