With endless parties and family functions, December鈥檚 holiday season may feel like a month of non-stop indulgence. That鈥檚 why some follow it with 鈥渄ry January,鈥� a month of sobriety to compensate for a month of excess.
But what鈥檚 been lauded by some as a liver-detoxing tradition has at least one expert cautioning dry January participants.
For Rick Dubras, executive director of Richmond Addiction Services Society, dry January has become a bit of a 鈥減henomenon.鈥� The trend was started in England in 2013 by Alcohol Concern 鈥� now Alcohol Change UK. Dubras says there are certainly benefits to completely abstaining from alcohol for a month, but there could be drawbacks as well.
鈥淚f we go into a place of absolute restriction鈥 binge-abstinence cycle鈥an sort of play out with this idea of a dry January,鈥� Dubras said, adding that cycle can be 鈥渏ust as damaging.鈥� 聽
鈥淚f everyone is binging all the time and then takes a month off and then is expecting to binge again in February, there鈥檚 obviously harm in that.鈥�
Dubras added that for those living with an addiction to alcohol, participating in dry January is not recommended.
鈥淲hen we meet people who speak about heavy, daily or routine alcohol use, we generally don鈥檛 talk about going cold turkey,鈥� he said. 鈥淒ry January is not really focused on people with addiction. Dry January is focused on the average Canadian who may have taken on too much during Christmas time.鈥�
One international student in Richmond wasn鈥檛 convinced to try the trend.
鈥淚 just like to hang out with my friends during the weekend, drink some beers and have fun,鈥� Mark Fan told the News. 鈥淚 don鈥檛 really see the harm of (drinking) so I don鈥檛 really want to stop it.
鈥淭he only negative effect is that I鈥檝e been gaining some weight,鈥� he added.
However, what dry January can offer is an opportunity to consider how and when one drinks.
鈥淲e use alcohol for numerous reasons so taking on a dry January can be a perfect opportunity to look into and understand that relationship with alcohol,鈥� Dubras said. 鈥淚f we realize that alcohol is serving a purpose in our life, then perhaps there鈥檚 an alternative way of coping with that experience rather than always turning to a beer.鈥�
Dubras added it鈥檚 about then taking this information to build new habits such as getting exercise or finding other ways to relieve stress and cope with emotions.
鈥淚f we鈥檙e looking for change, that鈥檚 talking about recovery. In order to be in recovery, we need support,鈥� he said, pointing out that support can come from family, friends, colleagues, peers or even an online network. 聽
Melanie Ware, who is a paralegal and doesn鈥檛 drink throughout the year, echoed Dubras鈥� thoughts, saying dry January could help reshape routines.
鈥淪ometimes you don鈥檛 realize what your habits (are)鈥rinking is one form of buffering, of putting something between you and your emotions or things that are happening in your life,鈥� Ware said. 鈥淒oing a dry January is definitely a step towards positive change.鈥�
With files from Megan Devlin
