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As the New Year approaches, people across the world prepare to take part in Dry January as part of a new year resolution.
Although the benefits that come hand-in-hand with Dry January are often advantageous, many are left asking does Dry January benefit those suffering from addiction?
In order to determine whether Dry January benefits those suffering from addiction, we have delved into the benefits associated with Dry January here.
What Is Dry January?
Dry January is a concept that originates from the United Kingdom that encourages people to go sober and reduce their alcohol intake throughout the month of January.
What was once a relatively new incentive has developed into a worldwide phenomenon. In fact, in 2020, over four million people vowed to participate in Dry January.
The Benefits Of Participating In Dry January?
For many individuals, Dry January is highly effective. Across the 31-day period, those that choose to participate have reaped several rewards.
From improving an individual’s physical and psychological health to decreasing the ramifications of stress and insomnia, a wealth of benefits come hand-in-hand with participating in Dry January.
Reducing Alcohol Consumption Can Improve Your Mental Well-Being
If you regularly consume alcohol or find yourself sadly addicted to alcohol, it is possible that you will have first-hand knowledge of the impact alcohol can have on your mental health.
Irrespective of how often you turn to alcohol, consuming large quantities over an extensive period of time will increase your likelihood of struggling with mental health disorders such as anxiety and depression.
However, reducing your alcohol intake will gradually alleviate the ramifications of mental health disorders.
In addition, reducing your alcohol intake will make you able to think more clearly.
You will also notice that your ability to focus and concentrate increases.
Reducing Alcohol Consumption Can Decrease Your Risk Of Suffering With Illnesses Associated With Alcohol
In 2019, the NHS reported that over 1.26 million alcohol-related hospital admissions were made. A large number of hospital admissions were a result of the following health issues;
- Liver disease
- Toxic effect of alcohol
- Cancer
- Physical injuries
- Cardiovascular disease
- Respiratory infections
- Digestive system diseases
- Diseases of the nervous system
- High blood pressure
- Stroke
Although reducing alcohol intake will not prevent the above diseases from arising entirely, reducing alcohol intake can reduce the probability that they will impair your life.
This is because a reduction in alcohol intake will ultimately help preserve your health.
Reducing Alcohol Consumption Can Improve Your Physical Health
As touched on above, consuming large quantities of alcohol puts individuals at risk of developing various diseases and illnesses.
Yet, when alcohol consumption is reduced, the risk of conditions associated with alcohol consumption is alleviated.
Just as reducing alcohol consumption can help improve your psychological well-being and decrease your chances of developing health risks associated with alcohol, limiting your alcohol intake can enhance your physical health.
If you regularly consume alcohol, you may be familiar with the short-term consequences of drinking.
From hangovers to brain fog, shortly after drinking alcohol, you will find that your energy levels are reduced, as is your motivation to partake in any physical activity.
However, as you decide to embark on a sober lifestyle, you will find that your energy levels soar. In turn, gone will be the days that you find yourself unable to get out of bed in the morning.
Instead, you will find yourself taking pleasure in going for a long walk or attending a fitness class. This will, of course, ultimately help to increase your physical health.
Reducing Alcohol Consumption When An Addiction Is Present
Although a wealth of benefits come hand-in-hand with participating in Dry January, it should be noted that if you are struggling with an alcohol addiction, we would not encourage you to attempt to reduce your alcohol intake alone.
If you have become addicted to alcohol, you will require professional support to overcome your addiction. This is because addictions are psychological disorders that require ongoing treatment.
Does Dry January Benefit?
Although participating in Dry January helps individuals evaluate their relationship with alcohol, those suffering from addictions require professional treatment that will enable them to overcome their addiction, the psychological repercussions and maintain long-term sobriety, as opposed to attempting to go sober for one month.
Regrettably, as touched on above, individuals suffering from addictions are not advised to stop consuming substances without professional support.
Doing so can cause withdrawal symptoms to arise, leaving individuals somewhat unwell and more prone to relapse. In fact, withdrawing from substances without support sees 40 – 60% of individuals at risk of relapsing.
Considering this, participating in dry January is unlikely to benefit those suffering from addiction, and you can read some of our tips on making the most out of dry January.
Seek Professional Support for Your Addiction Today
If you have become addicted to drugs or alcohol and find yourself pondering whether Dry January would benefit you, we would instead ask you to consider reaching out to us for professional support.
While the thought of doing so may cause you to feel somewhat uneasy, it truly is in your best interest. Overcoming an addiction is not as simple as many believe it to be.
Although withdrawing from a substance is a vital part of your recovery, you will also require rehabilitation in the form of psychological and well-being therapy to ensure that you can come face-to-face with the factors that have caused your addiction to arise.
In doing so, you will be able to develop coping strategies that will make you less likely to relapse in the future. Ultimately, this will enable you to make a long-term recovery.
At Rehab Clinics Group, we have a wealth of recovery centres located throughout the United Kingdom.
Irrespective of your location, the addiction you are struggling with, and the severity of your addiction, we are confident that you will overcome your addiction once and for all with our help.
If you would like to find out more about our centres and the treatment we provide, please contact us today on 0800 470 0382. You can also see our tips to stay sober after Dry January here.
Sources
https://www.uk-rehab.com/treatment-rehab/relapse-prevention/
https://alcoholchange.org.uk/get-involved/campaigns/dry-january/about-dry-january/the-dry-january-story#:~:text=Dry%20January%20started%20in%202013,million%20taking%20part%20in%202020.
https://alcoholchange.org.uk/alcohol-facts/fact-sheets/alcohol-statistics#:~:text=In%20England%20in%202018%2F19,higher%20than%20the%20previous%20year.
