January dry is not the same as sobriety



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For those of you who have started, tried or completed a version of Dry January, congratulations. Choosing not to drink alcohol is never a bad idea. Examining your relationship with alcohol is never a bad idea either.

Dry January started in the UK in 2013 as a way to do both and has spread to the United States. Say no to alcohol for a month on a scale of varying difficulty. Some people have no problem giving up on it. Others feel put to the test and fight against the will. they miss to drink. Others just can not do it.

I do not judge anyone's ability to give up alcohol for a day, a week, a month or a lifetime. I do not have room to judge. I am an alcoholic I have been sober for 18 months and I hope to be able to stay there one day at a time for the rest of my life. But here's a friendly reminder about Dry January: by choosing giving up alcohol is not the same thing as need of give up alcohol. A dry month is not the same as a dry life.

Taking a month of alcohol consumption has significant health benefits. You will probably lose weight, start sleeping better and improve your immune system. You will save money and you will be better able to say no when you are offered a drink. Non-alcoholics are also struggling with this problem because, even when used responsibly, alcohol is a way to heal. It takes advantage, tastes great and provides a large amount of beneficial chemicals that help us relax and be happy.

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It is also socially accepted and expected. Mum wine culture is a real thing and can be a dangerous slip in (or an easy cover for) problematic drinking. Masculinity is often related to the type of alcohol or the number of drinks consumed during outings with friends. Alcohol consumption is a very important part of our society, our daily lives and our relationships.

To be honest, I'm jealous of those of you who are able to limit to one or maybe two drinks at a time. I would like to relax some nights with a gin and tonic. But one turns into five hurry. Sometimes I am angry with myself. I can not spend one of those crazy nights with friends to let off steam, to celebrate a birthday or a wedding. But the amount of alcohol you drink during any of these events is probably the same as the one I had consumed on a random Tuesday. I needed a lot for me to become "wild and crazy," and that usually ended with vomiting somewhere and having to apologize for my actions.

If you choose not to consume alcohol for a month, stop complaining about the difficulty of not taking your evening badtail. Take the time to note how uncomfortable it is to drink water or soda instead of wine at a friend's dinner. If you're not a problematic alcoholic or alcoholic, you do not have to give up – well, you never really to have do anything. But to lead a healthy and fulfilling life, the alcoholic and the alcoholic Needs stop drinking.

Whether in January or another month of the year or a few days or weeks at a time, whether you choose to reduce your consumption or take a break, drink, it's a choice you can make . Be thankful, it's a disadvantage and not a life-fighting addiction. Enjoy the benefits of alcohol-free time, including how you can be addicted. This will also help you reduce your risk of having harmful drinking habits.

In a survey by Dr. Richard de Visser of the University of Susbad, he found that six months after the end of Dry January, seven out of ten people who participated had continued to drink less dangerously than before. And nearly a quarter of participants who had consumed alcohol at "harmful" levels before Dry January were now in much lower risk categories of problem drinking.

Sometimes I am ashamed of my addiction, but I am proud of my sobriety. I do not want pity either. I share my story because it helps me and I know it helps others. Yes, sobriety is really hard sometimes, but it's also very beautiful. I share both sides of the addiction, and I get closer to my most authentic life with every drink I make to sink, walk or crawl. I applaud all who want to be honest with themselves; it's not easy to take a break and check to see what works and what does not work, especially when it comes to alcohol.

If you have the luxury of keeping a job, have money in the bank and maintain healthy relationships with family and friends while maintaining a healthy relationship with the family. alcohol, congratulations. Those of us who are alcoholics do not have that ability. We are addicts. Our brains are wired differently and we must be honest about the life we ​​want to live.

I needed to stop drinking to live the life I want. If you choose to stop drinking for a month, do it with humility and stop telling me how hard it is to give up alcohol. I understood. Maybe you have a problem too, and that's a sign that you need to fix it. Or maybe you just need to suck it and know that your cold is waiting for you at the end of the month. Enjoy the benefits, but do not pretend 31 days without alcohol will kill you.

For some of us, drinking is really a life and death decision.

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