How to overcome booze cravings and complete Dry January

For many the festive period is particularly boozy, with half of all adults admitting to drinking more than they usually do over Christmas.

So it is unsurprising that a report by Alcohol Change UK revealed that a staggering 17.5 million Britons intended to begin the new year with a month-long abstinence from alcohol – dubbed dry January.

However most fail the challenge; it is estimated that just a third of people manage to avoid a tipple for the whole month.

Survey data from YouGov showed that last year, a week into January, 29 per cent of people taking part in the campaign confessed they had slipped and had a sip.

In fact, 16 per cent had already consumed alcohol by January 3rd.

Despite many persisting despite a blip, one in twenty had enough and given up after the first week.

Experts though say that following their tips can guarantee success this month.

Psychologists argue that the key to Dry January is understanding why we have embarked on the pursuit in the first place.

Dr Fiona Dowman, a London based clinical psychologist who specialises in addiction, said: ‘Get clear on your values; how you want to treat yourself, the world and others around you in January and beyond.

‘Rate how close drinking brings you towards each value. This serves as a reminder to help you resist the temptation to drink if it’s not aligned with your values.

‘If we make a conscious effort to live by our values, they guide and motivate our choices so we live like the sort of person we want to be.

‘A great way to clarify your values is to imagine that someone you care about was being interviewed about you on TV. In an ideal world, what would you want them to say about what you’re like? Be it caring, supportive, respectful, playful, reliable.’

Some 31 per cent of UK drinkers said they had concerns about the long-term damage their alcohol consumption might be doing to them, a survey of 2,000 people carried out by Censuswide also found.

They also felt that alcohol may be negatively affecting their appearance, fitness, sleep and physical health and 52 per cent of drinkers said they had taken steps to manage their intake in the past year.

Dr Dowman says that basing Dry January on clear value based goals and motivations is the key to long term success in terms of tackling heavy boozing.

‘Living by your values helps with long term alcohol consumption because it makes your life rich and meaningful and over time alcohol becomes less appealing,’ she says.

During the month Dr Dowman recommends the ‘delay, check-in, engage technique.’

‘Firstly, when you have an urge to drink, pause and delay the decision by at least 10 minutes. This gives the craving time to subside,’ she says.

‘Then make a conscious effort to check in with how you’re feeling and remind yourself the feeling will pass,

‘Lastly engage with what you’re currently doing and focus on your senses. This could be noticing the breeze as you walk, or notice the smell of what you’re cooking. This grounds you in the present moment so you can make intentional decisions. After doing these steps, your craving should have reduced or subsided.’

Finally Dr Dowman recommends practising ‘self compassion.’

‘If you find Dry January difficult, try to be kind to yourself. If you get caught up in self-critical thoughts, such as ‘you’re not trying hard enough’ you’ll start to feel stressed or frustrated and these feelings can be a trigger for drinking,’ she says.

‘Instead, ask yourself what you would say to a loved one who was finding Dry January difficult and extend the same compassion to yourself.’

One of the challenging aspects of Dry January is what replaces the booze.

‘One of the biggest mistakes you can make is to convince yourself that ‘not drinking means not socialising’,’ says Denise Hamilton-Mace, founder of Low No Drinker, a platform designed to help midlife drinkers curb their habit, and an Ambassador for Alcohol Change UK.

‘The purpose of the month is to experience life with less booze, not to hide away from it. Get outside. Meet a friend for a coffee, go for a walk or a run. Visit the friends you didn’t get to see before Christmas, or take yourself on a date to something you’ve been dying to do but were always too hungover for.’

That being said she does not recommend avoiding pubs and bars at all costs, but simple changes can help navigate the experience.

‘Hitting the pubs for the first time alcohol-free can be a bit daunting. Not because it’s scary or wrong, but because you’re just not used to it yet,’ says Ms Hamilton Mace

‘Plan ahead. Most bars have their drink menus online now, and 57 per cent of mindful drinkers say that the choice of low and no alcohol drinks influences their decision of which venues to go to.

‘Once you know what they offer, you can save yourself any in-the-moment stress by deciding what you’ll be drinking before you get to the bar. While you’re at the bar, keep your drink topped up. An empty glass is an invitation to fill it with booze.’