Dry January: Will lockdown cause more people to give in?

Dry January, when drinkers aim to abstain from alcohol for a whole month, was designed to "reset" people's relationship with booze.

It's a period of abstinence many felt they needed in 2021 - the pandemic has led to people drinking more alcohol, according to research from Alcohol Change UK.

The charity found that one in three of us believes we drank in excess last year compared with 2019.

Sadly, for some, England's latest lockdown has made Dry January seem like an impossible challenge this year.

'A cup of tea doesn't really do it for me'

Sarah Wassell says she found Dry January easy last year

"This time last year I did Dry January, and it was easy, I enjoyed it," explains Sarah Wassell. "But I fell off the wagon on day two [of 2021] - it was just too hard with this lockdown."

The 53-year-old, who lives with her husband and three children in Twickenham, south-west London, says she has particularly felt the pressure of home schooling during the pandemic.

"I found that some days I was rewarding myself with a chilled glass of rosé. One glass would often lead to two."

Towards the end of the first lockdown, Sarah was drinking every day and when the rosé ran out, she started on the vodka

"It felt like a coping mechanism and still does. A cup of tea for an evening doesn't really do it for me," she says.

'Booze numbs the pain'

Christie Negus says she drinks at least three bottles of wine a week and one bottle of gin or whisky

Christie Negus, who lives in Surrey, says she will also be giving Dry January a miss this year.

"I am drinking more as I feel angry with the government. I am drinking at least three bottles of wine a week and one bottle of gin or whisky, or sometimes both", the 66-year-old says.

Her friend is also dying of cancer, and he is just 52. "I have a drink just to remember the good times we had," she said.

Christie is also struggling with not being able to see her family.

"The drink definitely helps you get through it... I am turning to booze more because it numbs the pain and now we are in lockdown again, I will probably drink more," she says.

'I'm not going to beat myself up for failing'

Kitty Aurora says she won't beat her self up if she fails to complete Dry January

Kitty Aurora, from Manchester, says she was "pretty teetotal" until June but then things changed.

"I lost my house, job and suddenly became a single mum all in lockdown. I ended up having one of the worst breakdowns of my life and put myself in danger and struggled with mental health issues," she explains.

She has been diagnosed with mental illnesses including PTSD, leading to her taking strong medication.

"I'm not going to beat myself up for failing [Dry January] because living in lockdown whilst navigating single parenthood and mental illnesses is tough enough," the 27-year-old says.

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Even with the struggles of lockdown, a record number of people have signed up to the official Dry January challenge, which is run by Alcohol Change UK.

Some 6.5 million people said they would be taking part, a 67% rise compared to last year.

Dr Richard Piper, the charity's chief executive, said: "Since news broke of the new lockdown, some have rushed to say that 'Dry January is cancelled'.

"Yet what we're actually seeing is a jump in the number of people coming to our website to download the free app and sign up for our daily emails. So it looks like more people are taking on Dry January."

He says that in 2020 the charity noticed "a steep increase in the number of people drinking in ways that put their health at risk", but adds that it's "brilliant news that one in four of us plans to cut down in 2021".

Tips for sticking to Dry January

Tony Rao is a consultant psychiatrist at South London and Maudsley NHS Foundation Trust. Here are his tips to help you make the most of your month off - even during lockdown - and make a change that lasts:

• Be clear about why you're doing it

Whether you're sick of hangovers, want to sleep more deeply, want to save money or you have a health and fitness goal, it can help to write these reasons down somewhere you can access them easily. It will keep you going if the going gets tough.

• Work out your triggers

Many of us will have found ourselves with new triggers, or maybe with existing triggers being pulled more often or earlier in the day to drink. If you can work out what your triggers are, you can make sure you're ready for them when they rear their heads.

• Treat yourself

Many of us use alcohol as our go-to way to have fun, de-stress or treat ourselves - our trigger response. This is an important association to break. What other treats could you have stored up for your Dry January?

• You're not alone

Taking on 31 days alcohol-free with support from Alcohol Change UK, the charity behind Dry January, doubles your chance of staying totally dry for the full month, and having ongoing benefits six months later. The charity offers the free Try Dry app, which lets you track your units, calories and money saved through Dry January.

• Think about the future you

It can be helpful to think of Dry January as a boot camp for developing a healthier relationship with alcohol long term. A quarter of people who drink alcohol want to cut down in 2021, and evidence shows that Dry January is a great way to do that.