With January upon us, are you embarking on removing alcohol from your life for at least the 31 days to see if you can do it? If so, then you are certainly not alone. January is a staple month in the calendar not just in the UK but throughout the world. However, this January is a lot different compared with January 2020 or any January before and I wanted to explore whether being in a national lockdown means that sticking to dry January is easier or harder. I will also be highlighting in this blog some of my top tips of succeeding with dry January to help you if you are struggling at the moment.

The awful Covid-19 pandemic has certainly turned our world upside down. What was normal just a year ago has now completely changed and we are all having to live very different lives. This change may be a negative for some and a positive for others.

Origins of ‘Dry January’

I love researching anything and everything, so I was keen to understand how Dry January came to fruition. For most, this is now a well-publicised event in the calendar, but how did it start? If we were to look right back into history, there was a Sober January campaign launched by the Finnish Government back in 1942 as a part of the war effort. However, the term ‘Dry January’ was registered by Alcohol Change UK in 2013 and it has gone from a movement of 4,000 people to 4 million taking part in 2020! The idea behind it, is that for the whole month you abstain from alcohol.

From speaking with the fantastic members in my community and from my own recovery and dealing with the current lockdown, I wanted to list some of the positives and negatives I feel that lockdown is having on sobriety and Dry January.

The Positives of Lockdown on Sobriety

The Pubs are shut

Don’t get me wrong, I do have a considerable empathy for anyone who owns or manages a pub or bar during the last 9-10 months. It’s has been incredibly hard for them with having to be closed. On a sobriety level, this is a positive. There is no temptation to quickly go to the pub when you are out and about due to them not being open. Not having that temptation of going to your local is something that can help keep you on the right track not just for this month but for the months to come.

Decreased social interaction

Admittedly this could be viewed as a positive or negative. Looking at the positive side, if your drinking tends to be exaggerated in social settings, like mine use to be, then distancing yourself from these events can only be positive. Not being able to meet in groups and seeing people where interaction revolves around drink will assist you with staying off the booze.

More time for yourself

With us all having to spend more time at home, you may be finding that you actually have more time to invest in yourself. Whether that’s time out researching about sobriety, listening to your favourite podcasts or starting a new hobby you have been putting off for years. You now have more time to focus on new skills or starting a new exercise regime to keep yourself focused, in turn this will assist your mental health.

The Negatives of Lockdown on Sobriety

Isolation

Whilst not being able to gather in social groups where drinking can occur, the isolation of a national lockdown can be extremely damaging to mental and physical wellbeing. We don’t know the statistics at the moment of drinking related deaths since the start of the lockdown. However, it is feared that being isolated at home can increase drinking due to boredom, stress and anxiety with no or little structure to the day.

Off licenses are still open

Whilst the pubs are shut, places to buy alcohol are still open and no matter where you live, it is likely there is a place to buy alcohol within walking distance. Therefore, obtaining booze is just as easy during lockdown and then being stuck at home can increase your inclination to drink and inability to stop yourself.

Lack of routine

Whilst we all might moan about going to work or having to take the children to school, what lockdown has shown us is how important having a routine is. A reason to get up in the morning and be productive. The current guidance is to work from home where we can and it’s not the same as having the routine of travelling to and being at work. This lack of routine can be a nightmare for sobriety with willpower suffering as a result.

What I do know is that each national lockdown comes with its own challenges, it is an unknown situation for all and something that we have no option but to face. With this in mind, I wanted to put together some of my top tips on how to not just succeed with Dry January but to thrive with your sobriety.

Tip #1 Reach out

Feelings of being alone and isolated are horrible, let’s not sugar coat it. If you have a drinking problem and you are trying your best to stop this January, then going back to the comfort you perceive alcohol can give you can be all too easy. My top tip is to reach out. Yes, we can’t meet up with others physically at the moment, but there are so many fantastic resources online. For example, if you click HERE you will be able to read my latest blog on the best sober support groups that are available online. Don’t be afraid to reach out to family and friends and be honest if you are struggling. You will likely be amazed at the support you receive.

Tip #2 Get a new routine

Lockdown has majorly messed up our daily routines which can cause damaging mental health issues. So, force yourself into a new routine. Working from home? Set the alarm earlier than needed to be ready for work to give yourself additional time to do some exercise, go for a long walk or spend time with the family you live with. Start your normal working day and when you finish enjoy dinner, complete some form of wellbeing activity then go to bed for a full night sleep. Having structure during this lockdown is key to keeping yourself focused and not thinking about the booze.

Tip #3 Start a new hobby

I know it may sound cliché to ‘start a new hobby’, but now really is a great time to take up something that you may have always wanted to do but never had time for before. Whether that’s blogging about your own Dry January experience, committing to daily exercise, taking up reading or you enjoy gaming. Whatever it is, don’t rush or feel guilty about using some time to focus on your needs.

Tip #4 Get rid of the booze

If you are trying to commit to Dry January as your starting point, then getting rid of easy temptation is an excellent idea. Remove alcohol from your home, go shopping and treat yourself to some fabulous alcohol-free drinks so you don’t feel like you are missing out. There really are some fantastic alternatives out there which taste great whether you previously drunk beer, wine or spirits.

Tip #5 Keep a journal

I cannot emphasise enough how life changing writing a journal was for me at the start of my sobriety journey and I highly recommend it for you. Whether you are sober curious and wanting to see if you can stop drinking for a month, or you know that you need to keep alcohol out of your life, documenting your feelings, thoughts, aims and objectives is extremely powerful for self-motivation. I guarantee you will also love reading it back when you are months down the road on your sobriety journey and using this to fully reflect on your progress so far.

I would be lying to you if I said that removing alcohol from your life at any time, let alone whilst in a national lockdown, is easy. However, you can do this. There is so much help and support out there for you to take control of your life. Check out my YouTube Channel where I upload new videos on a weekly basis to help support people with their sobriety journey.

Do you have any additional tips for surviving Dry January in lockdown? Or, is there one particular thing that is helping you to stay on track? I would love to hear it in the comments, your contribution is likely help others as well.