Editor’s Note: This article contains reference to addiction and substance use.

January is the month we clean up our diets, implement more rigid fitness routines and vow to spend less time scrolling mindlessly through social media. While fitness centers become packed with eager gym-goers, bars and clubs often experience slower traffic during the month as many individuals partake in “Dry January,” a challenge that undoubtedly trivializes the very real problem of alcohol use disorder. 

The 31-day sobriety challenge was created in 2013 by Alcohol Change UK, a charity that promotes mindful drinking to combat incidents related to excessive alcohol consumption.

While I appreciate the intentions behind the movement, I can’t ignore the fact that turning sobriety into a month-long lifestyle challenge reduces the struggles of those dealing with alcohol use disorder to something that can be changed overnight. 

Dry January has amassed a large following over the past 12 years, and there are numerous resources available to assist individuals through their month of sobriety. Participants can choose from a host of apps that allow them to track their progress, write reflections and receive support in anonymous forums. 

Many bars and restaurants have curated nonalcoholic drink menus to accommodate their guests’ month-long sobriety, and mocktail recipes on TikTok are racking up millions of views.

Various health benefits can ensue from just one month without alcohol, such as improved liver function, lowered blood pressure levels and weight loss. And considering the United States Surgeon General’s recent advisory highlighting a correlation between alcohol consumption and cancer risk, the consequences of drinking are more apparent than ever. 

The challenge certainly has its benefits, having helped challenge the stigma that having fun is contingent upon being intoxicated, leading many participants to develop healthier, long-lasting drinking habits. A 2016 study showed that many Dry January participants drank significantly less in the months following the challenge than they did before their month of sobriety. 

Essentially, the impacts of partaking in Dry January shed light on how alcohol can unknowingly affect one’s day-to-day life. Yet, while the challenge might be an inspiration to some, it can be a source of invalidation to others.  People who face alcohol or other substance use disorders may feel that this lifestyle challenge minimizes their struggles.

The National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism estimated that 28.9 million people above the age of 12 dealt with alcohol use disorder in 2023.

Moreover, Dry January grossly oversimplifies the complexity of recovery. If the Dry January challenge claims that anyone can abstain from drinking for 31 days, then why do so many individuals struggle with an alcohol use disorder to begin with?

Dry January also dismisses one of the foundational principles of Alcoholics Anonymous — taking your recovery one day at a time. Putting time constraints on one’s sobriety defeats the idea of focusing on your actions in the present, a core teaching of AA and many other recovery programs. 

Sobriety can be incredibly daunting to those who have become dependent on alcohol. While Dry January isn’t marketed as a solution to alcohol use disorder, it sets an unrealistic expectation that anyone can become sober at the drop of a hat and may belittle the dilemma many face of whether to quit drinking. 

It should be more clearly defined that Dry January is not intended for people in active addiction but rather for those who want a new perspective on the role alcohol plays in their lives. 

By making a distinction between recovering from addiction and self-reflecting on alcohol consumption, those facing alcohol use disorder may not feel like their sobriety is being turned into a trend.

I admire how Dry January encourages individuals to reevaluate their relationship with alcohol, and I see its potential to alter how society views drinking for the better — that is, with the caveat that a 31-day reset is only realistic for people without alcohol use disorder. 

Whether you can commit to just one day or an entire month of sobriety doesn’t matter; what’s important is recognizing anyone can become powerless to alcohol and that being open to change is key to taking back control of one’s life. 

If you or someone you know is struggling with substance abuse, support can be found through Alcoholics Anonymous or Prevention Services.