Dry January a ‘fashionable excuse for dangerous drinking in December’

Dry January has become a fashionable excuse to justify dangerous drinking habits in December and February, addiction experts have warned.

It is estimated that almost one in three men and around one-quarter of women are planning to avoid alcohol in the new year, according to the charity Alcohol Change UK, which founded Dry January in 2013.

But the Priory Group, one of the UK’s leading alcohol withdrawal specialists, has issued an urgent warning, arguing that the scheme could exacerbate Britain’s harmful drinking culture.

Dr Niall Campbell, consultant psychiatrist at the Priory Group, said: “Dry January is a fantastic initiative. It is very popular and the health benefits of completing it are significant.

“But I worry that it has become a fashionable exercise for a lot of people. As a society, we need a wake-up call.

“If you use Dry January as an excuse to drink to excess in December and February, and the rest of the year, then you’re missing the point. Increasingly, that’s what we’re seeing.”

The foundations of Dry January began in 2011 when Emily Robinson signed up for a half marathon in February and vowed to give up alcohol for the month before in preparation. She found she lost weight, slept better and gained more energy.

When Ms Robinson joined Alcohol Change UK the following year, she suggested making Dry January an annual challenge to show people how much their health improved with a month off booze.

Around 15.5 million people in the UK are expected to abstain from alcohol for 31 days, starting on Wednesday.

However, new figures from Alcohol Change UK show that 26 per cent of men who drink said they had increased their intake in 2024 compared with 2023, while over a third (35 per cent) reported drinking above the low-risk guidelines of 14 units per week.

‘Men heavily targeted to drink more’

Dr Richard Piper, CEO at Alcohol Change UK, which is targeting male drinking this year, said: “Men are heavily targeted by the alcohol industry to get us to drink more and more alcohol.

“These companies spend millions putting booze front and centre of the things we love, from sporting events, gigs and ‘lads nights out’ to products in our favourite TV shows and films, or just via inescapable advertising we see as we go about our lives and on social media.

“Yet, our research tells us that the tide is turning. With nearly one in three men planning a break from booze this January, it’s clear they are making the link between what they drink and how it could be holding them back physically, mentally and in their day-to-day life.”

The Priory Group warned that despite the good intentions, alcohol continued to kill at record levels, with more than 8,200 deaths in 2023 – a 42 per cent rise on 2019. It remains Britain’s primary addiction, with 59 per cent of people seeking help at the Priory doing so for alcohol misuse.

“The evidence shows that younger generations are reducing their alcohol intake, which is fantastic,” added Dr Campbell.

“But I’m extremely worried about slightly older generations who grew up with harmful drinking habits and are drinking more than ever.

“I’d implore everyone to embrace January as a time to reflect on their drinking habits, learn how to enjoy social events or to relax at home without alcohol, and carry those lessons learnt through the rest of the year. Alcohol is harmful and addictive, and sadly I see its consequences every day.”

Experts warn that recorded alcohol deaths were “just the tip of the iceberg” because they did not include other drinking-related causes, such as intoxication resulting in fatal accidents, withdrawal seizures, heart attacks and strokes.

Alcohol Change UK said it was important that people used their official Dry January tools, which include tracking and daily email coaching. Research has shown that people embarking on the challenge on their own are only half as likely to succeed.