At the end of “Dry January”, a challenge that consists in not drinking alcohol during the first month of the year, the experiences are contrasting. While some will continue to drink alcohol, perhaps in lesser amounts, others will continue the experiment for the rest of the year. testimonials.
Living a month without a drop of alcohol has become a ritual since the launch of the Dry January campaign in 2013 by the organization Alcohol Change D. Since then, this “January Challenge” has been cross-border to help participants control their alcohol consumption. According to a BVA survey for the Liga against Cancer published in January, “31% of French people have excessive alcohol consumption”. “However, alcohol is the 2nd risk factor for preventable cancers (…) and leads to more than 41,000 deaths per year in France,” the League continues in a press release. So a good reason to stop?
Dry January: 3 inspiring testimonials
Peter, 28 years old
For Pierre, “weaning” was difficult. “I drank almost every night except Monday, but when I had to say ‘stop, I won’t drink from tomorrow’ it seemed impossible to hold on.” For the computer scientist, quitting alcohol has led to a drop in morale. “I came home in the evening feeling frustrated because I couldn’t afford this little pleasure. I was lucky enough to have a companion who was very attentive to my needs for the first few days”.
After about ten days, the young man feels the first positive effects. Less fatigue, less frustration and a “new ritual”, that of a large glass of sparkling water with lemon. After a month, the young man sleeps better. “I feel ready to change my way of life and keep the New Year’s resolutions.”
Colin, 26 years old
At first, it seemed difficult for Coline to spend a month without alcohol. For the young woman of good character and whose alcohol consumption is “warm and festive”, it took a sense of “too much” to decide to take the plunge. After a year and a half of regular use, the project manager decides to start on January 2. “I felt bad, I was tired and I saw that my skin was deteriorating”she recalls. However, the idea of spending a month without alcohol seems priceless. So she decides to start with a “dry week”, that is, a week without drinking.
Then the young woman feels the positive effects on her body. “I was less tired. Then I stopped spending my weekend hangovers and filled them with activity”. On the eve of her first month without alcohol, the young woman is happy to achieve this goal. ” Alcohol helps to slow down when we are in the evening and we knows few peoplerecognizes Colin. “Thanks to this experience, I can keep my consumption under control in the future”welcomes them.
Sam, 27 years old
For Sam, this month without alcohol was “hell”, at least in the beginning. For the communicator, not drinking alcohol for a month was the source of social pressure. “Not drinking at home is not a problem, the young man notes, but going to a bar or in the evening and limiting yourself to non-alcoholic cocktails, you had to justify your choice with every order”. In the course of the evenings, the student gradually feels out of discussions and sources of jokes. “If you are the only one sober at a table of 6 people, you quickly feel rejected”. Faced with the pressure, the intern broke “to please” twice. At the end of the experiment, the young man recalls that “after a month, the effects are more positive than negative”. As for repeating the experience next year, the young man smiles. “Now I have a challenge: next time I have to last a month without collapsing”.
And you, did you take on the Dry January challenge?
(ETX Daily Up)