PHILADELPHIA — Gone are the days of simple virgin cocktails amounting to little more than gussied up juice. For the last few years, the hospitality industry has embraced a new era of zero-proof libations where bartenders play with sometimes-costly ingredients and fermentation to appease sober-curious drinkers.
The sober-curious movement, where people reevaluate their relationship with alcohol and embrace a booze-free lifestyle (or a relaxed version of it), has led to a 20.6% growth between August 2021 and 2022 of nonalcoholic drink sales, NielsenIQ reported in October.
Dry January, the month dedicated to sobriety, has been a helpful push for those looking to reduce their alcohol consumption, which in part has driven development and sales of these products.
Sustaining mindful drinking beyond the month can be a challenge for some. The Inquirer spoke to Davis and Amanda E. White, the founder of Therapy for Women Center and author of “Not Drinking Tonight” (her second book, “Not Drinking Tonight: The Workbook” came out Jan. 10) on how changing your mindset and having more options can help you stay booze-free.
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How to stay sober curious
Ask yourself: What leads me to drink?
“Sometimes people go back to drinking without even realizing why they started again,” White said. “This is likely because they are not familiar with their triggers or reasons that they drink — maybe it’s feeling awkward at a party or a warm day that makes you crave a margarita. Learn your triggers and come up with a plan for how you will combat them.”
Davis also suggests removing alcohol from your house to cut down on temptation and make it harder to drink. And replace your drink of choice with an equally flavorful and fun zero-proof drink — this is a good opportunity to try making a cocktail at home with fresh ingredients and alcohol-free products.
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There are lots of great reasons to decide to go "dry" in January and give up alcohol. Perhaps you imbibed a bit too much over the holidays, or want to start a diet or exercise routine and can't afford the calories or the zap in energy and motivation that drinking can bring.
"Or it may be someone who truly is starting to wonder or question their relationship with alcohol, and this is an opportunity to really explore that," said Dr. Sarah Wakeman, medical director of the Substance Use Disorders Initiative at Massachusetts General Hospital.
"For some people saying 'I'm not going to drink this entire month,' might be really hard, so trying to do so may show you how easy or difficult it is for you," said neuropsychologist Dr. Sanam Hafeez, who conducts classes at Columbia University's Teachers College.
What are expert advice on how to have a successful "dry January"? Read on.
ma - stock.adobe.com via CNN
There are lots of great reasons to decide to go "dry" in January and give up alcohol. Perhaps you imbibed a bit too much over the holidays, or want to start a diet or exercise routine and can't afford the calories or the zap in energy and motivation that drinking can bring.
"Or it may be someone who truly is starting to wonder or question their relationship with alcohol, and this is an opportunity to really explore that," said Dr. Sarah Wakeman, medical director of the Substance Use Disorders Initiative at Massachusetts General Hospital.
"For some people saying 'I'm not going to drink this entire month,' might be really hard, so trying to do so may show you how easy or difficult it is for you," said neuropsychologist Dr. Sanam Hafeez, who conducts classes at Columbia University's Teachers College.
What are expert advice on how to have a successful "dry January"? Read on.
It helps to be clear about your goal to make it a habit, said Wakeman, who is an associate professor of medicine at Harvard Medical School.
"The research we have on goal setting says goals are more likely to be achieved if they're really relevant to you as an individual and not abstract like 'I should stop drinking because drinking is bad,' " she said.
Concrete goals such as embracing new sleep habits or an exercise routine will help make giving up drinking easier, she said.
"I really want to stop drinking because I know when I drink heavily I don't get up the next morning and I don't work out is a very specific goal," Wakeman said.
Additional motivation can come from the health gains you can make from reducing or eliminating alcohol, experts say.
"Drinking less over time can have really measurable benefits in your health in terms of your blood pressure, your risk of cancer, your risk of liver disease and other conditions, Wakeman said.
"Over the course of a month, you may notice some short term benefits like better sleep, a better complexion due to improvements in your skin, feeling more clear headed and having more energy," she added.
It helps to be clear about your goal to make it a habit, said Wakeman, who is an associate professor of medicine at Harvard Medical School.
"The research we have on goal setting says goals are more likely to be achieved if they're really relevant to you as an individual and not abstract like 'I should stop drinking because drinking is bad,' " she said.
Concrete goals such as embracing new sleep habits or an exercise routine will help make giving up drinking easier, she said.
"I really want to stop drinking because I know when I drink heavily I don't get up the next morning and I don't work out is a very specific goal," Wakeman said.
Additional motivation can come from the health gains you can make from reducing or eliminating alcohol, experts say.
"Drinking less over time can have really measurable benefits in your health in terms of your blood pressure, your risk of cancer, your risk of liver disease and other conditions, Wakeman said.
"Over the course of a month, you may notice some short term benefits like better sleep, a better complexion due to improvements in your skin, feeling more clear headed and having more energy," she added.
Many of us may be familiar with SMART goals from work or school settings, which are used to help people set attainable goals. It stands for:
Specific: Set an achievable goal, such as cutting back on drinking 3 days a week. You can add days until you reach your final goal.
Measurable: How many drinks will you cut -- and what are the drink sizes? A beer is 12 ounces, a glass of wine is a 5 ounces and a serving of spirits is 1.5 ounces.
Achievable: Make sure there are not a bunch of social engagements where alcohol is likely to be served during your month of abstention.
Relevant: How is not drinking going to help me with my life and health?
Time based: Set a reasonable time frame to finish your efforts. If you like, you can set another goal later.
"If you set a bar too high, you may fail, so it's better to set smaller goals to achieve it," Hafeez said. "Nothing starts without an honest conversation with yourself."
Many of us may be familiar with SMART goals from work or school settings, which are used to help people set attainable goals. It stands for:
Specific: Set an achievable goal, such as cutting back on drinking 3 days a week. You can add days until you reach your final goal.
Measurable: How many drinks will you cut -- and what are the drink sizes? A beer is 12 ounces, a glass of wine is a 5 ounces and a serving of spirits is 1.5 ounces.
Achievable: Make sure there are not a bunch of social engagements where alcohol is likely to be served during your month of abstention.
Relevant: How is not drinking going to help me with my life and health?
Time based: Set a reasonable time frame to finish your efforts. If you like, you can set another goal later.
"If you set a bar too high, you may fail, so it's better to set smaller goals to achieve it," Hafeez said. "Nothing starts without an honest conversation with yourself."
Informing a few friends or family members of your goal can help you reach it, experts say. For some people it may work to announce their plan on social media -- and even invite others to join in and report back on their progress..
"That's where I think 'dry January' has kind of caught on," Wakeman said. "If you publicly state you're going to do something, you're more likely to stick with it than if you keep it to yourself."
Informing a few friends or family members of your goal can help you reach it, experts say. For some people it may work to announce their plan on social media -- and even invite others to join in and report back on their progress..
"That's where I think 'dry January' has kind of caught on," Wakeman said. "If you publicly state you're going to do something, you're more likely to stick with it than if you keep it to yourself."
Drinking is often associated with social gatherings or fun, festive times. That can train your brain to see alcohol as a positive. You can combat those urges by replacing your drink of choice with something equally festive or flavorful, experts say.
"For some people it can be just sparkling water, and for other people it's actually having a 'mocktail' or some sort of (non-alcoholic) drink that feels fun and celebratory," Wakeman said.
"Substituting one behavior for another can work because you're tricking your brain," Hafeez said. "That can absolutely help you avoid temptation."
There is an entire industry devoted to making non-alcoholic drinks that taste (at least a bit) like the real thing. Some even claim to have added ingredients that are "calming" or "healthy."
"I'm skeptical of anything that claims to relax you or have amazing health benefits that comes in a glass regardless of what it is," Wakeman said. "But if it's an alternative that allows you to feel like you're not missing out on a social situation, and helps you make the changes that you want to your alcohol consumption, I don't think there's any downside to that."
Drinking is often associated with social gatherings or fun, festive times. That can train your brain to see alcohol as a positive. You can combat those urges by replacing your drink of choice with something equally festive or flavorful, experts say.
"For some people it can be just sparkling water, and for other people it's actually having a 'mocktail' or some sort of (non-alcoholic) drink that feels fun and celebratory," Wakeman said.
"Substituting one behavior for another can work because you're tricking your brain," Hafeez said. "That can absolutely help you avoid temptation."
There is an entire industry devoted to making non-alcoholic drinks that taste (at least a bit) like the real thing. Some even claim to have added ingredients that are "calming" or "healthy."
"I'm skeptical of anything that claims to relax you or have amazing health benefits that comes in a glass regardless of what it is," Wakeman said. "But if it's an alternative that allows you to feel like you're not missing out on a social situation, and helps you make the changes that you want to your alcohol consumption, I don't think there's any downside to that."
Even if you don't end up cutting out all alcohol, tracking your emotions and urges to discover your triggers can be very helpful information, Wakeman said.
"Even just measuring your behavior, whether it's alcohol or exercise or your diet can be an intervention inand of itself," she said.
"Even if someone's not yet ready to make changes, just keeping a diary of when you're drinking, what situations you're drinking more and how you're feeling at those times, can really help you identify sort of trigger situations where you may be more likely to drink," Wakeman added.
Even if you don't end up cutting out all alcohol, tracking your emotions and urges to discover your triggers can be very helpful information, Wakeman said.
"Even just measuring your behavior, whether it's alcohol or exercise or your diet can be an intervention inand of itself," she said.
"Even if someone's not yet ready to make changes, just keeping a diary of when you're drinking, what situations you're drinking more and how you're feeling at those times, can really help you identify sort of trigger situations where you may be more likely to drink," Wakeman added.
There's an additional piece that's important in successfully accomplishing a "dry January," experts say. It's important to notice if you -- or a loved one -- are showing any negative symptoms from cutting back or eliminating alcohol. It could be a sign that you need professional help to reach your goal.
"The first thing to be mindful of is whether or not you actually have an alcohol use disorder," Wakeman said. "If someone's been drinking very heavily every single day and is at risk for withdrawal symptoms, then it can actually be dangerous to stop abruptly."
A person with a true alcohol use disorder, who has gotten used to having a certain level of alcohol in their body every single day, can go into withdrawal and experience severe physical symptoms like shakiness, sweating, rapid heart rate and seizures.
"That would be a real indication that you need to talk to a medical professional about getting medical treatment for withdrawal and not stopping on your own," Wakeman said.
There's an additional piece that's important in successfully accomplishing a "dry January," experts say. It's important to notice if you -- or a loved one -- are showing any negative symptoms from cutting back or eliminating alcohol. It could be a sign that you need professional help to reach your goal.
"The first thing to be mindful of is whether or not you actually have an alcohol use disorder," Wakeman said. "If someone's been drinking very heavily every single day and is at risk for withdrawal symptoms, then it can actually be dangerous to stop abruptly."
A person with a true alcohol use disorder, who has gotten used to having a certain level of alcohol in their body every single day, can go into withdrawal and experience severe physical symptoms like shakiness, sweating, rapid heart rate and seizures.
"That would be a real indication that you need to talk to a medical professional about getting medical treatment for withdrawal and not stopping on your own," Wakeman said.
Making a list of benefits that you experience from sobriety can help you identify why you decided to take on the Dry January challenge. “If you feel yourself wanting a drink, check this list so you can reconnect with your purpose,” White said. Journaling is a good way to track your progress, according to Davis. Write down your successes and struggles throughout the month to see how “your mood and physical being improves.”
Don’t let others hold you back
“Many times, the fear of what people will say is worse in our heads than reality,” White said.
You don’t need to explain why you aren’t drinking. Rather than making up elaborate excuses when asked, learn to set boundaries. “Keep it simple — say, ‘I’m not drinking tonight’ or ‘I’m not drinking right now,’ and change the subject,” she said.
Share the positives of your Dry January experience and then offer your plan to continue experimenting to see how this lifestyle fits for you. And remember, you don’t need to make any public commitments.
Find a support system
“Try to recruit friends or family to join you on your quest for Dry January or a sober-curious life,” said Davis, who also runs the Facebook support group Soulbriety Society. Apps like Reframe and Tempest or community groups like Join Soberish and This Naked Mind offer community chatting, lessons, coaches, and more.
