CHICAGO (WBBM NEWSRADIO) — For anyone kicking off the New Year by abstaining from alcohol, an addiction specialist has some suggestions to help get the most out of a sober start to 2023.
Marc Turner, the Interim CEO of the Gateway Foundation, said while Dry January can be good for losing weight or saving money, he thinks people should also reflect on what drives them to drink during the other 11 months of the year.
“And why they would choose to abstain,” Turner said. “What’s going on in that relationship that they want to potentially explore a different way of having that relationship.”
Those who successfully skip booze for 31 days will likely notice a more restful sleep, Turner said, but he also noted Dry January won’t be an easy endeavor for all.
“There are probably going to be other people who are going to experience cravings and the inability to maintain this, and those are folks that should probably think about getting some help in dealing with their relationship with alcohol,” he said.
Turner cautioned against taking a month off of drinking if it means you’ll overdo it come February.
“There are a lot of people, who have this disease, who can quit for a period of time, and then, usually, when they resume, they resume at higher levels and kind of double down on it,” he said. “And they feel proud: ‘I quit for a while, I deserve to drink this much more when I resume the drinking.’”
Studies have found more people drinking since the COVID-19 pandemic began, but Turner said he’s hopeful that increased awareness and attention to breaks like this will help people identify addiction.
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