Dry January is a Thing… Are You Participating?

Lots of folks make resolutions for the new year. I heard somewhere that most of them are dropped by today.. just three short days after you shared your Facebook post to the world about all the big changes you are going to make in your life. Well, at least you tried.

There is a growing trend called Dry January. It's exactly what it sounds like. You quit drinking for the month of January. January seems like a good month to do it, I guess. There are no big holidays or occasions that pressure social drinking. Maybe you overdid it through the holidays and your body is saying "give me a break".

Some people participate in Dry January just to prove that they're not a raging alcoholic, and verify to themselves that "I can stop whenever I want to." Benefits of not-drinking for a month may include: sleeping better, losing weight and generally feeling better. You'll save some money too.

Bigger cities like Denver are seeing a growing trend of non-drinking social clubs and some bars that are adding more specialty virgin "mocktail" drink options to their menu. People still want to go out and socialize and have fun but are doing so without getting hammered at the bar.

Experts say be cautious going dry, especially if you are a heavy drinker. Alcohol withdrawal is serious and can be dangerous, even deadly. And if you think you really have a serious drinking problem, it's recommended you seek treatment from a professional, instead of trying to do it on your own. Personally, I won't go completely dry this month. I enjoy beer too much. But for various reasons I think I will try to cut back a little.