From January 1, many tens of thousands of Dutch people will start with Dry January, not drinking alcohol for a month. A healthy start to the new year, but how do you prevent yourself from falling back in February? Addiction doctor Sigrid Sijthoff answers.
Sijthoff is the founder of addiction care institution Kick your habits and author of the book Cheers!, for those who don’t want to stop drinking. She developed a free online ‘Dry January Training’ to structurally drink less and differently after January. More than half of the Dutch people do not adhere to the advice of no to one glass of alcohol per day. This is evident from figures from the Trimbos Institute.
About 53 percent of women follow the advice compared to 30 percent of men. Is it harder for men?
,,Yes that’s right. This is a cultural difference. It is traditionally more common for men to drink than women. For example, the male beer belly is a well-known proverb. Public drinking is not nearly as accepted for women, traditionally the café is mainly a male stronghold. And if it’s less accepted for you as a woman, you’re more likely to try your best to curb it. So it is also the case that when women drink, they do so secretly more often.”
Do you follow the advice yourself?
“I also notice that it is more difficult to stop after two or three glasses. The Health Council recommends one glass, but I think it is easier in principle not to drink and sometimes to drink.”
What happens to your body if you don’t drink alcohol for a month?
,, If you don’t drink for a month, this is a detox for all your organs. In addition, you sleep better and your blood pressure drops. You also lose weight faster. There are a lot of calories in alcohol and when you drink, you will snack faster. Alcohol is also not good for our brain and mood. This can make you depressed or stressed in the long term.”
For how many people is alcohol consumption really a problem?
“Around 7 percent of the Dutch are an excessive drinker (2020), which was still 8.5 percent in 2019. In general, people drink less. Whether alcohol becomes an addiction does not depend on how much you drink, but whether you have become really dependent on it, and whether you are causing harm to yourself or others.”
What other benefits does Dry January have?
“There is often less arguing. The drink disinhibits you and makes you fiercer. This gives you a shorter fuse. You can also save money and become more productive. When you plop down on the couch in the evening with a beer or wine, there is a greater chance that you will not get rid of it. Finally, it is good for your self-confidence. You can be proud of yourself if you last a month and/or if you learn new habits afterwards.”
Can I also be proud if I relapse?
,,Sure! You can learn from it by finding out what went wrong. Then pick up the thread again.”
How can I best deal with parties, birthdays and social events during the alcohol-free month?
,, It differs per person whether you cancel appointments for a while or whether you do go and only drink water and 0.0 that evening. When the going gets tough, you go home. Make sure you have eaten something beforehand, so the chance that you drink is also smaller.”
A month without alcohol is not life-changing. How do you do that after January?
“For example, try not to drink a few days a week, and only drink occasionally in company, such as during an evening with friends, parties, vacation or a weekend away.”
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