What happens after a parched January?

Laura Van Antwerp tried Droughty January for the first time 11 years ago. Like many who participate in this month-long sobriety challenge, she reveled in the immediate benefits: she slept better, went to the gym more often, and saved money.

But as February approached, Ms. Van Antwerp was excited – “maybe too excited,” she admitted – to drink again. After the six-week trip, she would be traveling to Southeast Asia and imagined sipping a glass of wine in Bangkok when she got off the plane.

“I couldn’t even wait that long,” said Van Antwerp, 40. “I ended up drinking at the airport and getting too drunk at the gate.”

While people like Ms. Van Antwerp tend to put a lot of thought and effort into planning for (and falling through) a month of sobriety, they don’t necessarily take into account Off-Ramp-and what they want to take away from the experience. “It’s one of the most significant parts of the month,” said Gillian Tietz, host of the Sober Powered podcast, “and something a lot of people don’t think about very much.”

But Research suggests That people who participate in Droughty January are more concerned about their drinking habits for the rest of the year than those who don’t. So we talked to several addiction specialists and sober influencers about how to take advantage of the month and adopt mindful drinking in the future.

Reflect on your experience.

At its core, Droughty January is about gathering information about your relationship with alcohol, said Joseph Schacht, a psychology professor at the University of Colorado School of Medicine who studies the treatment of alcohol and addictive disorders.

“I always encourage people to really check in with their bodies after any period of abstinence or reducing drinking,” Dr. Schacht said. “Does your body feel better when you don’t do it? If so, this is a really significant signal you should listen to.”

Ms. Van Antwerp, who runs the social media account, your sober buddy, echoed the recommendation. Sober for seven years, she realizes that her first break from alcohol over a decade ago was a step towards a novel relationship with alcohol.

“I would like to write about how I feel, what I was thinking, my mood, you know, how I navigate certain situations without alcohol,” she said. “I wish I would have addressed why I was reaching for the drink so I could have better understood.”

Experts are very clear that Droughty January is no substitute for treatment Alcohol use disorder. But it can offer participants a physical and mental reset, and there is evidence that most participants want to change their drinking habits beyond these 30 days. Test In 2016, it was found that subjects were still drinking less six months after the challenge than before.

Even if you’re a moderate or occasional drinker, you may ask yourself questions like “could I commit to the month in the way I imagined?” Suggested by Noah Emery, an assistant professor of psychology at Colorado State University with a specialization in substance operate. Also: “What have I learned about myself along the way?”

Reflect on your accomplishments, even if you slip up, Dr. Emery said. Research suggests Droughty January participants feel more confident in their ability to make intentional drinking choices – regardless of whether they abstain all the time.

Shake.

Alcohol is so embedded in our social fabric and in many of our routines that drinking can become “an afterthought,” Dr. Emery said.

“Droughty January is an opportunity to get out of autopilot,” he added.

Think about situations in which you might drink and consider how you can change them, said Ms. Tietz, who stopped drinking in 2019.

If you’re someone who tends to down a glass of wine right after work, could you reach for a non-alcoholic drink instead or try to find another relaxing habit? Add this to your January post-shipment plan and stock up on non-alcoholic deliveries ahead of time.

If you usually meet friends for dinner or elated hour, Ms. Tietz said, maybe go to the movies or have coffee instead. (Bonus: mixing up the socializing can also lend a hand you grow closer to each other.)

You may also want to reassess how much you drink after Droughty January, as your tolerance may have become lower, Dr. Emery warned. “Drinking the same amount you’re used to will likely create a different intoxication profile than you’re used to,” he said.

So if you start drinking again in February, consider how you will change your drinking habits. Dr. Emery said sip water between drinks, check in with yourself, make sure you have a designated driver, and so on.

Set specific drinking goals.

Making a plan is a more significant part of drinking more mindfully. Ask yourself, “What do I want to do for the rest of the year?” Dr. Schacht said. He added that if your goal is to moderate your drinking, it’s significant to name that goal and track your consumption to hold yourself accountable.

You might consider holding off for another 30 or 60 days, Ms. Tietz recommended. “Nobody wants to hear that!” She added with laughter. But in her experience, it may take longer to truly experience the changes that can come with abstinence.

After 60 days without alcohol, “I actually felt like I was waking up from a dream,” Tietz said. “It was very noticeable when I could think clearly. And then I could really understand what it was doing in my life.”