‘Knowing how it works for me’: a qualitative interview study of the use of personalised approaches to manage common challenges during Dry January
Research article
Study Background and Aim
Temporary alcohol-free challenges, during which people voluntarily live free from alcohol for a short period, may contribute to reducing alcohol consumption at the population level. Dry January is well-established in the UK with 175,000 people registering for the official campaign, organised by the charity Alcohol Change UK, in 2023. Millions more participate ‘unofficially,’ attempting an alcohol-free January independently. Participation in Dry January and similar campaigns has been linked with enduring reductions in alcohol consumption, physical health improvements and increased wellbeing.
Some outcomes, including increased belief in one’s ability to refuse alcohol and improved health and wellbeing are more likely to be reported by participants registering for the campaign than those participating ‘unofficially’, indicating the necessity of understanding both ‘official’ and ‘unofficial’ Dry January experiences.
Despite the potential benefits, living alcohol-free temporarily is not without difficulties. Stress, alcohol use triggers, alcohol’s dominance in society and social pressures are some of the challenges faced by those joining an alcohol-free challenge, such as Dry January. The literature identifies several strategies used to manage these challenges including planning ahead of social occasions, reducing or avoiding socialising and publicly committing to an alcohol-free period.
Additionally, because alcohol consumption is a highly routinised social practice that coexists and is interwoven with other social practices, such as eating, socialising and watching television, changes to alcohol consumption also affect these intertwined practices. Considering how use of strategies to avoid alcohol use influences interlinked practices is necessary to develop a more holistic understanding of people’s Dry January experiences.
People temporarily going alcohol-free report using online supports including smartphone apps and social media. Access to online groups enables people to give and receive support and to observe the experiences of others and normalise the difficulties they may be experiencing. Access to ACUK’s supports is the main factor differentiating the ‘official’ and ‘unofficial’ Dry January experience.
Focussing on the challenges of temporary abstinence and the strategies individuals use to negotiate them, this paper aims to develop a deeper, more nuanced understanding of how people avoid drinking during Dry January and beyond.
Findings and Conclusions
Four themes were constructed around common challenges to going alcohol-free during and following Dry January:
- breaking the routine,
- dealing with socialising whilst living alcohol-free,
- avoiding loss of motivation, and
- dealing with the potential for ‘failure’.
Whilst challenges were shared, approaches to managing them were diverse. ‘Official’ and ‘unofficial’ experiences overlapped in many places with just a few key points of difference. Selecting preferred strategies for specific challenges, adapting strategies to meet individual needs and tailoring their use of supports enabled people to take a personalised approach to Dry January.
Each Dry January experience is unique. Whilst people face common challenges in breaking routines, negotiating socialising, maintaining motivation and dealing with ‘failure,’ they take personalised approaches to overcome them. The same strategy may be enacted in different ways to achieve different aims or address different challenges. Elsewhere, distinctly contrasting approaches, for example actively managing others’ expectations and ‘stealth’ approaches to socialising, appeared equally effective. Some strategies preserved the meaning of particular social practices emphasising the importance of facilitating personalisation within the formal Dry January campaign. Strategies were adapted and developed during January and maintained throughout the year in response to changing goals, pressures, knowledge and psychological capability.
Breaking the routine: practices used by participants
Participants described alcohol use as embedded in daily and weekly routines, particularly around transitions such as finishing work, cooking, or relaxing in the evening. To disrupt these routines during Dry January, many limited the availability of alcohol at home and ensured easy access to alcohol-free substitutes, including no- and low-alcohol beverages and soft drinks. These substitutes allowed participants to preserve the symbolic role of a beverage in marking transitions or relaxation while avoiding alcohol, especially during the early stages of the alcohol-free period.
Some participants used alcohol-free drinks strategically to manage urges, allowing time for cravings to pass and prompting reflection on whether alcohol was actually desired. Others replaced alcohol with alternative beverages during familiar practices, such as cooking, though in some cases previous routines later re-emerged, albeit less frequently. Several participants also changed their physical environment or activities, deliberately moving away from spaces associated with alcohol use or engaging in activities they did not associate with alcohol use, such as exercise or hobbies, to weaken habitual links between context, activity, and alcohol consumption.
Dealing with socialising while going alcohol-free: practices used by participants
Participants used a range of strategies to continue socialising while living alcohol-free. Many prepared themselves in advance of social situations, replacing the role alcohol previously played in boosting confidence with mental preparation and reassurance that they could socialise free from alcohol. As people gained experience, this preparation often became less necessary, with successful alcohol-free interactions strengthening confidence and self-belief.
Some participants adapted their social routines by prioritising more meaningful connections and spending less time in alcohol-centred environments. This included choosing settings and gatherings that supported conversation and connection rather than alcohol use, and in some cases reducing time spent with people or in spaces where alcohol remained the focus.
Participants also actively managed how others responded to their decision not to use alcohol. Some told friends or hosts in advance that they would not be using alcohol to reduce awkwardness or pressure, while others asserted their decision in the moment, even when faced with repeated encouragement to use alcohol. A smaller group chose a more discreet approach, declining alcohol without explanation or temporarily avoiding social situations altogether to minimise pressure, although this sometimes led to feelings of isolation.
Avoiding loss of motivation: practices used by participants
Participants described staying motivated as an active process that often relied on support from others. Many took part alongside friends, partners, or peers and drew motivation from mutual encouragement, regular check-ins, and shared progress. Those who registered officially also used online communities, where both receiving encouragement and supporting others helped sustain motivation and reduced feelings of isolation, particularly during the month itself.
People used different approaches to managing goals to avoid feeling overwhelmed. Some broke the month into short, manageable timeframes – focusing on one day at a time – while others avoided setting fixed goals altogether to reduce pressure and protect confidence if plans changed. Monitoring progress over time, such as tracking alcohol-free days or noticing increases in use after January, helped some participants stay alert to slipping back into old patterns and prompted renewed action.
Many participants used rewards to maintain momentum. These included immediate, non-alcohol rewards, saving money for something meaningful at the end of the month, or using digital tools that offered daily feedback and small affirmations of progress. While approaches differed, participants consistently described choosing strategies that felt personally relevant and supportive in helping them stay engaged and continue alcohol-free or reduced-alcohol patterns beyond January.
Dealing with the potential for “failure”: practices used by participants
Participants differed in how they defined success during Dry January. Some viewed only complete sobriety as success, while others adopted a more flexible approach, allowing for planned or limited use without seeing the month as unsuccessful. This flexibility helped some people avoid an all-or-nothing response and reduced the risk that a lapse would lead them to abandon the effort altogether.
Many participants responded to lapses by focusing on progress rather than perfection. Acknowledging how many alcohol-free days they had achieved, and viewing lapses as part of learning rather than personal failure, helped people regain momentum and continue. This approach was often linked to increased confidence in their ability to return to alcohol-free living after a setback.
Participants also used self-talk to manage moments of doubt. Some used encouraging, self-compassionate messages to reinforce persistence, while others used more critical inner dialogue to push themselves forward. Although the tone differed, both approaches were used with the same aim: to stay engaged with their goals and continue changing the role alcohol plays in their lives.
Flexibility, Self-Reflection, and Personalised Paths Through Dry January
The study results suggest people evaluated the benefit of particular strategies at particular times, adjusting their behaviour accordingly.
Similar approaches were taken by those registered for the ‘official’ campaign and interviewees undertaking an ‘unofficial’ Dry January, with only a few notable points of difference. ‘Unofficial’ participants did not report using digital tools and discussed goal-setting and self-monitoring considerably less than their ‘official’ counterparts. They did, however, describe ‘going stealth’ to manage others’ attitudes and prioritising meaningful social interaction, neither of which were reported by ‘official’ interviewees.
The study highlights constructs which have not previously been discussed in the context of Dry January or other alcohol-free challenges, e.g. self-compassion. Future research should establish whether these constructs underpin changes in consumption linked with participation in Dry January. If so, these findings could be exploited by campaign organisers, for example, by incorporation into digital supports.
The study also emphasises the need to take a nuanced approach to measuring and quantifying Dry January experiences. The notion of an individual’s Dry January being ‘successful’ or ‘unsuccessful’ according to whether or not they maintained total abstinence may be a false dichotomy. Future research should take a broader view of the measurement of ‘success.’
Finally, this study illustrates the importance of acknowledging and retaining the flexibility inherent in any type of dry January and demonstrates that registering for a campaign does not reduce this flexibility. Indeed, the availability of tools and numerous ways in which they can be utilised arguably increases opportunities for customisation. Alcohol-free challenges, including Dry January, could and should capitalise on this by providing more tools and inspiration for people to personalise strategy use and build their own Dry January.
Abstract
Background
Participation in temporary abstinence challenges such as Dry January is associated with benefits including enduring reductions in alcohol consumption. However, undertaking temporary abstinence requires people to negotiate certain challenges. Building on previous research, we examined how and why particular strategies were used to address challenges and how use developed following January. Given differences in reported outcomes, we also explored differences and similarities in strategy use between ‘official’ UK Dry January registrants and those attempting an ‘unofficial’ alcohol-free January.
Method
We conducted 16 online semi-structured interviews with individuals who participated ‘officially’ or ‘unofficially’ in Dry January 2022 and who, prior to this, were regular drinkers. Data were analysed using reflexive thematic analysis and themes constructed around the common challenges people faced and the strategies used to address them.
Results
Four themes were generated: breaking the routine, dealing with socialising whilst not drinking, avoiding loss of motivation, and dealing with the potential for ‘failure.’ People took personalised approaches to addressing these challenges, retaining the meaning of important rituals and practices whilst still changing their alcohol consumption. This personalisation was reflected in the variation in strategy use and adaptation of strategies over time. Despite overall variation in strategy use, many strategies were employed by both ‘official’ and ‘unofficial’ participants.
Conclusions
Dry January provides an opportunity for people to learn what strategies do and do not work for them. Capitalising on the flexibility of Dry January to offer additional opportunities for personalisation may help people get the most from their Dry January experience.