Dry January taught me a few lessons

I'm not a heavy drinker, I'm not a binge drinker, I'm not an "I've had a tough day at work and need a glass of wine" drinker. But, I am a "it's the weekend, I'm going to have a glass of something” drinker. A middle-lane drinker.

I'd never heard of that phrase before. You see, in my eyes, there were three types of people; people who don't drink, people who, when they do drink, only have one or two, and people who are addicted to alcohol. In my narrow-minded brain, I just assumed that the latter were the only ones with a serious problem. Silly, I know. However, after listening to the podcast On The Mend, specifically an episode with former footballer Andy Ramage, my views on this changed somewhat.

He describes how, yes, alcoholics need help but he also goes into detail about how middle-lane drinkers also need some form of help. A middle-lane drinker is a person who enjoys a drink most nights of the week, or goes out at the weekend and has a few too many lemon sherbets. He goes on to talk about how most middle-lane drinkers often don't know the effects alcohol can have on their physical and mental health - with many getting offended if you told them they had a problem they need to address.

It was an interesting podcast that made me think about the amount of alcohol I consume. As I mentioned before, I don't drink a huge amount anymore (I simply can't handle a hangover and am dead to the world for roughly three days afterward) but, I do enjoy two or three at the weekend without really thinking about how much I'm consuming. I was also worried about whether I had a dependency on alcohol and how this was heightened during social gatherings - I can be a socially awkward person and alcohol magically makes this disappear. So, I did what every other person does in January to make themselves feel better, I took part in Dry January.

If you had asked me this time last year whether I would be interested in taking part in this fad I would have told you to fuck off. How could I possibly go a month without enjoying a smooth glass of wine every Friday night? However, this is where the podcast and its effect on my mindset comes in. I went into January 2025 with a completely different outlook.

Did I miss alcohol?

Yes and no. I've always enjoyed a few glasses of something at the weekend - as if it's a treat and I'm rewarding myself for getting through another week. During January, I tried to replace this "treat" with soft drinks, but they didn't quite cut it. I also dabbled into the world of alcohol-free wine and, after a bit of research, found a sparkling rose that tasted pretty good - I would seriously consider it over a bottle of alcoholic wine now and then.

Did I notice any health benefits?

Yes. Although it's hard to tell whether it was from no alcohol, or from exercising regularly and eating relatively well - the jury's out on this one.

I will say I've generally felt better mentally and physically.

How did I find social events?

I'm not exaggerating when I tell you this was a game-changer for me. As mentioned above, I am awkward. I am even more awkward during social events with people I'm not overly close with.

I was put to the test when myself and my colleagues travelled to sunny Birmingham for a work meeting, food in the evening, and a fair bit of drinking afterward. I won’t lie, I was worried I wouldn’t be able to hold a conversation, that I would sit in the corner on my own while everyone else mingled. However, I was fine. Absolutely fine. The idea that I needed to have a few drinks in me in order to socialise was gone and I felt good about it.

Will I drink alcohol again?

Yes. It’s a few days into February as I write this and I’ve already had a few glasses of wine. So yes, I will drink alcohol again, but I am more mindful about how much of it I drink.

Would I do dry Jan again?

Again, yes. I would 100% do it again and am even considering doing it a few times throughout the year. A cleanse is good for the body and soul sometimes.

Anyway enough about me, I'm off to grab a beer. But I'll leave you with this month’s edition of 'let me force my music taste down your throat', I’ve picked a song that I’ve been adding to all my playlists. It’s Haunt Me by Yana.