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Dry January: What A Month Of Sobriety Can Reveal

Pixabay.com
Some find it much harder than others to turn down alcohol for Dry January.

Dry January, a 31-day break from alcohol, began in Britain and started to gain popularity a few years ago. It is now a government-sponsored public health campaign there. And it has been a steadily growing movement in the United States, as more people here enter the new year with a commitment to swear-off alcohol for the month.

Research shows there are several benefits to not drinking, from losing weight to getting a better night's sleep. But is avoiding alcohol for just one month the right way to control your drinking? And while peer pressure to "have just one" in social settings may make it harder to avoid, if someone finds it truly difficult to stay away from alcohol for a month, is that a sign he may have a drinking problem?

Joining us to discuss the benefits and drawbacks of Dry January are Director of Clinical Services with the Center for Addiction Treatment, Michelle Pritchard; Professor and Vice-Chair for Clinical Research in the Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Neuroscience at the University of Cincinnati College of Medicine, Dr. Cal Adler; and Dr. Nadeem Anwar, associate professor in the UC College of Medicine Division of Digestive Diseases and a UC Health physician.