RESEARCH shows that half of people who start Dry January give up in the second week of the month.

Of 2000 UK adults polled, 50% gave up on Dry January in the second week of the month – with most giving up on 16 January.

This January, Director of Public Health at Gloucestershire County Council, Siobhan Farmer, urges Gloucestershire residents to double their chances of making January alcohol-free with the Try Dry app from Alcohol Change UK.

Siobhan says: “My 2023 Director of Public Health report was on the ripple effect of alcohol – on our physical and mental health, our families, jobs, and our communities.

"Focussing on alcohol can lead to criticisms of being the fun police, but it would be remiss of me to ignore alcohol when it can have such a big impact on our health and wellbeing.”

Around 1 in 5 people (21%) are consuming levels which put them at an increased risk of harm, and this threshold for harm is often much lower than we realise.

An anonymous case study in the report said: “I didn’t drink during the week (on a school night!) but would on a Friday and Saturday night.

"I had suffered with anxiety for a few years, and this started to get worse.

"My sleep pattern was all over the place, particularly at weekends; during the day I was finding it harder to join in with the kids and be happy and the headaches were getting worse.

"I realised I was finding that my ‘relaxing’ glass of wine on a Friday evening was no longer making me relaxed and happy but was more often than not making me moody and grumpy.”

Data from GPs shows that taking part in Dry January is a common trigger point for people to cut down on the amount of alcohol they drink.

Siobhan continues: “We know that providing clear information and advice about alcohol and its health risks helps people make informed choices about drinking.

"Taking part in initiatives like Dry January encourages people to drink less and can ‘reset’ our relationship with alcohol.

"So if you want to take part, why not try the free app and see if it can help you reach a whole month alcohol-free.”

Double your chances of making a month alcohol-free with the free Try Dry app at www.alcoholchange.org.uk.