No matter your reason, there is plenty of research pointing to the benefits of taking a break from alcohol. If you went dry in January because you think you have been drinking too much, too often, and you are worried about what you do when you drink too much, you’re not alone.

If your alcohol consumption was not a problem before Dry January and you are comfortable going back to enjoying alcohol after January 31, good for you. Consider yourself fortunate to not live with the negative effects of substance use disorder a’la alcoholism.

As a recovering alcoholic with double-digit years of continuous sobriety, I stopped drinking many times before I found a way to stay stopped. I am a recreational endurance athlete, and I would often “detox” for up to a couple weeks before a big race. After each feat, I rewarded myself by going back to my normal drinking routine. When problems arose at home and work, directly or indirectly related to my drinking, I swore off alcohol. Many times. Each of those oaths evaporated when eventually I decided I could have an occasional drink. The occasional drink grew into a couple drinks, which increased to daily, which devolved into the same situations that led me to swear off drinking.

Once, I was in a relationship counseling program that required abstinence from all mind-affecting substances for three months. I was proud that I could keep the plug in the jug for the duration. I told myself it proved that I was not an alcoholic. I did not drink the next day. Before long, I gave myself permission to drink “moderately” and not long after that I was drinking as much as before the program. My experiences mirrored those I have heard many times in the rooms of recovery: once I started drinking again, I was soon drinking as much and as frequently as before my break.

It can be easier to avoid drinking when everyone around you is abstaining. If the people you spend time with jump back into drinking while you try to stay dry, it can be more difficult. Chances are, even if they are not saying it out loud, some people you know who are doing Dry January also want to stay dry in February and beyond. Declare yourself. Tell your circle you plan to keep it going and see who wants to join you. Support each other in your journey.

As January fades into the past, if you find yourself again worried about your alcohol consumption, you can find support to stay dry throughout the year. The classic 12-step program for alcoholism has in-person and online meetings, and you do not have to declare yourself an alcoholic to attend and observe many of their meetings. You can find their books online so you can see what they are about without attending meetings. 

There are also newer programs developed by people who did not feel comfortable in the traditional 12-step format: programs built on a Buddhist framework, programs built from the ground up on academic research into addiction and recovery, programs based in yoga. Look around – there is probably a program with in-person meetings near you, in addition to always accessible online meetings and information.

If you made it through Dry January, you can keep it going if you want. I recently met a recovering alcoholic who has been sober for 60 years. When you ask people with long-term sobriety how they have stayed stopped for decades, they have a common answer: one day at a time.

Kevin A. Peter, M.Ed., lives in northwest Philadelphia where he maintains sobriety through frequent participation in recovery support groups. He is Executive Director of Ready, Willing & Able Philadelphia, which works with men recovering from substance use disorder.