My Dry January turned into something I never expected

It’s that time of year again: everyone is desperately trying to better themselves, whether that be cutting out the booze, attempting to stick to a rigorously curated gym plan, or swapping out their screen time for ‘analogue hobbies’.

There’s something about the clock striking midnight on 31 December that just seems to thrust everyone into a panic-spiral of changing their entire lives. And I’m sure I’m not alone when I say I actually find it all quite overwhelming.

While I’ve passed on coming up with a 10-page word document on how I want to reinvent myself (again) this year, I have decided to dabble in Dry January - and it’s not my first time.

For those unfamiliar with Dry January, it’s essentially a challenge to cut out all alcohol for an entire month. And this year, Alcohol Change UK (ACUK), which runs the challenge, said that as many as 17.5 million people are expected to be taking part in 2026.

Right now, millions of Brits are coming up to the final hurdle of Dry January (Getty Stock Image)

I first gave the challenge a go a few years back, and it manifested into something I never expected.

At the time, I was in my early twenties living in London, and the decision came off the back of a particularly boozy run of Christmas nights out that had ended with lapses in memory and a breakfast date with my toilet bowl. Back then, my life was pretty much dictated by FOMO, aka the fear of missing out, so it was rare I said no to plans.

I’d spent many mornings bed-rotting and hungover, watching TikTok’s ‘clean girls’ talking about how they’d ditched alcohol for good and were instead spending their mornings drinking green juice and attending yoga classes.

If there's one thing social media is bound to do, it's spark comparison. I was jealous of their seemingly put-together lives, wellness morning rituals and glowing skin - it must all be down to sobriety, I told myself. Maybe I should give it a try; after all, it seemed like the trendy thing to do.

Most of us Gen Zers will have noticed that the tide has turned; ‘grandma core’ and wellness influencers have made it clear that it’s no longer cool to be out all night clubbing and wake up wearing last night’s makeup (apart from the revival that came from brat summer, but you get me). This change, paired with the crippling hangxiety I suffered after one two many margaritas, meant I got well and truly sucked in.

I decided there and then that I was going to quit drinking for good and told my family not to bother sending over the bottle of gin I got for Christmas, because I was now ‘sober’.

I completely immersed myself, followed a slew of sober-curious TikTokers, and proudly said no to any cocktail, shot or pint my friends offered me.

It's not my first time giving the 31-day challenge a go - I once stuck it out for six months (Tyla)

And I wasn’t the only one.

Speaking on the surge of young people trying Dry January or going sober altogether, clinical psychologist and co-founder of US Therapy Rooms, Daniel Glazer, explained to Tyla: “People often participate in Dry January, eager to hit the reset button following holiday excess.

“This trend resonates widely, including with Gen Z, a generation acutely aware of alcohol’s impact on mental health, sleep and productivity.

“And given how inflation has sent grocery and beverage prices soaring, abstaining from alcohol is also a financial win.”

He continued: “There's a general trend toward mindfulness and awareness of how alcohol and certain other behaviours impact us. As people realise how good it feels to be sober, or sober curious, they want to sustain that feeling - and this hits home for many in Gen Z too.”

Diana Bell-Irving, nutritionist at electrolyte drink brand nonni, also explained that Dry January has ‘evolved from a detox challenge’ into a ‘cultural reset’.

Dry January has ‘evolved from a detox challenge’ into a ‘cultural reset’ (Getty Stock Image)

She outlined: "For many people, particularly younger adults, it is less about punishment or restriction and more about curiosity - how do I feel without alcohol in my system?”

Importantly, Bell-Irving also noted that with the more people going sober, the shift ‘has become a shared experiment rather than a lonely resolution’. You're essentially praised rather than being the odd one out.

“Gen Z are less persuaded by tradition for tradition’s sake. The question is no longer 'Why wouldn’t I drink?' but 'What am I gaining from it?' Dry January offers a low-risk way to test that answer,” she explained.

The expert added: "What we are seeing instead is a move toward intentional consumption. Some people remain sober year-round, while others drink occasionally and consciously. The rigidity of 'one dry month' matters less than the mindset shift it helped create."

And this was exactly true for me; my sober streak lasted a whopping six months, where I drank copious amounts of Diet Coke and alcohol-free alternatives. I finally understood the hype, my anxiety dramatically lessened, I tried new hobbies, I saved a lot of money, and at one point, I thought I'd never look back. I still said yes to all of my usual plans, although staying out until 2am and being surrounded by drunk people while drinking lemonade only was an experience I can only describe as like watching a reality TV show unfold in real life.

Admittedly, there were friendships that dropped off a bit because of my new 'sober' tag, but that only helped me understand who was worth keeping around.

The challenge taught me that you can do both and that's okay (Getty Stock Image)

Ultimately, after hitting the six-month mark, I began to miss going for a cocktail (not mocktail) with my friends or enjoying a glass of wine at a family meal, but crucially, I didn't miss the way drinking sometimes made me feel.

Gradually, I started having a drink every now and then again and realised that my relationship with alcohol has definitely changed for the better. I learned that you don't have to be completely all or nothing. You can do both.

Bell-Irving explained: "Perhaps most importantly, Dry January helps people rebuild a healthier relationship with drinking. Awareness alone can be transformative."

For some people of course, going sober is life changing and in no way am I discrediting that. It definitely taught me so much about myself, including that I can say no to a drink if I want to and the world won't end.

Equally though, one boozy night out that results in a hangover isn't going to ruin your entire week. Not every aspect of your life is going to look like it was plucked from Wellness TikTok, and that's okay, no matter what the internet might try to tell you.

Now, I'm somewhere in the happy middle. I've enjoyed taking part in Dry January this month after a tipsy Christmas... but I'd be lying if I didn't say I was looking forward to a spicy margarita at the end.

And I have Dry January to thank for all of it!