“Dry January is a great trend”

Ms. Bührer, do you feel the New Year’s resolutions? More people seeking help at an addiction prevention center in January?
Not significantly. There are always a few people who make New Year’s resolutions like this and show up later, but mostly it’s individual triggers that push someone to seek help.

What triggers are these?
For example, when the partner gives an ultimatum and threatens to end the relationship for alcohol consumption. Or when your friends, superiors, or coworkers approach you. Often there are also restrictions, for example if you had to give up your driver’s license. Sometimes a near miss is enough. However, sometimes people realize that they are uncomfortable with their consumption, that they are out of control, and that’s why they come.

Are there any early warning signs to look out for?
It is sometimes difficult to recognize them, as different drinking habits and different amounts are considered socially acceptable in different social circles or countries. The automaticity of alcohol consumption is a big warning sign, meaning you automatically drink wine, beer, or other alcohol every evening, whether you’re out or at home, and you no longer make any active decisions for or against alcohol consumption. This is a very good early warning sign. For example, it becomes a little more difficult when you realize that you need alcohol to relax and have fun, to get rid of negative thoughts or to fall asleep. As soon as you need alcohol to “get off” something, that’s a big warning sign.

What happens if you ignore this?
Then there comes the moment when you can no longer do without it, you need to drink to find the “cool” exit, fall asleep or so-called depressed. And soon, the well-known withdrawal symptoms appear when you try to do without it: restlessness, tremors, headaches, sleep problems, sweating, and psychologically, depression or anxiety.

Speaking of quitting: a lot of people give up in January entirely on alcohol. Is there any benefit in continuing to drink as usual afterward?
Absolutely! “Dry January” is a super trend. For three reasons: First, this dry month offers an opportunity to see if alcohol consumption is still appropriate. If it’s easy for you to do without it and you still had a nice evening, then peace of mind. However, if you find that it’s too difficult – because of yourself or your environment – for example, if you have to justify not drinking all the time, that’s a clear warning. The second reason is that many people have become more conscious about alcohol in the long run after the “Dry January”. And third: even if you do not drink alcohol for a week, or better yet, for a month, the body immediately begins to build and repair.

Do more people abstain from alcohol today than in the past?
It depends on the environment you are moving in. There is a peak among 65-year-olds after retirement. Unfortunately, binge drinking has also increased among youth aged 15 to 19, especially among girls. In fact, overall social alcohol consumption in Switzerland has been declining since 2000.

This is good news! What are the reasons for this?
Some sections of society have become more health-conscious and more critical of what they eat. If that means non-drinkers don’t have to constantly justify themselves to society as a whole, that’s a very good thing.