Are you looking forward to 2025 with more sobriety? New Year's resolutions are often abandoned during the year. On the occasion of “Dry January”, BFMTV.com asked specialists for some advice on how to really stick to your goals over time.
In recent years, “Dry January”, or spending the month of January without drinking alcohol, has become more and more popular in France. After the excesses of the holidays, 7% of French people are even considering more lasting moderation and listing the reduction of their alcohol consumption in their resolutions for 2025, according to a survey carried out by Ipsos for the French Federation of Physical Education and Voluntary Gymnastics (FFEPGV).
But how can you keep this good resolution over time? Two addictologists give you their advice if you also want to reduce your alcohol consumption in 2024.
1. Take an honest look at your consumption
For addictologist Philippe Batel, it is interesting to take stock of his alcohol consumption. He judges that “Dry January” is “a very good test to see how connected you are” to alcohol. “People say all the time: ‘I stop when I want’. Damn!” challenges the alcoholologist.
It is also possible to assess the risks associated with alcohol consumption using a test developed by the World Health Organization, available here. And risky use – alcohol promotes the appearance of cancer in particular – is not uncommon.
Dry January, how to stay sober for a month?
According to Public health Francea public body dependent on the Ministry of Health, more than one in five French adults (22%) exceed the recommended alcohol consumption limits (maximum ten drinks per week and two drinks per day, and days during the week without consumption).
2. Drink differently
Alexandre Baguet, head of the addiction department at Rouen University Hospital, suggests to people who want to reduce their consumption to avoid circumstances of heavy consumption, to force yourself to drink a glass of water between each glass of alcohol and to choose less strong alcohols – but without drinking more to compensate.
3. Sanctuary moments without alcohol
Philippe Batel also suggests “setting hours, places or moments that we sanctuate”. “For example: 'I go to pick up my children from school, even on foot, I don't drink for two hours before,' illustrates the psychiatrist at the Camille Claudel hospital center in La Couronne, in Charente.
4. Call on specialists
This advice is applicable to people who are not in a situation of dependence. For the latter, specialists recommend getting help from health professionals. They can contact a treating doctor or an Addiction Care, Support and Prevention Center (Csapa).
These centers, which offer multidisciplinary care, are present in all departments of France. You can find one near you on the drugs-info-service website.
You can reach Alcool info service at 0.980.980.930, from 8 a.m. to 2 a.m., 7 days a week. The call is anonymous and not surcharged. The service also answers questions via online chat open from 2 p.m. to midnight Monday to Friday and 2 p.m. to 8 p.m. Saturday and Sunday.
This article was originally published in January 2024.
