“Dry January” can be inspiring and daunting, and just like the first month of the year, it can be the start of something new. Dry January began as a campaign by Alcohol Change UK, a British charity working to reduce harm caused by alcohol use. The effort started as a fundraiser for treatment centers but quickly entered the mainstream. Now, people participate for different reasons, from a way to drink less, do a reset, improve their health, or have an engaging challenge. 

There are many things we may not consider when avoiding alcohol for the first time. Avoiding alcohol is often accompanied by avoiding certain people, places, and things: Places like bars where alcohol use is the norm, people who are regular drinkers, and things that are associated with drinking. Some unexpected challenges come with the mere definitions of terms like “non-alcoholic beverage”. 

According to the Alcohol and Tobacco Tax and Trade Association, beverages can be labeled under 3 categories: 

1. LA: Low Alcohol, less than 2.5% ABV 

2. NA: Non-Alcoholic, less than 0.5% ABV  

3. AF: Alcohol-Free, 0.0% ABV 

What catches us off guard when we’re first exploring sobriety is that “non-alcoholic” doesn’t literally translate to “contains no alcohol.” Restaurant drink menus may not specify whether their “non-alcoholic section” is 0.0% ABV. It can be a safe choice to ask as a server about your drink of choice. 

Many popular “non-alcoholic” beverages, and even some foods, contain small levels of alcohol. These include:  

• O’Doul’s non-alcoholic beer– 0.4% ABV 
• Kombucha – around 0.5% ABV 
• Kefir drinks – 0.5-2.0% ABV 
• Bananas – 0.2-0.4% ABV 
• Breads (burger rolls, rye bread) – 1.18%-1.28% ABV 

People choose sobriety for many reasons, and knowing why you’re choosing not to drink is the foundation of being successful on your journey.  

Here’s a starting list of common motivators to consider. Please comment on our post if you think of more—or if you have a reason that wasn’t mentioned! 

• Not drinking can improve mental health symptoms such as anxiety and depression. 
• Abstaining from alcohol can have benefits for physical health: 

Heart
Liver
Immune System
Pancreas
Reduce the risk of cancer

• Sobriety can lead to a happier, healthier, more connected life for people with substance use disorders and prevent health conditions that result from excessive drinking. See the CDC’s recommendation for moderate alcohol use here. 
• If you are planning on getting pregnant, or have become pregnant, then abstaining from any level of alcohol is the safest choice for a developing brain and body. 

If you are choosing not to drink to benefit your physical health rather than committing to a sober lifestyle, and you are sure you are not pregnant, then it may be fine to have foods or “non-alcoholic” beverages that contain small levels of alcohol These small levels are less likely to affect your health. Some individuals with substance use disorders may choose non-alcoholic beverages in a harm-reduction approach to sobriety, then may work toward completely alcohol-free habits. If you are pregnant, or planning on becoming pregnant, then choosing “alcohol-free” rather than “non-alcoholic” is the best option since even small levels of alcohol can affect a developing fetus.  

There are difficult and unexpected hurdles when choosing sobriety, and we recommend doing it with support if you can. 

Dry January opens the door to choosing long-term sobriety or making you feel confident in that ability if you or your partner become pregnant. Know that you can do it, and we wish you the best if you participate in 2024’s Dry January!