Experts have warned against the popular Dry January trend due to the risks of debilitating symptoms like hallucinations, vomiting and insomnia.
While ditching booze for a month may have small health benefits for moderate drinkers, for those who regularly consume a lot of alcohol, going cold turkey could even be life-threatening.
Alcohol acts on brain chemicals to suppress the nervous system — the complex collection of nerves that send messages between the brain and the body.
When heavy drinkers stop suddenly it sends brain chemicals into shock, interfering with these signals and affecting the function of multiple bodily processes.
Most alarming is the risk of fatal cardiac arrest, which can happen as a result of misfiring brain cells causing the heart to beat erratically.
As for those of us who drink moderately, Dry January may not be the most healthful initative either, as experts say it leads to excessive drinking in February, which ‘cancels out’ any benefits.
‘Events like Dry January don’t work for everyone because many people don’t realise that they are drink dependent,’ Lester Morse, addiction specialist at Rehabs UK, told MailOnline.
‘What a lot of people don’t know about withdrawing from alcohol is that there are serious dangers if you are drink dependent. In some cases, withdrawal can even result in death.
An estimated 200,000 people took part in Dry January in 2024, according to Alcohol Change UK
‘It doesn’t necessarily take a huge amount of alcohol to cause dependency for some people.’
An estimated 200,000 people took part in Dry January in 2024, according to Alcohol Change UK.
Meanwhile, more than a quarter of UK adults regularly binge drink, and government estimates suggest there are over 600,000 people in England alone who are dependent on alcohol.
Heavy and frequent alcohol consumption has been linked to a host of different health conditions, from diabetes to dementia and several types of cancer.
‘If alcohol is costing you more than money — perhaps costing you relationships, jobs, friendships — you need to have a good, hard, honest look at your consumption.’
Ian Hamilton, an associate professor in addiction at the University of York, also warned against a ‘DIY detox’.
‘There is a significant proportion of people who could risk serious harm to their physical and mental health if they abruptly stop consuming alcohol,’ he told MailOnline.
‘In the main these are people who are dependent on alcohol and should not do a DIY detox, they need specialist support. Some could potentially die if they suddenly stop drinking,’ he added.
The NHS recommends that adults drink no more than 14 units each week — that’s 14 single shots of spirit or six pints of beer or a bottle and a half of wine
Mr Hamilton also worries people will just start binge drinking again at the end of the month and make little to no progress.
He said: ‘We don’t know what people do once they reach the end of January, I fear that many will think that as they have abstained for a month then they have a free pass for the rest of the year and can drink as much as they like.
‘The Chief Medical Officer’s advice is to have two alcohol free days every week of the year. So having abstained for a month some might think they’ve had sufficient alcohol-free days to return to binge drinking.’
But he is also concerned about those who don’t manage to stay dry for the whole month.
‘This could lead them to thinking they have failed and are unable to alter their relationship with alcohol, so they simply give up as their confidence is dented,’ he said.
Doctors urge people to seek medical advice if going dry leaves them shaking, feeling very nervous and losing appetite.
Alcohol withdrawal can also cause symptoms such as nausea and vomiting, shakes, insomnia, anxiety, palpitations and hallucinations, according to clinical pharmacist and chief executive at the Association of Independent Multiple Pharmacies Dr Leyla Hannbeck.
Sudden withdrawal can in some cases also lead to violent shakes, seizures and delirium, she explained.
‘The level of symptoms experienced depends on how much alcohol was consumed over what period of time and how frequently,’ said Dr Hannbeck.
‘Similarly treatment will also depend on the level of alcohol consumption and sometimes involves being prescribed medicines or detoxification under the supervisor or a nurse of doctor or counselling.’
If someone drinks more than 14 units a week — around a bottle and a half of wine — and craves alcohol first thing in the morning, they could be dependent, said Dr Hannbeck.
Other signs include having trouble stopping after just two drinks, feeling out of control when you drink or if drinking is getting in the way of your daily life and your health, said Joe Marley at Alcohol Change UK.
Dry January is an effective and lasting way to cut down however.
Research by the University of Sussex published in 2020 found that 70 per cent of those taking part in Dry January are still drinking less booze six months later — but interestingly this only applied to those who did the campaign with support from Alcohol Change UK.
Dr Hannbeck agreed that going sober for a month can be a positive step to improve physical health.
She urged those that are dependent on alcohol to start their sober journey by speaking to a GP or a charity that supports people with alcohol misuse.
