The British Liver Trust is also not a big fan of the movement – it says people should drink sensibly throughout the year, and is currently looking to measure the health benefits of dry January in a study.
James Ferguson, a liver specialist at Queen Elizabeth Hospital Birmingham, said “I don’t think taking one month a year off alcohol makes any difference. It’s more important to cut back generally”.
Dr Christian Jessen also stated that in some cases people can even end up drinking more: “I worry that heavy drinkers aren’t embarking on this period of abstinence because they want to radically change their habits forever. They simply want to be able to feel they can drink like fishes from 1 February.”
binge drinker
Other disadvantages of dry January include, effects on your social life as a study carried out by New Scientist reported less social contact. It could also be a sign of alcohol dependence, as being able to commit to a month without alcohol creates the illusion that people are not addicted to alcohol – but in reality shows they could be struggling to control their drinking habits.