In this blog, award-winning nurse and mental health and alcohol expert, Mark Holmes, sets out some of the ways in which an alcohol-free challenge like Dry January® can have a positive impact on your mental health.
Think about your mental health as a bucket, and life stressors can fill it up. We want to stop the bucket from overflowing so we have a tap that we can turn on to release the building stress. The things you do to promote your mental health turn on the tap – for example exercise, being creative, getting in touch with nature.
What will your alternative coping mechanism be during Dry January? How will you reset your relationship with alcohol?
As you progress through Dry January you may find those drinking urges begin to ease. This could be the first time you've reflected or recognised that your drinking is negatively associated with your mental health. It could be a really powerful turning point in your journey.
