Beyond Dry January: why some Sudburians are quitting or cutting back on booze

For Sean Barrette there was no "rock bottom" moment. No big family blowout, no impaired driving, no public embarassment. 

But this past December, Barrette, of Sudbury, decided it was time to stop drinking — an idea he says had been "brewing" for some time.

"I'd been thinking about how easy it had become to slip in those extra few drinks," says Barrette, particularly during the pandemic.

While he wasn't struggling with alcoholism, he says he was noticing "sign posts" he's witnessed with others, as his alcohol consumption crept up. 

"It became sort of a control it before it controls you," says Barrette. 

"I'm glad that it didn't become that really serious, serious life-threatening, career-threatening kind of thing that happens to so many people."

Studies show alcohol sales in Canada have increased during the COVID-19 pandemic. But as the pandemic nears the two year mark, some, like Barrette, are reconsidering their drinking habits. 

'Is it really worth it?'

Kaarina Ranta of Sudbury says she had been "curious" about sobriety for a few years. While she says she not a heavy drinker, she was concerned about the connection between alcohol and her mental health. So she decided to try one month of sobriety. 

When that month was up partway through January, Ranta had some wine, and found herself experiencing "debilitating anxiety." 

"It was such good information for me to notice that, that there's such a strong correlation between any alcohol and my mental health," Ranta says. 

Ranta says she now plans to limit her alcohol consumption to once a month — or she may quit entirely. 

"It's sort of like what's the trade off here, is it really worth it?"

Beyond 'Dry January' 

For many, the "Dry January" challenge is a chance to explore sobriety. And for some, a jumping off point to reduce consumption, or even cut alcohol out entirely. 

Martha Andrews says she noticed the amount she was drinking was creeping up on her over the course of the pandemic.

"The wine to unwind was a little more frequent," she says. 

Knowing that alcohol is a carcinogen, and can lead to other negative health effects, she decided to give Dry January a try.

Andrews, of Sudbury, says there was no major change for her over the course of the month. She says she replaced wine at the end of the day with kombucha, or would go for a ski to unwind instead. And she says she doesn't really miss her habitual glass of wine. 

While she didn't intend to quit drinking altogether, Andrews says she's now considering staying dry for February as well.

"I may just extend it."