I Did Dry January and Honestly? It Changed Everything
The mocktail game has seriously leveled up. Photo: Unsplash
Okay so here’s the thing. I wasn’t planning to write about this because honestly it felt kind of embarrassing at first? Like admitting you’re not drinking feels weirdly confessional in a way that admitting you drink too much never did. But then I looked at the numbers and realized oh wait, I’m actually not that weird for doing this.
So I did Dry January this year. My third attempt actually — the first two times I made it like 11 days before a friend’s birthday party derailed me. But this time something clicked. Maybe it was hitting 32 and realizing hangovers now feel like actual illnesses. Maybe it was my therapist (hi Dr. Reyes!) pointing out that my “one glass of wine to unwind” had become three glasses and also it was happening every night.
Whatever the reason, I made it the whole month. And then… I just kept going?
Maya’s Take:
According to a 2025 survey from NCSolutions, 30% of Americans participated in Dry January this year — that’s a 36% increase from 2024. And it’s not just a January thing anymore. Nearly half of Americans say they’re trying to drink less overall.
And get this — Gen Z is leading the charge. Almost two-thirds of Gen Zers (65%) say they plan to drink less in 2025, and 39% are going fully dry for the entire year. When I was 22 I thought not drinking at a party was social suicide. These kids are literally choosing sobriety and making it cool somehow?
The Science Is Actually Pretty Wild
Here’s something that surprised me. According to Harvard’s Gazette, drinking rates in America have dropped to a 96-year low. Like, we haven’t drunk this little since right after Prohibition ended in 1939. Only 54% of U.S. adults say they drink at all anymore.
Dr. Marisa Silveri, who runs McLean Hospital’s Neurodevelopmental Laboratory on Addictions and Mental Health, credits the “sober-curious movement” for a lot of this. And honestly I think she’s right. Theres something about the framing — “sober curious” sounds so much less scary than “I have a drinking problem” or even “I’m an alcoholic.” It’s like… permission to just try it out without committing to a whole identity shift.
What actually helped me stick with it was the mocktail explosion that’s happened over the past few years. Like, five years ago your non-alcoholic options at a bar were basically soda or cranberry juice. Now there are entire sober bars — like Sans Bar in Austin, which was actually the first one in the US — and even regular bars have stepped up their NA game.
Biscuit (my cat, in case you’re new here) doesn’t care whether I’m drinking wine or sparkling water with bitters. But I swear he’s been more cuddly since I stopped waking up dehydrated and grumpy every morning. Or maybe I’m just projecting. Probably projecting.
The Awkward Conversations
The hardest part wasn’t the cravings or the FOMO. It was other people’s reactions. Some highlights:
“You’re not even going to have ONE drink?” (my mom, at every family dinner)
“Wait are you pregnant??” (three different coworkers, which like… wow)
“That’s so boring” (a guy I was dating, who is no longer a guy I’m dating)
Maya’s Take:
The good news is this stigma seems to be fading, at least among younger people. The survey found that 41% of Gen Z is interested in going to a sober bar. FORTY ONE PERCENT. That would have been unthinkable when I was in my early twenties. We would have roasted anyone who suggested going to a bar that didn’t serve alcohol.
So What Now?
I’m not saying I’ll never drink again. I had champagne at my friend’s wedding last month and it was fine. Nice, even. But I’ve noticed that alcohol has become more of an occasional thing rather than a default. When someone asks if I want to grab drinks, I actually think about whether I want to drink or whether I just want to hang out.
My sleep is better. My skin is better. My anxiety is… well, still there (thanks brain!) but definitely less intense. And I’m saving probably $200-300 a month which in this economy? Not nothing.
If you’re thinking about trying it — whether it’s Dry January or just cutting back — I’d say go for it. The worst case scenario is you learn something about yourself. The best case is you feel better than you have in years.
And if you need mocktail recommendations, my DMs are open. I’ve tried literally all of them at this point.
