How does the world view ‘Dry January’? – Recovery Research Institute

How does the world view ‘Dry January’?

Dry January is a movement started by Alcohol Change UK encouraging a period of abstinence from alcohol use to improve general health. The campaign has grown in popularity each year since it began in 2013, with millions participating in 2024. This study examined social media posts about Dry January from 2020 to 2022 to better understand public sentiment.

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recovery science
with the free, monthly
Recovery Bulletin

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WHAT PROBLEM DOES THIS STUDY ADDRESS?

Alcohol use, even in moderation, is associated with increased risk for development of serious health problems over time, such as cardiovascular disease and cancer. Over the past several decades, there have been innovative attempts to reduce alcohol consumption on a public health level by encouraging and normalizing periods of temporary abstinence.   

Perhaps the most successful such public health initiative, Dry January, is a month-long voluntary alcohol abstinence campaign initiated by Alcohol Change UK in 2013, in which participants are encouraged to abstain from alcohol use during the month of January. Since inception, the number of official registrants for the challenge on the Alcohol Change UK website has risen from 4,000 in 2013 to more than 175,000 in 2023. However, only a small portion of people who participate register on the website, and a much larger percentage of the global population is thought to have participated in recent years 

Despite popularity, most studies of Dry January has focused on those who signed up through the official website. Less is known about “unofficial” participants, or those who initiate the challenge without registering on the official website. Social media websites, such as Twitter (or “X”), act as a forum for public expression and provide a useful environment to study changes in public sentiment, particularly for public health initiatives such as Dry January. This study examined Twitter “chatter” about Dry January and associated temporary abstinence experiences. 


HOW WAS THIS STUDY CONDUCTED?

Researchers pulled 157,280 public posts that were posted between 15 December and 15 February across 3 years (2020–2022) that contained search terms related to Dry January. Given the rebranding of the platform from Twitter to X, we refer to public messages as “posts” for clarity.  

The researchers randomly selected a 2% subsample, stratified by year for coding. This resulted in 3,145 posts. Ultimately, 2,900 were deemed relevant by coders. Study personnel were trained to conduct manual content analysis by coding specific variables. Personnel coded posts on user sentiment toward Dry January, humor, and themes related to Dry January participation – for example, encouragement to participate in Dry January, experimentation with nonalcoholic drinks, potential benefits, and barriers to participation. Engagement metadata (e.g., likes for a post) and post/user account type (commercial or personal), were also collected. 

The study characterized general sentiment about Dry January on social media. The researchers examined differences in sentiment and themes based on other coding variables, such as account type. Finally, the researchers examined whether themes were associated with post engagement metrics such as likes and reposts. Of note, when examining whether post characteristics and engagement were related, analyses considered simultaneously the odds of engagement (yes/no) and, for posts with any engagement, the number of engagements (i.e., more or less).   


WHAT DID THIS STUDY FIND?

Most Posts about Dry January were Positive or Neutral

Individual posts, from a personal account rather than an organization, accounted for the most Dry January-related content (70.3%). Dry January-related posts also originated from other account types, including from the alcohol industry (7.6%), news organizations (2.7%), and public health organizations (2.6%). Most posts expressed positive or neutral sentiment toward Dry January (74.7%). Positive sentiment included posts like “It’s been a good Dry January”, whereas neutral posts included content like “Is anyone trying Dry January?” Approximately one out of every four (26.7%) posts did, however, express negative sentiment toward Dry January. Individual account types (32.4%) were more likely to post negative sentiment compared to other organizations. Approximately one out of every four posts containing negative sentiment (26.5%) also incorporated humor. For example, “What the hell was I thinking? Dry January was not my best idea”, or “I can feel Dry January slowly but surely eroding my soul”.

Common themes related to Dry January

The most common theme identified by researchers was encouragement or offerings of support for participation in Dry January (14.1%). Posts consistent with this encouragement and support theme were least common among individuals (5.7%) and the alcohol industry (10%) and more common from news organizations (25.6%) and public health organizations (67.1%). For example, “#DryJanuary is the one month challenge held every year in the UK to help millions reset their relationship with alcohol. After a heavy festive period, why not try out Dry Jan, for this new year’s resolution? For more information visit…” (with a link to more details). Encouragement to sign up for the official challenge on the Alcohol Change UK website was a common subtheme. Other example posts included encouragement for those actively participating in Dry January to persist: “Those participating in #DryJanuary, great job! Here’s a brief reminder as to why you should keep going!” (with a link to an encouraging message). Posts also referenced ongoing (25.4%) or successfully completed (4.3%) attempts at Dry January. 

Mention of nonalcoholic drink substitutes was also a common theme (14.0%), with alcohol industry (50.2%) and news organization (34.6%) account types posting about nonalcoholic drinks more often than public health organizations (14.5%) and individuals (5.7%). For example, ““Looking for a good mocktail for #dryjanuary? Look no further!” (with a link for more details) and “@[username] Happy #DryJanuary! Check out [link] to claim your limited-edition 31-pack of Heineken 0.0 and get ideas for making the most of your dry run”. 

Another common theme related to benefits from Dry January participation (10.4%). These themes were more common in posts from public health organizations (68.4%) and news organizations (35.5%) compared to posts from accounts from the alcohol industry (4.1%) or from individuals (5.5%). Benefits were reported in physical (improved sleep and productivity, weight loss, 9.3%), emotional and psychological domains (mental clarity and well being, 4.1%), and financial domains (3.3%). A small number of posts (4.3%) shared how the individual realized the effects alcohol was having on their body, and some expressed a desire to reduce drinking long term (4.2%). Barriers were rarely mentioned (less than 0.5% of posts) and expressed physical symptoms such as difficulty sleeping or headaches.  

A subsample of posts referenced the successful or unsuccessful completion of Dry January (12.7%). Approximately two-thirds of these posts referenced unsuccessful attempts, and those that did often used humor and sarcasm (“Dry January went well, but it was a long 18 hours!”). Posts often referenced current socio-political life stressors such as the lockdown and social distancing associated with the COVID-19 pandemic or the attack on the U.S. Capitol on January 6, 2021 as reasons for discontinuing Dry January. 

Engagement with Dry January posts

Compared to individual accounts, alcohol industry posts had fewer likes but more reposts. Positive posts got fewer likes, whereas negative posts got more likes. Further, posts offering encouragement or support and promoting nonalcoholic drinks received fewer likes. Those mentioning benefits of Dry January received both fewer likes and retweets. Compared to posts with no humorous content, humorous posts received more likes 


WHAT ARE THE IMPLICATIONS OF THE STUDY FINDINGS?

The study suggests that sentiment of Dry January on Twitter/X from 2020 through 2022 was mixed, although was generally more positive. Importantly, positive sentiment was largely accounted for by news and public health organizations. However, some individual posts included benefit-related content, and a subsample of posts were consistent with abstaining from alcohol use the entire month. An important limitation of this work was that although several important themes emerged from posts, these themes only accounted for a small portion of the total posts, and it is unclear what themes may account for the remainder of posts.  

Findings suggests that many found it difficult to abstain from alcohol use in response to emotionally-charged current events during January 2021 in the United States. Overall, understanding potential barriers to Dry January participation may help provide new targets for public health initiatives to encourage health behavior change. The curation of posts to be timely and provide alternatives for stress relief during such times may be useful strategies for consideration.  

The results also have implications for public health messaging. Humor was associated with more likes overall, suggesting that this may be an important framing for public health messaging. It is important to note that likes or reposts do not necessarily reflect the full profile of sentiment an individual may experience on an issue, and therefore does not necessarily suggest how posts might influence behavior. Regardless, posts with more likes may be thought of as more popular, and public health posts may be more effective if they use humor or sarcasm compared to fact-based benefits of Dry January participation.  

Although two-thirds of posts referencing outcomes of Dry January suggested an unsuccessful Dry January attempt, research suggests that any amount of drinking reductions may offer benefits, in domains such as physical and mental health and social functioning. The dichotomy of Dry January resulting in a success or failure could result in shame and disappointment and prevent future attempts at drinking reductions. Recent trends in the “sober curious” movement have introduced the concept of a “Damp January”, which provides flexibility in drinking goals during the month of January. Although participants may not feel the full effects of one month of abstinence from alcohol, this is an alternative that, for some, may open the door to future attempts at drinking reductions.  


  1. This study did not examine differences over time, and it is therefore difficult to tell whether sentiment from 2020 to 2022 changed.
  2. Although several important themes emerged from posts, these themes only accounted for a small portion of the total posts, and it is unclear what themes may account for the remainder of posts.  

BOTTOM LINE

Dry January is largely perceived as neutral or positive on Twitter/X, and posts about Dry January were focused most often on encouragement, experimentation with nonalcoholic drinks, or the benefits of Dry January participation. Individuals were less likely to post encouragement and support and about the benefits of Dry January, whereas news and public health organizations were more likely to use these approaches. Posts with humor and negative sentiment toward Dry January had greater levels of engagement. Studies like this one help can help capture the public health impacts of large-scale initiatives intended to address the public health burden of alcohol use like Dry January. 


  • For individuals and families seeking recovery: Even small amounts of alcohol can increase risk of physical health concerns and other harms. For those who drink moderately or who wish to continue drinking long term, periods of abstinence can improve health and functioning while also offering an opportunity to learn more about your relationship with alcohol. If you wish to try a period of abstinence or would like to participate in Dry January, consider talking to friends and family or health care providers to gain support and identify reasons why this may be important for you. Finding a group of people to do the abstinence challenge with may improve chances of success and create a sense of camaraderie and bonding.  
  • For treatment professionals and treatment systems: Dry January has grown in popularity, and your patients may be amenable to making a reduction or abstinent attempt during Dry January. Treatment providers may consider discussing Dry January with patients to assess interest, concerns, or barriers.  
  • For scientists: This study shows that Dry January is a public health initiative that has become part of the cultural Zeitgeist. More research to understand trends in sentiment over time and connecting such trends with epidemiological data may help characterize the public health impact of abstinence challenges such as Dry January. Examining profiles of people who engage with Dry January, in addition to how people that commit (or do not commit) to the challenge fare over time are also important to understand the effects of public health campaigns like these. Finally, it would be interesting to understand the differences among those who commit to the challenge and completely abstain from alcohol use during January as well as those who do not completely abstain but who still reduce their drinking substantially.  
  • For policy makers: Abstinence challenges such as Dry January are growing in popularity and may serve as an opportunity to reduce population level harms of drinking on a public health level. Policies that encourage the marketing and diffusion of this trend may result in net benefits. Messaging around Dry January and other abstinence challenges may be improved by using humor and sarcasm.  

CITATIONS

Russell, A. M., Montemayor, B. N., Chiang, S. C., Milaham, P. J., Barry, A. E., Lin, H. C., Bergman, B. G., & Massey, P. M. (2023). Characterizing Twitter chatter about temporary alcohol abstinence during “Dry January”.Alcohol and Alcoholism, 58(6), 589-598. doi: 10.1093/alcalc/agad057


Stay on the Frontiers of
recovery science
with the free, monthly
Recovery Bulletin

l

WHAT PROBLEM DOES THIS STUDY ADDRESS?

Alcohol use, even in moderation, is associated with increased risk for development of serious health problems over time, such as cardiovascular disease and cancer. Over the past several decades, there have been innovative attempts to reduce alcohol consumption on a public health level by encouraging and normalizing periods of temporary abstinence.   

Perhaps the most successful such public health initiative, Dry January, is a month-long voluntary alcohol abstinence campaign initiated by Alcohol Change UK in 2013, in which participants are encouraged to abstain from alcohol use during the month of January. Since inception, the number of official registrants for the challenge on the Alcohol Change UK website has risen from 4,000 in 2013 to more than 175,000 in 2023. However, only a small portion of people who participate register on the website, and a much larger percentage of the global population is thought to have participated in recent years 

Despite popularity, most studies of Dry January has focused on those who signed up through the official website. Less is known about “unofficial” participants, or those who initiate the challenge without registering on the official website. Social media websites, such as Twitter (or “X”), act as a forum for public expression and provide a useful environment to study changes in public sentiment, particularly for public health initiatives such as Dry January. This study examined Twitter “chatter” about Dry January and associated temporary abstinence experiences. 


HOW WAS THIS STUDY CONDUCTED?

Researchers pulled 157,280 public posts that were posted between 15 December and 15 February across 3 years (2020–2022) that contained search terms related to Dry January. Given the rebranding of the platform from Twitter to X, we refer to public messages as “posts” for clarity.  

The researchers randomly selected a 2% subsample, stratified by year for coding. This resulted in 3,145 posts. Ultimately, 2,900 were deemed relevant by coders. Study personnel were trained to conduct manual content analysis by coding specific variables. Personnel coded posts on user sentiment toward Dry January, humor, and themes related to Dry January participation – for example, encouragement to participate in Dry January, experimentation with nonalcoholic drinks, potential benefits, and barriers to participation. Engagement metadata (e.g., likes for a post) and post/user account type (commercial or personal), were also collected. 

The study characterized general sentiment about Dry January on social media. The researchers examined differences in sentiment and themes based on other coding variables, such as account type. Finally, the researchers examined whether themes were associated with post engagement metrics such as likes and reposts. Of note, when examining whether post characteristics and engagement were related, analyses considered simultaneously the odds of engagement (yes/no) and, for posts with any engagement, the number of engagements (i.e., more or less).   


WHAT DID THIS STUDY FIND?

Most Posts about Dry January were Positive or Neutral

Individual posts, from a personal account rather than an organization, accounted for the most Dry January-related content (70.3%). Dry January-related posts also originated from other account types, including from the alcohol industry (7.6%), news organizations (2.7%), and public health organizations (2.6%). Most posts expressed positive or neutral sentiment toward Dry January (74.7%). Positive sentiment included posts like “It’s been a good Dry January”, whereas neutral posts included content like “Is anyone trying Dry January?” Approximately one out of every four (26.7%) posts did, however, express negative sentiment toward Dry January. Individual account types (32.4%) were more likely to post negative sentiment compared to other organizations. Approximately one out of every four posts containing negative sentiment (26.5%) also incorporated humor. For example, “What the hell was I thinking? Dry January was not my best idea”, or “I can feel Dry January slowly but surely eroding my soul”.

Common themes related to Dry January

The most common theme identified by researchers was encouragement or offerings of support for participation in Dry January (14.1%). Posts consistent with this encouragement and support theme were least common among individuals (5.7%) and the alcohol industry (10%) and more common from news organizations (25.6%) and public health organizations (67.1%). For example, “#DryJanuary is the one month challenge held every year in the UK to help millions reset their relationship with alcohol. After a heavy festive period, why not try out Dry Jan, for this new year’s resolution? For more information visit…” (with a link to more details). Encouragement to sign up for the official challenge on the Alcohol Change UK website was a common subtheme. Other example posts included encouragement for those actively participating in Dry January to persist: “Those participating in #DryJanuary, great job! Here’s a brief reminder as to why you should keep going!” (with a link to an encouraging message). Posts also referenced ongoing (25.4%) or successfully completed (4.3%) attempts at Dry January. 

Mention of nonalcoholic drink substitutes was also a common theme (14.0%), with alcohol industry (50.2%) and news organization (34.6%) account types posting about nonalcoholic drinks more often than public health organizations (14.5%) and individuals (5.7%). For example, ““Looking for a good mocktail for #dryjanuary? Look no further!” (with a link for more details) and “@[username] Happy #DryJanuary! Check out [link] to claim your limited-edition 31-pack of Heineken 0.0 and get ideas for making the most of your dry run”. 

Another common theme related to benefits from Dry January participation (10.4%). These themes were more common in posts from public health organizations (68.4%) and news organizations (35.5%) compared to posts from accounts from the alcohol industry (4.1%) or from individuals (5.5%). Benefits were reported in physical (improved sleep and productivity, weight loss, 9.3%), emotional and psychological domains (mental clarity and well being, 4.1%), and financial domains (3.3%). A small number of posts (4.3%) shared how the individual realized the effects alcohol was having on their body, and some expressed a desire to reduce drinking long term (4.2%). Barriers were rarely mentioned (less than 0.5% of posts) and expressed physical symptoms such as difficulty sleeping or headaches.  

A subsample of posts referenced the successful or unsuccessful completion of Dry January (12.7%). Approximately two-thirds of these posts referenced unsuccessful attempts, and those that did often used humor and sarcasm (“Dry January went well, but it was a long 18 hours!”). Posts often referenced current socio-political life stressors such as the lockdown and social distancing associated with the COVID-19 pandemic or the attack on the U.S. Capitol on January 6, 2021 as reasons for discontinuing Dry January. 

Engagement with Dry January posts

Compared to individual accounts, alcohol industry posts had fewer likes but more reposts. Positive posts got fewer likes, whereas negative posts got more likes. Further, posts offering encouragement or support and promoting nonalcoholic drinks received fewer likes. Those mentioning benefits of Dry January received both fewer likes and retweets. Compared to posts with no humorous content, humorous posts received more likes 


WHAT ARE THE IMPLICATIONS OF THE STUDY FINDINGS?

The study suggests that sentiment of Dry January on Twitter/X from 2020 through 2022 was mixed, although was generally more positive. Importantly, positive sentiment was largely accounted for by news and public health organizations. However, some individual posts included benefit-related content, and a subsample of posts were consistent with abstaining from alcohol use the entire month. An important limitation of this work was that although several important themes emerged from posts, these themes only accounted for a small portion of the total posts, and it is unclear what themes may account for the remainder of posts.  

Findings suggests that many found it difficult to abstain from alcohol use in response to emotionally-charged current events during January 2021 in the United States. Overall, understanding potential barriers to Dry January participation may help provide new targets for public health initiatives to encourage health behavior change. The curation of posts to be timely and provide alternatives for stress relief during such times may be useful strategies for consideration.  

The results also have implications for public health messaging. Humor was associated with more likes overall, suggesting that this may be an important framing for public health messaging. It is important to note that likes or reposts do not necessarily reflect the full profile of sentiment an individual may experience on an issue, and therefore does not necessarily suggest how posts might influence behavior. Regardless, posts with more likes may be thought of as more popular, and public health posts may be more effective if they use humor or sarcasm compared to fact-based benefits of Dry January participation.  

Although two-thirds of posts referencing outcomes of Dry January suggested an unsuccessful Dry January attempt, research suggests that any amount of drinking reductions may offer benefits, in domains such as physical and mental health and social functioning. The dichotomy of Dry January resulting in a success or failure could result in shame and disappointment and prevent future attempts at drinking reductions. Recent trends in the “sober curious” movement have introduced the concept of a “Damp January”, which provides flexibility in drinking goals during the month of January. Although participants may not feel the full effects of one month of abstinence from alcohol, this is an alternative that, for some, may open the door to future attempts at drinking reductions.  


  1. This study did not examine differences over time, and it is therefore difficult to tell whether sentiment from 2020 to 2022 changed.
  2. Although several important themes emerged from posts, these themes only accounted for a small portion of the total posts, and it is unclear what themes may account for the remainder of posts.  

BOTTOM LINE

Dry January is largely perceived as neutral or positive on Twitter/X, and posts about Dry January were focused most often on encouragement, experimentation with nonalcoholic drinks, or the benefits of Dry January participation. Individuals were less likely to post encouragement and support and about the benefits of Dry January, whereas news and public health organizations were more likely to use these approaches. Posts with humor and negative sentiment toward Dry January had greater levels of engagement. Studies like this one help can help capture the public health impacts of large-scale initiatives intended to address the public health burden of alcohol use like Dry January. 


  • For individuals and families seeking recovery: Even small amounts of alcohol can increase risk of physical health concerns and other harms. For those who drink moderately or who wish to continue drinking long term, periods of abstinence can improve health and functioning while also offering an opportunity to learn more about your relationship with alcohol. If you wish to try a period of abstinence or would like to participate in Dry January, consider talking to friends and family or health care providers to gain support and identify reasons why this may be important for you. Finding a group of people to do the abstinence challenge with may improve chances of success and create a sense of camaraderie and bonding.  
  • For treatment professionals and treatment systems: Dry January has grown in popularity, and your patients may be amenable to making a reduction or abstinent attempt during Dry January. Treatment providers may consider discussing Dry January with patients to assess interest, concerns, or barriers.  
  • For scientists: This study shows that Dry January is a public health initiative that has become part of the cultural Zeitgeist. More research to understand trends in sentiment over time and connecting such trends with epidemiological data may help characterize the public health impact of abstinence challenges such as Dry January. Examining profiles of people who engage with Dry January, in addition to how people that commit (or do not commit) to the challenge fare over time are also important to understand the effects of public health campaigns like these. Finally, it would be interesting to understand the differences among those who commit to the challenge and completely abstain from alcohol use during January as well as those who do not completely abstain but who still reduce their drinking substantially.  
  • For policy makers: Abstinence challenges such as Dry January are growing in popularity and may serve as an opportunity to reduce population level harms of drinking on a public health level. Policies that encourage the marketing and diffusion of this trend may result in net benefits. Messaging around Dry January and other abstinence challenges may be improved by using humor and sarcasm.  

CITATIONS

Russell, A. M., Montemayor, B. N., Chiang, S. C., Milaham, P. J., Barry, A. E., Lin, H. C., Bergman, B. G., & Massey, P. M. (2023). Characterizing Twitter chatter about temporary alcohol abstinence during “Dry January”.Alcohol and Alcoholism, 58(6), 589-598. doi: 10.1093/alcalc/agad057


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WHAT PROBLEM DOES THIS STUDY ADDRESS?

Alcohol use, even in moderation, is associated with increased risk for development of serious health problems over time, such as cardiovascular disease and cancer. Over the past several decades, there have been innovative attempts to reduce alcohol consumption on a public health level by encouraging and normalizing periods of temporary abstinence.   

Perhaps the most successful such public health initiative, Dry January, is a month-long voluntary alcohol abstinence campaign initiated by Alcohol Change UK in 2013, in which participants are encouraged to abstain from alcohol use during the month of January. Since inception, the number of official registrants for the challenge on the Alcohol Change UK website has risen from 4,000 in 2013 to more than 175,000 in 2023. However, only a small portion of people who participate register on the website, and a much larger percentage of the global population is thought to have participated in recent years 

Despite popularity, most studies of Dry January has focused on those who signed up through the official website. Less is known about “unofficial” participants, or those who initiate the challenge without registering on the official website. Social media websites, such as Twitter (or “X”), act as a forum for public expression and provide a useful environment to study changes in public sentiment, particularly for public health initiatives such as Dry January. This study examined Twitter “chatter” about Dry January and associated temporary abstinence experiences. 


HOW WAS THIS STUDY CONDUCTED?

Researchers pulled 157,280 public posts that were posted between 15 December and 15 February across 3 years (2020–2022) that contained search terms related to Dry January. Given the rebranding of the platform from Twitter to X, we refer to public messages as “posts” for clarity.  

The researchers randomly selected a 2% subsample, stratified by year for coding. This resulted in 3,145 posts. Ultimately, 2,900 were deemed relevant by coders. Study personnel were trained to conduct manual content analysis by coding specific variables. Personnel coded posts on user sentiment toward Dry January, humor, and themes related to Dry January participation – for example, encouragement to participate in Dry January, experimentation with nonalcoholic drinks, potential benefits, and barriers to participation. Engagement metadata (e.g., likes for a post) and post/user account type (commercial or personal), were also collected. 

The study characterized general sentiment about Dry January on social media. The researchers examined differences in sentiment and themes based on other coding variables, such as account type. Finally, the researchers examined whether themes were associated with post engagement metrics such as likes and reposts. Of note, when examining whether post characteristics and engagement were related, analyses considered simultaneously the odds of engagement (yes/no) and, for posts with any engagement, the number of engagements (i.e., more or less).   


WHAT DID THIS STUDY FIND?

Most Posts about Dry January were Positive or Neutral

Individual posts, from a personal account rather than an organization, accounted for the most Dry January-related content (70.3%). Dry January-related posts also originated from other account types, including from the alcohol industry (7.6%), news organizations (2.7%), and public health organizations (2.6%). Most posts expressed positive or neutral sentiment toward Dry January (74.7%). Positive sentiment included posts like “It’s been a good Dry January”, whereas neutral posts included content like “Is anyone trying Dry January?” Approximately one out of every four (26.7%) posts did, however, express negative sentiment toward Dry January. Individual account types (32.4%) were more likely to post negative sentiment compared to other organizations. Approximately one out of every four posts containing negative sentiment (26.5%) also incorporated humor. For example, “What the hell was I thinking? Dry January was not my best idea”, or “I can feel Dry January slowly but surely eroding my soul”.

Common themes related to Dry January

The most common theme identified by researchers was encouragement or offerings of support for participation in Dry January (14.1%). Posts consistent with this encouragement and support theme were least common among individuals (5.7%) and the alcohol industry (10%) and more common from news organizations (25.6%) and public health organizations (67.1%). For example, “#DryJanuary is the one month challenge held every year in the UK to help millions reset their relationship with alcohol. After a heavy festive period, why not try out Dry Jan, for this new year’s resolution? For more information visit…” (with a link to more details). Encouragement to sign up for the official challenge on the Alcohol Change UK website was a common subtheme. Other example posts included encouragement for those actively participating in Dry January to persist: “Those participating in #DryJanuary, great job! Here’s a brief reminder as to why you should keep going!” (with a link to an encouraging message). Posts also referenced ongoing (25.4%) or successfully completed (4.3%) attempts at Dry January. 

Mention of nonalcoholic drink substitutes was also a common theme (14.0%), with alcohol industry (50.2%) and news organization (34.6%) account types posting about nonalcoholic drinks more often than public health organizations (14.5%) and individuals (5.7%). For example, ““Looking for a good mocktail for #dryjanuary? Look no further!” (with a link for more details) and “@[username] Happy #DryJanuary! Check out [link] to claim your limited-edition 31-pack of Heineken 0.0 and get ideas for making the most of your dry run”. 

Another common theme related to benefits from Dry January participation (10.4%). These themes were more common in posts from public health organizations (68.4%) and news organizations (35.5%) compared to posts from accounts from the alcohol industry (4.1%) or from individuals (5.5%). Benefits were reported in physical (improved sleep and productivity, weight loss, 9.3%), emotional and psychological domains (mental clarity and well being, 4.1%), and financial domains (3.3%). A small number of posts (4.3%) shared how the individual realized the effects alcohol was having on their body, and some expressed a desire to reduce drinking long term (4.2%). Barriers were rarely mentioned (less than 0.5% of posts) and expressed physical symptoms such as difficulty sleeping or headaches.  

A subsample of posts referenced the successful or unsuccessful completion of Dry January (12.7%). Approximately two-thirds of these posts referenced unsuccessful attempts, and those that did often used humor and sarcasm (“Dry January went well, but it was a long 18 hours!”). Posts often referenced current socio-political life stressors such as the lockdown and social distancing associated with the COVID-19 pandemic or the attack on the U.S. Capitol on January 6, 2021 as reasons for discontinuing Dry January. 

Engagement with Dry January posts

Compared to individual accounts, alcohol industry posts had fewer likes but more reposts. Positive posts got fewer likes, whereas negative posts got more likes. Further, posts offering encouragement or support and promoting nonalcoholic drinks received fewer likes. Those mentioning benefits of Dry January received both fewer likes and retweets. Compared to posts with no humorous content, humorous posts received more likes 


WHAT ARE THE IMPLICATIONS OF THE STUDY FINDINGS?

The study suggests that sentiment of Dry January on Twitter/X from 2020 through 2022 was mixed, although was generally more positive. Importantly, positive sentiment was largely accounted for by news and public health organizations. However, some individual posts included benefit-related content, and a subsample of posts were consistent with abstaining from alcohol use the entire month. An important limitation of this work was that although several important themes emerged from posts, these themes only accounted for a small portion of the total posts, and it is unclear what themes may account for the remainder of posts.  

Findings suggests that many found it difficult to abstain from alcohol use in response to emotionally-charged current events during January 2021 in the United States. Overall, understanding potential barriers to Dry January participation may help provide new targets for public health initiatives to encourage health behavior change. The curation of posts to be timely and provide alternatives for stress relief during such times may be useful strategies for consideration.  

The results also have implications for public health messaging. Humor was associated with more likes overall, suggesting that this may be an important framing for public health messaging. It is important to note that likes or reposts do not necessarily reflect the full profile of sentiment an individual may experience on an issue, and therefore does not necessarily suggest how posts might influence behavior. Regardless, posts with more likes may be thought of as more popular, and public health posts may be more effective if they use humor or sarcasm compared to fact-based benefits of Dry January participation.  

Although two-thirds of posts referencing outcomes of Dry January suggested an unsuccessful Dry January attempt, research suggests that any amount of drinking reductions may offer benefits, in domains such as physical and mental health and social functioning. The dichotomy of Dry January resulting in a success or failure could result in shame and disappointment and prevent future attempts at drinking reductions. Recent trends in the “sober curious” movement have introduced the concept of a “Damp January”, which provides flexibility in drinking goals during the month of January. Although participants may not feel the full effects of one month of abstinence from alcohol, this is an alternative that, for some, may open the door to future attempts at drinking reductions.  


  1. This study did not examine differences over time, and it is therefore difficult to tell whether sentiment from 2020 to 2022 changed.
  2. Although several important themes emerged from posts, these themes only accounted for a small portion of the total posts, and it is unclear what themes may account for the remainder of posts.  

BOTTOM LINE

Dry January is largely perceived as neutral or positive on Twitter/X, and posts about Dry January were focused most often on encouragement, experimentation with nonalcoholic drinks, or the benefits of Dry January participation. Individuals were less likely to post encouragement and support and about the benefits of Dry January, whereas news and public health organizations were more likely to use these approaches. Posts with humor and negative sentiment toward Dry January had greater levels of engagement. Studies like this one help can help capture the public health impacts of large-scale initiatives intended to address the public health burden of alcohol use like Dry January. 


  • For individuals and families seeking recovery: Even small amounts of alcohol can increase risk of physical health concerns and other harms. For those who drink moderately or who wish to continue drinking long term, periods of abstinence can improve health and functioning while also offering an opportunity to learn more about your relationship with alcohol. If you wish to try a period of abstinence or would like to participate in Dry January, consider talking to friends and family or health care providers to gain support and identify reasons why this may be important for you. Finding a group of people to do the abstinence challenge with may improve chances of success and create a sense of camaraderie and bonding.  
  • For treatment professionals and treatment systems: Dry January has grown in popularity, and your patients may be amenable to making a reduction or abstinent attempt during Dry January. Treatment providers may consider discussing Dry January with patients to assess interest, concerns, or barriers.  
  • For scientists: This study shows that Dry January is a public health initiative that has become part of the cultural Zeitgeist. More research to understand trends in sentiment over time and connecting such trends with epidemiological data may help characterize the public health impact of abstinence challenges such as Dry January. Examining profiles of people who engage with Dry January, in addition to how people that commit (or do not commit) to the challenge fare over time are also important to understand the effects of public health campaigns like these. Finally, it would be interesting to understand the differences among those who commit to the challenge and completely abstain from alcohol use during January as well as those who do not completely abstain but who still reduce their drinking substantially.  
  • For policy makers: Abstinence challenges such as Dry January are growing in popularity and may serve as an opportunity to reduce population level harms of drinking on a public health level. Policies that encourage the marketing and diffusion of this trend may result in net benefits. Messaging around Dry January and other abstinence challenges may be improved by using humor and sarcasm.  

CITATIONS

Russell, A. M., Montemayor, B. N., Chiang, S. C., Milaham, P. J., Barry, A. E., Lin, H. C., Bergman, B. G., & Massey, P. M. (2023). Characterizing Twitter chatter about temporary alcohol abstinence during “Dry January”.Alcohol and Alcoholism, 58(6), 589-598. doi: 10.1093/alcalc/agad057


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