If you participated in Dry January, chances are it started with good intentions. Maybe you wanted to reset after the holidays. Maybe you were curious about how alcohol was impacting your sleep, mood, or energy.

Maybe you just wanted a break.

And for many people, there was another intention quietly woven in too—one that doesn’t get talked about as much: to prove to yourself (or others) that you don’t have a problem.

None of these intentions are wrong. They’re human. And they’re worth slowing down and looking at—especially now that Dry January is over and the question becomes… what happens next?

Many adults were never taught how to understand their emotions, let alone cope with them. Not because their parents didn’t care, but because their parents didn’t know how to model that level of emotional support either. Avoidance becomes a learned, generational pattern without anyone meaning for it to happen.

Before You Pour the First Drink—Pause

Returning to alcohol doesn’t automatically mean anything is “bad” or “wrong.” But the way you return can tell you a lot. Instead of jumping back into old patterns, this is an opportunity for a check-in. Not a judgment. Not a diagnosis. Just curiosity.

Here are a few questions worth asking yourself:

1. Why am I returning to alcohol?

Is it about enjoyment? Social connection? Habit? Stress relief?

Are you excited about the drink itself—or the relief you expect it to bring?

2. What did I notice during Dry January?

Did you sleep better? Feel clearer? Feel irritable or restless?

Did certain situations feel harder without alcohol?

Your experience—good or uncomfortable—holds important information.

3. Am I setting any boundaries, or just picking up where I left off?

Boundaries don’t have to be extreme to be meaningful.

They might sound like:

I won’t drink during the week.
I’m capping myself at one.
I’m paying attention to how I feel before and after.

The question isn’t “Can I control it?” Instead, ask yourself, “Am I being intentional?”

4. If I’m honest—what role does alcohol play for me?

Is it part of celebration and connection? Is it how you unwind? Is it something you look forward to when the day feels heavy?

There’s no “right” answer here. Just honest ones.

When Dry January Brings Up More Than Expected

For some people, Dry January felt empowering. For others, it felt uncomfortable in ways they didn’t expect. If being alcohol-free brought up anxiety, irritability, boredom, loneliness, or restlessness, that doesn’t mean you “failed.” It means alcohol may have been doing more emotional work than you realized.

And that’s not something to shame—it’s something to explore.

You Don’t Have to Have a “Problem” to Get Support

One of the biggest myths around alcohol is that support is only for people who have hit a rock bottom.

That’s not true.

Support can look like:

wanting a healthier relationship with alcohol
questioning habits that no longer feel aligned
feeling unsure how to move forward after a reset
wanting clarity without labels or pressure

Curiosity is enough of a reason.

If This Feels Tricky or Overwhelming—I’ve Got You

If you’re not sure how to return to alcohol intentionally…

If boundaries feel confusing…

If part of you wonders whether things could look different…

I’m here to help.

As a Certified Drug & Alcohol Counselor, I offer free consultations to talk through your experience, answer questions, and explore what support might look like—no pressure, no labels, no expectations.

We can simply start with a conversation and see where it goes.

Because sometimes the most important step isn’t Dry January itself—it’s what you choose to do next.

You’re Not Alone.

If you're ready to begin, you can schedule a session, reach out with questions, or simply start the conversation. Healing begins with one small step—and you get to take it at your pace.

Sincerely,

Morgan Brown, CADC-1

Dry January Is Over. Now What?