Is it a “Dry January” for you? Here’s an online resource to help!

How’s “Dry January” going? While it would seem there are many benefits to avoiding alcohol for a full month, which could include normalizing your blood sugar, and improved sleep patterns…not to mention a higher bank balance, some medical professionals warn that 31 days of abstinence can’t reverse 11 months of overindulging…and that some people end up “going harder” on the booze once February arrives. One psychiatrist says that he knows of compulsive drinkers who have stopped for several Januaries over the years, but just count the days until February. He says that if you truly want to be a controlled drinker, you need to be off alcohol for three months.

Here is an online resource which aims to help non-drinkers find activities that don’t involve alcohol: http://sobercity.ca/
Sober City Halifax aims to help non-drinkers have sober fun.

Lee-Anne Richardson has now been sober for six years and during that time, she says she’s found it difficult to find things to do in the city that don’t involve alcohol.

“I felt like we needed more as a city,” she said. “Part of the reason why we fall into addiction is a lack of sense of community.”

“We need to be around other people like us and if we’re around like-minded people, the chance of success is that much higher. So that’s what I’m trying to create for people, is a safe haven.”

Richardson says despite only launching Jan. 1, the response has been overwhelming.

“I’m really surprised that there was even a written article about it,” she said. “So that just goes to show me that there is more to this than what I thought and I’m even more motivated to make this even bigger and better.”

Way to go, Lee-Anne! Keep up the good work!