What Dry January and Substance Use Disorder Month Ask of All of Us
January arrives quietly for some and heavily for others.
The holidays fade, routines return, and many people are left with a clear-eyed view of habits they ignored during the year. For some, that realization centers on alcohol or other substances. For others, it brings awareness of a loved one who may be struggling. This is why January matters. It is not just about resolutions or self-improvement. It is a moment when reflection meets reality, and when awareness can turn into action.
January carries two powerful observances that often overlap but serve different purposes: Dry January and Substance Use Disorder Treatment Month.
Together, they offer an opportunity to examine how substance use shows up in our lives, our families, and our communities, and how support, not stigma, creates real change.
Dry January encourages people to step away from alcohol for the month and notice what happens. Substance Use Disorder Treatment Month reminds us that for millions of Americans, substance use is not a habit they can simply pause. It is a medical condition that requires treatment, long-term support, and community understanding. When we hold these two ideas together, we move beyond trends and into meaningful prevention and recovery work.
Dry January has grown steadily in popularity over the past decade. By 2024, participation reached record levels, with surveys estimating that more than one in four U.S. adults attempted a dry month at least once. Younger adults lead participation, particularly those between ages 25 and 44, but interest spans generations.
The reasons vary. Some want better sleep. Some want to reset after holiday drinking. Others want to test their relationship with alcohol.
Research continues to show that even short-term alcohol abstinence can produce measurable benefits. A 2024 review published in BMJ Open found that participants who abstained from alcohol for one month experienced improvements in liver function, insulin resistance, blood pressure, and sleep quality. Many also reported reduced anxiety and improved concentration. Importantly, follow-up studies showed that many participants continued drinking less frequently and in lower quantities months later.
These findings matter because alcohol use remains widespread and often underestimated. According to the 2023 National Survey on Drug Use and Health, approximately 224 million Americans aged 12 and older reported drinking alcohol in the past year. Nearly 61 million reported binge drinking, and more than 16 million met criteria for alcohol use disorder. Alcohol-related deaths continue to rise. Provisional CDC data from 2024 estimates more than 178,000 alcohol-attributable deaths annually in the United States, making alcohol one of the leading preventable causes of death.
Dry January can help people see patterns they may not have questioned before. People often realize how frequently alcohol appears in social routines or how strongly it connects to stress relief, celebration, or coping. For many, that awareness alone leads to healthier boundaries moving forward.
But Dry January is not treatment, and it does not address the realities faced by people living with substance use disorders. That distinction matters.
Substance Use Disorder Treatment Month exists to highlight the scope of substance use disorders and the urgent need for accessible, effective care. According to the 2023 National Survey on Drug Use and Health, 48.5 million Americans aged 12 and older met criteria for a substance use disorder in the past year. That includes alcohol, illicit drugs, and misuse of prescription medications. Nearly 28 million people had an alcohol use disorder, while 28.3 million had a drug use disorder. More than 7 million experienced both.
Despite these numbers, treatment access remains deeply uneven. Only about 23 percent of people who needed substance use treatment received it. Barriers include cost, limited availability, lack of transportation, fear of stigma, and uncertainty about where to seek help. Rural communities face additional challenges due to provider shortages and long travel distances.
Substance Use Disorder Treatment Month focuses on changing this reality by encouraging education, reducing stigma, and promoting evidence-based care. SAMHSA emphasizes that treatment works. People who receive appropriate care show improved health outcomes, reduced substance use, stronger family relationships, and better long-term stability. Recovery is not rare. It is common when support exists.
Language plays a critical role here. Too often, conversations about addiction frame substance use as a moral failing rather than a health condition. Research in neuroscience and behavioral health has repeatedly shown that substance use disorders involve changes in brain chemistry, stress response systems, and impulse regulation. Trauma, genetics, mental health conditions, and social environment all contribute. Understanding this shifts the conversation from blame to care.
This shift is essential to prevention. When people feel safe acknowledging struggle, they seek help earlier. When families understand the signs of substance misuse, they intervene before crisis escalates. When communities treat recovery as possible and worthy of support, outcomes improve.
Families play a central role in both awareness and recovery. According to a 2024 CDC analysis, adolescents who reported strong family connection and regular communication with caregivers showed significantly lower rates of substance use. Conversely, isolation, untreated mental health challenges, and high stress increased risk. These findings reinforce what many families already know intuitively: connection protects.
Community support extends beyond families. Schools, workplaces, healthcare providers, faith communities, and local organizations all shape the environment in which people make decisions. When schools provide accurate, age-appropriate education about substances, students show greater confidence in refusing use. When workplaces normalize conversations about mental health and recovery, employees feel safer seeking support. When communities share resources openly, fewer people fall through the cracks.
January presents a unique opportunity to strengthen these systems. People already reflect on health and habits. They already consider change. Communities can meet that openness with information and support rather than judgment.
For someone participating in Dry January, this might mean learning how alcohol affects sleep, mood, and stress, then choosing to continue drinking less intentionally. For someone living with a substance use disorder, January might mark the moment they seek treatment or reconnect with recovery support. For families, it may be a time to have honest conversations they postponed. For communities, it is a chance to amplify resources and reinforce that help exists.
We also must acknowledge that January can be difficult. Seasonal affective disorder, financial stress, isolation after the holidays, and disrupted routines increase vulnerability. Emergency departments often see spikes in mental health crises during winter months. According to SAMHSA data from late 2024, call and text volume to the 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline increased by more than 35 percent during winter months compared to summer averages. Substance use often intensifies when mental health declines, making timely intervention critical.
This is where community readiness matters. When people know who to call, where to go, and what support looks like, they act sooner. Prevention does not always look dramatic. Sometimes it looks like a conversation, a referral, or a reminder that treatment works.
Treatment itself takes many forms. Evidence-based care may include counseling, medication-assisted treatment, peer recovery support, family therapy, or a combination of approaches. No single path works for everyone. What matters most is access, continuity, and compassion.
Recovery does not mean perfection. It means progress.
Studies consistently show that people in recovery often experience improved physical health, increased employment stability, and stronger relationships. The National Recovery Institute reported in 2024 that individuals who maintained recovery for five years or more showed life satisfaction rates comparable to the general population. These outcomes challenge the misconception that addiction defines a person permanently.
Dry January and Substance Use Disorder Treatment Month both ask us to look honestly at our assumptions. They ask us to replace silence with conversation and fear with facts. They ask us to recognize that substance use exists on a spectrum and that support should meet people where they are.
As a community, we can support these efforts in practical ways. We can share accurate information. We can model healthy coping strategies. We can avoid glorifying excessive drinking. We can speak openly about recovery. We can advocate for treatment access. We can check in on one another.
January does not demand perfection. It invites awareness.
It creates space for reflection without pressure and for change without shame. When individuals pause to examine their habits and communities step up to support those who need help, prevention becomes possible. At Road Radio USA, we know that education saves lives, connection builds resilience, and recovery deserves visibility. This January, whether you choose to participate in Dry January, support someone seeking treatment, or simply learn more about substance use disorders, your engagement matters.
Change does not require a dramatic turning point.
It often begins with one conversation, one pause, or one decision to reach out. January gives us that opening. What we do with it can shape the year ahead.