Struggling With Dry January? CBT Tips to Keep Your Resolution
Dry January has become an increasingly popular wellness goal, especially for people looking to reset their relationship with alcohol and improve their mental health. While the benefits of taking a break from drinking are well known, many people find themselves struggling with Dry January more than they expected.
At the North Jersey Center for Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, we often hear questions like:
“Why is Dry January so hard?”
“How do I manage alcohol cravings without drinking?”
“Does struggling with Dry January mean I have a problem?”
The short answer: struggling does not mean failure. From a CBT perspective, it means your brain is adjusting to change—and change is uncomfortable.
Below, we’ll explore CBT-based strategies for Dry January, why cravings happen, and other ways to navigate stress, anxiety, or emotional overwhelm. If you or a loved one are looking for tools to help, feel free to call us today at 201-669-1369 x1 for a free consultation.
Why So Many People Struggle With Dry January
From a CBT and mental health perspective, alcohol often serves a purpose beyond enjoyment. For many, juggling work stress, family responsibilities, and social expectations, alcohol becomes a learned coping strategy.
Alcohol use is commonly linked to:
Stress relief after long workdays
Social anxiety management
Emotional numbing
Habitual routines
When you remove alcohol during Dry January, you’re not just changing a habit—you’re disrupting a behavior-thought-emotion loop. CBT focuses on understanding and reshaping that loop rather than relying on willpower alone.
How CBT Explains Alcohol Cravings During Dry January
One of the core principles of Cognitive Behavioral Therapy is that thoughts, emotions, and behaviors are interconnected.
Cravings often follow this pattern:
Trigger (stress, boredom, social situation)
Automatic thought (“I need a drink to unwind”)
Emotional response (tension, anxiety, irritability)
Behavior (drinking)
During Dry January, the behavior is removed—but the triggers and thoughts remain. CBT helps you address both of these.
CBT Tip #1: Identify Your Personal Dry January Triggers
If you’re struggling with Dry January, identifying your triggers is a critical first step.
Ask yourself:
What time of day are cravings strongest?
What emotions are present?
Are certain environments or people triggering urges?
Common triggers we see in CBT therapy include:
End-of-day stress
Work-related anxiety
Social pressure
Loneliness or boredom
Once triggers are identified, CBT helps you plan alternative coping responses—a skill often practiced in therapy.
CBT Tip #2: Challenge Unhelpful Thoughts About Alcohol
CBT places strong emphasis on identifying and reframing automatic negative thoughts.
Common Dry January thoughts include:
“One drink won’t hurt.”
“I can’t relax without alcohol.”
“Everyone else is drinking—I’m missing out.”
“If this feels hard, it’s not worth it.”
CBT teaches that thoughts are mental events, not facts.
Reframing examples:
“This urge is uncomfortable, not dangerous.”
“Relaxation is a skill I can learn.”
“Short-term discomfort can lead to long-term clarity.”
This shift reduces emotional intensity and increases behavioral control.
CBT Tip #3: Use Urge Surfing to Manage Alcohol Cravings
Urge surfing is a CBT-based strategy commonly used in therapy for substance use and other habit change.
Cravings typically:
Peak within 15–30 minutes
Decrease even if you don’t act on them
Instead of fighting urges, CBT encourages observing them:
Notice the craving
Label it (“This is an urge”)
Focus on breath or body sensations
Allow it to pass
Many people working with a CBT therapist are surprised by how empowering this technique feels.
CBT Tip #4: Replace Alcohol With Healthy Coping Skills
One reason Dry January feels so difficult is that alcohol often has served a functional role.
CBT asks:
What did alcohol give me?
What need was it meeting?
Then, therapy focuses on replacing—not just removing—the behavior.
Healthy replacements may include:
Exercise or movement
Mindfulness or grounding techniques
Structured relaxation practices
Non-alcoholic beverages
Social connection without alcohol
This approach is especially effective for those managing anxiety, stress, or burnout.
CBT Tip #5: Avoid All-or-Nothing Thinking
A common mental trap during Dry January is:
“I slipped up, so the whole month is ruined.”
This is a classic CBT cognitive distortion.
CBT encourages:
Progress over perfection
Curiosity over self-criticism
Learning instead of quitting
Even reducing drinking or becoming more aware of triggers is meaningful progress.
When Dry January Brings Up Anxiety or Emotional Discomfort
For some people, Dry January reveals:
Increased anxiety
Mood changes
Sleep disruption
Emotional reliance on alcohol
This doesn’t mean something is “wrong.” It often means alcohol was masking underlying stress or emotional needs.
Working with a therapist specializing in CBT can help you:
Understand your relationship with alcohol
Develop healthier coping strategies
Address anxiety, stress, or emotional regulation
Build sustainable change beyond January
For help either in person in northern New Jersey or via telehealth, reach out to the North Jersey Center for Cognitive Behavioral Therapy at 201-669-1369 x1 today for a free consultation.
