SIOUX FALLS, S.D. (KELO) – Alcohol consumption often spikes during the holiday season which leads to many wanting to take a break in the New Year and participate in the trend of ‘Dry January.’
If you’re looking for a sober start to the New Year, Good NAtured in Downtown Sioux Falls could help you out.
“We would be a safe space to come if you’re looking to not be around alcohol at all because we only serve non-alcoholic and alcohol-free options,” Shannon Ward, owner of Good NAtured, said. “Then we also have a lot of other options like soda, hydration drinks, energy drinks.”
Ward stopped drinking alcohol over four years ago. She says Dry January can be a good starting point for anyone looking to extend their sobriety passed the 31 days.
“It’s advertised, people often put mocktails on their menu or places will offer more alcohol-free or non-alcoholic options just because people are doing that,” Ward said. “So I think it is a good opportunity to try things and to also maybe get that experience of going out without feeling the pressure of having to have something that’s alcoholic.”
She offers these tips for anyone hoping to take on this challenge.
“Having the thing that you want to substitute instead of going to the thing that you would normally drink and having it always available,” Ward said. “Taking it when you go to a friend’s house possibly so that that way you don’t fall back into the habit of, ‘oh, I don’t have the thing that I’m substituting and I’ll just have a beer,’ because then you’ve kind of forfeited the whole purpose of trying to stay dry for the whole 30 days.”
Although Dry January can be helpful for moderate drinkers, it is not recommended for heavy drinkers — men who drink five or more drinks a day and women who drink four or more. That’s according to experts at the Massachusetts General Hospital who say stopping cold turkey like that for heavy drinkers could lead to mild or severe withdrawal symptoms.
Resources for people struggling with alcoholism:
- National Substance Abuse Hotline: 866-210-1303
- South Dakota Department of Social Services
- List of agencies and services compiled by DSS
- The Helpline Center
