New Year’s Resolution

A new year, a new decade, crazy right?! Every year, after 365 good, bad, beautiful and ugly days, intermixed, we are brought into an opportunity to start over. Go back to day one and have our slates wiped clean. The possibilities we can create for ourselves are endless.

We actually have a name for these possibilities, New Years Resolutions. As much as some people may tell themselves that they “don’t do resolutions”, let’s face it, we all do.  And why wouldn’t you? Whether the resolutions go as planned or not, it is a free opportunity, given to us on day one of month one of a brand-new year, to better ourselves.

So, what are some common resolutions we tend to lean to upon the new year? “I’m going to lose weight”, “I’m going to go to the gym”, “I’m going to be more organized”, the list goes on.

But one that seems to be pretty common across the board, “I’m going to stop drinking”. This is actually a phenomenon, making its way from Europe, all the way to the states. It’s called Dry January.

Dry January is used as a way to detox from the holidays, give your body a bit of a break, there are so many benefits to taking a month away from drinking. Drinking, especially heavy drinking, can be damaging, in many ways, to your body. So, taking a break can help your body reset itself. It can also help you take a step back and analyze just how much, or how little in cases, you are actually drinking.

“Excessive drinking and binge drinking can lead to several negative health effect, including high blood pressure and high cholesterol” Women’s health expert Jennifer Wilder, M.D., (self.com).

During the months of November and December we tend to find ourselves in the whirlwind of craziness with Thanksgiving, Black Friday, and all the various holidays in December hitting us in the face in a matter of a handful of weeks. Typically, the holidays are time periods where our alcohol consumption tends to increase. Whether it is because your family is driving your crazy (we know you love them anyways), whether you are attending a hundred awesome parties, or maybe it’s because the holidays can be stressful and hectic and crazy, alcohol is an easy “go to” to make these things easier and/or more fun.

A lot of times, these weeks of drinking can turn into some dangerous habits that are hard to break. Let’s say a person is already walking that fine line of being a binge drinker, maybe borderline having an alcohol abuse problem. The “holidays” can be that thing that tips a person over that fine line. It can be dangerous.

That’s why a Dry January can be a good resolution, reset, pause for a person who probably really needs it. “Dry January appeals to someone who may have noticed a pattern that they’re drinking a little bit more than they should, especially during the holidays,” Michael Levy, Ph.D., (goodhousekeeping.com).

So, is this you? Is this someone you know? If it is, that’s ok! If I am being honest, I am going to do Dry January. I mean, why wouldn’t you at least try, right?! Going back to that idea of a New Year’s Resolution, if you keep it, that’s great! If you don’t that’s totally fine! It’s the effort and thought that count. It’s the “want” behind the act.

Go ahead and live it up tonight! It’s New Year’s Eve. The New Year’s Eve before a brand-new decade! But, don’t drink and drive my friends. You want to make it to this new year and ring it in alive and in style, not behind bars, hungover. Have fun but do it responsibly. Designate a driver, take a Lyft (use our code NODUI), and make it home safe and sound.

If you, or someone you know, does get a DUI, or has a DUI, give us a call. DPX DUI Process Experts is a FREE service where we will help you with each step of the DUI process – Alcohol Screening, Counseling, Traffic Survival School, SR-22, and Ignition Interlock. It is a lot, it is confusing, but we will walk with you and help you through it all the way to the end.

Give us a call today – 602-441-9444 and visit our website, www.duiprocessexperts.com.  Have a HAPPY NEW YEAR!