Manor man's life-changing experience with Dry January
AUSTIN (KXAN) — Over 175,000 people die from alcohol consumption each year in the US, according to the Centers for Disease Control. By participating in Dry January one year, a Manor native changed his view on alcohol forever.
Since 2016, deaths caused by excessive alcohol consumption have been on the rise, according to the CDC. The CDC reported, that around 178,000 people die from excessive drinking each year in the US.
Alcohol Change UK has been hosting Dry January since 2012. Each year around New Year's Day, individuals get ready to participate in this challenge, the goal is to refrain from consuming alcohol for 30 days, the entire month of January.
Alcohol Change UK started it to, "entirely reduce alcohol harm," by spreading awareness and providing those in need of help with the proper resources.
CJ Finley, 33, from Manor found that cutting out alcohol was the best decision he could have made for his health just by participating for the first time four years ago.
"I eventually just said, I don't need this in my life anymore. I do not push that lifestyle on other people but, I do think that everyone should integrate a reset into their life when it comes to alcohol and other substances," Finley said.
Finley had been battling some gastrointestinal issues since childhood, and tried multiple health changes to help ease the pain. Finely said the things he noticed within his body after cutting out alcohol encouraged him to make it a lifestyle change and not just a 30-day challenge.
"Less brain fog, my sleep was so much better, and I started realizing that I didn't necessarily need the alcohol when I thought I needed it," Finley said.
Risks of excessive alcohol consumption
The CDC reports alcohol consumption can increase the risk of different types of cancers like throat, colon, breast or liver.
Injuries, violence, alcohol poisoning, overdoses, sexually transmitted infections and miscarriage or stillbirths can all occur as a result of alcohol use according to the CDC.
Benefits of cutting alcohol consumption
According to Finley, cutting alcohol completely really worked wonders for his autoimmune disease.
"I'm in remission right now, so I'm not dealing with a lot of the effects that it causes me, and a lot of that is because I've maintained the sober lifestyle, and I run, I lift, I invest a lot of time into meditation and my mental health," Finley said.
According to the CDC, the following benefits and effects can be noticed by completely cutting or reducing alcohol consumption:
- Improvement in mood and overall well-being
- Improved relationships with family and friends
- Lowe risk of injuries, overdoses, cancer, and liver disease
- Improvement in mental health, depression and anxiety
- Improvements in memory
- Reduces issues and stress at school or work
Stop, Start, and Keep
Dry January is not just for cutting alcohol. Finley said it represents a fresh start, a challenge and the first step in making a change. Stop, Start, and Keep is something Finley participates in frequently throughout the year and he encouraged others to join in on the challenge this 2025.
"You know, deep down, the things that you should stop doing. So write them down and start with three. This month, in January, I'm going to stop doing these three things. I'm going to start doing these three things, and I'm going to keep doing these three things," Finley said.
So, this year whether it is Dry January or Stop, Start, and Keep, consider participating in a challenge. Take that first step toward a healthier lifestyle and make it your goal to continue all year round.