No interest in Dry January? 'Damp January' might be more your speed, says Sober Babes co-founder

A photo from a alcohol-free picnic organized and hosted by Sober Babes Vancouver (Instagram).

Giving up booze for “Dry January” has become an annual tradition for some – but the co-founder of Sober Babes Vancouver believes there are plenty of benefits to a less-restrictive “Damp January” as well.

Limiting alcohol intake without going cold turkey is a great option for people interested in exploring their relationship with drinking, said Mic Deane, a 25-year-old Irish expat who practices sobriety to support her mental health.

Deane told CTV News she tried doing Dry January last year, before she had given up alcohol entirely, and didn’t quite last the full month. She describes the process of giving up drinking as a marathon – and one that, for many people, requires some warm-up time.

“It’s not just a switch where you go from drinking every weekend with your friends to complete sobriety,” she said.

When she moved to Vancouver in 2019, Deane found it difficult to cut back on drinking booze because of how normalized it is in society.

“It’s how you celebrate or deal with everything—you could be at weddings, funerals—every event seems to always somehow revolve around alcohol,” Deane said.

The problem with Alcoholics Anonymous, says Deane, is that it’s centred around a spiritual practice, and she doesn’t identify as an alcoholic. When she couldn’t find her own alcohol-free community, she decided to create one with a recently sober friend, Zalika Jody.

Since launching Sober Babes Vancouver through Instagram, the account has amassed nearly 2,000 followers.

Through social media, Deane and Jody organize alcohol-free meet ups, including paint nights and drag shows.

“Becoming friends with someone who was sober made me see—OK, this could really benefit my life, I could do that, and I really hope that’s something people can take away from our events,” said Deane.

For anyone looking to reduce their drinking in January or beyond, the Canadian Centre on Substance Use and Addiction suggests choosing drinks with a lower percentage of alcohol, and drinking a non-boozy drink for every potent one consumed.

In addition, the centre suggests trying out some alcohol-free cocktail recipes, having a pitcher of water on hand while enjoying booze, and to drink slowly in small sips.

“I’m never going to be the one to preach sobriety,” said Deane. “With damp January, I think it’s just about what works best and what’s easiest for you. They’re all steps and they’re all important steps.”

Data by the Canadian Centre of Substance Use and Addiction shows 40 per cent of Canadians consume more than six standard drinks per week—triple the amount recommended in the nation’s low-risk drinking guidelines, which were updated in August.

According to the centre, only 20 per cent of Canadians abstain from drinking altogether, while 21 per cent of the population drinks within the recommended guidelines.