Why is sobriety more popular than ever?According to Pew – 79% of New Year's resolutions are about one thing: health. It's Been a Minute is kicking off 2025 with a little series called "new year, new me." We're getting into some of the big questions and cultural confusion around our health and wellness. This week – many Americans are starting out the year by cutting out alcohol and going "dry." But overall, alcohol is getting less popular in general: according to Gallup, the amount of Americans that drink is down to 58% – the lowest number since 1996. And 41% of Americans who do drink say they want to drink less. Is alcohol on its way out? And what would it mean to live in a more sober culture? Brittany Luse is joined by writer and journalist Ana Marie Cox to get into how people are disentangling alcohol from their lives, and the lessons she's learned as a recovering alcoholic.Interested in trying out dry January? Our friends at NPR's Life Kit have a newsletter just for the sober-curious. Sign up here.Support public media and receive ad-free listening & bonus content by joining NPR+ today.Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoicesNPR Privacy Policy
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It's 2025, baby.
And a lot of us are getting started on our New Year's resolutions.
And according to Pew, 79% of New Year's resolutions are about one thing, health. But there are so many different aspects to our health, and it's hard to separate fact, fiction, and fad. We're kicking off 2025 with a little series called New Year, New Me. We're getting into some of the big questions and cultural confusion around our health and wellness.
This week, many people are starting the year off by taking a break from alcohol, at least for this month. Last year, one quarter of American adults participated in Dry January. I've done a few myself, and for many, it is about health. The World Health Organization says there is no amount of alcohol consumption that is safe for our health.
And our Surgeon General just recommended adding cancer risk labels to bottles. Alcohol is also a leading cause of preventable death in the U.S. So I get why dry January is popular. But Ana Marie Cox says we don't need to wait for January to come around.
First I want to say I honor anyone's decision to be mindful about their intake of something that's become habitual. Ana is a writer and journalist. That said, if you suspect you have a real problem... or that your relationship to alcohol is unhealthy. No time like the present.
And while she's been sober for over a decade, she's watched more and more people opt out of drinking, be it out of preference or need.
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