What in the World is ‘Dryuary’ and Why Louisiana Doesn’t Partake
While participating in 'Dryuary' would certainly help a lot of people, I can't imagine too many Louisiana folks are taking part in this insanity! After all, today is the official end of the Christmas season and the beginning of Mardi Gras! Who gives up drinking for that? I know, smart people do, but I never said we were smart here in Louisiana.
According to AlcoholRehab.com, 3 out of 4 people in Louisiana participated in 'Dryuary' in 2021.
While that may have been true for 2021, I'm thinking 2022 is a whole new situation. We've been cooped up for too long and we don't do well with people telling us what to do here in the Bayou State.
While I would never fault someone for trying to better themselves, get healthy, or adopt new habits, I should probably tell you that 'Dryuary' refers to drinking alcohol. While the almost 3 out of 4 Louisiana residents (70%) referenced above didn't plan to completely abstain from alcohol for the month of January, they did limit their consumption. At least that's what AlcoholRehab.com had to say. They also found that 82% of folks would drink the same or more if we were to be placed on lockdown again. (Damn pandemic! Can you blame them?)
63% of the respondents to AlcoholRehab.com said they were more worried about their friends or family developing a problem with alcohol than they were worried about them contracting coronavirus.
I don't know about you, but that's a frightening statistic. While I'll admit to self-medicating during the pandemic for stress and anxiety, I think I can put it down to our unusual circumstances over the past two years. Have you been drinking more? Have you been drinking alone? I pray that if you need help that you reach out. There are a lot of resources that can help you to find the right path for you to recover.