Face of Nation : Addiction specialists warn that quitting alcohol cold turkey during ‘Dry July’ could be doing some people more harm than good.
Addiction Medicine Specialists from Australian private treatment centre, The Banyans, are warning participants of the ‘Dry July’ fundraising initiative, to remain extra vigilant during the month.
They’re reminding participants that it’s important to seek medical guidance before drastically reducing alcohol consumption.
Addiction specialist Dr Christian Rowan has particular concerns for those who are used to consuming large amounts of alcohol on a regular basis.
“The body can develop a physical dependency to alcohol, in which it has adapted to regularly having high concentrations of alcohol in the blood,” Dr Rowan said.
In some instances, going “cold turkey” can be fatal, as the body struggles to cope, Dr Rowan said.
Dry July is a fundraiser that encourages participants to go alcohol-free during the month of July, and raise funds for people affected by cancer.
While for some people the month could be a cause for concern, for others it can prove to have significant health benefits such as improved sleep and weight loss, according to Dry July campaigners.
So far, 42,974 Australians have already signed up to participate in the fundraiser with $5,210,984 raised to date.
