A raging pandemic, tumultuous presidential election and deadly Capitol insurrection have combined to make the annual tradition of Dry January more moist than air-tight for some.

Not Sarah Arvizo. She considers it her easiest yet.

As much as the 32-year-old Manhattanite would love to partake in a little 鈥渧inopeutics,鈥� she said the abstinence period she鈥檚 participated in for several years has been made smoother this time around by her at-home pandemic life and the closing of bars and restaurants.

鈥淟onging for those days, for sure,鈥� said the social drinker who lives alone. 鈥淏ut unless I want to freeze outside, that鈥檚 largely off the table this year.鈥�

Eight-year-old Dry January, which comes at the height of resolution season after the holidays, has brought on the desired benefits for many among the millions participating around the world. They鈥檙e losing quarantine weight, experiencing more clarity and sleeping easier.

Others with lockdown time on their hands and round-the-clock access to TV news and the home liquor cabinet are struggling to meet the challenge. Some who have already cheated hoisted a glass on Inauguration Day, Dry January鈥檚 surreal New Year鈥檚 Eve.

Sue Cornick, 52, in Los Angeles, wanted to experience Dry January after her consumption of alcohol rose from three or four days a week to five or six. But she knew pulling the plug wouldn鈥檛 work before a celebratory Inauguration Day, so it鈥檚 Dry February for her.

鈥淔ull disclosure, my Dry February will be more like almost dry. I鈥檒l definitely have a cheat day here and there. Just no daily habit,鈥� she said.

Others are holding steadfast but said the horrid year that was and the chaotic events of January have made it far more difficult. The odds aren鈥檛 in their favor. Studies over the years have shown that a small percentage of New Year鈥檚 resolutions overall are actually achieved.

Peta Grafham, a 61-year-old retired IT specialist in Tryon, North Carolina, signed on to Dry January after watching her alcohol intake creep up during the pandemic and months of political and racial turmoil.

鈥淚鈥檓 a social creature and isolating has been difficult. I found that I would open a bottle of wine and watch TV, usually CNN, and could knock back a bottle in less than two hours. Then I would move on to the Grand Marnier,鈥� said Grafham, who lives with her husband. 鈥淚 announced to my friends and family that I was doing a Dry January, so my pride is what鈥檚 keeping me sober.鈥�

She hasn鈥檛 had a drop since December 31. Her spouse didn鈥檛 join, but she said he鈥檚 an efficient nurser of bourbon or vodka and has supported her effort.

鈥淚 seemed incapable of limiting myself to just one glass,鈥� Grafham said.

According to a recent survey from the American Psychological Association, 78% of adults report the COVID-19 pandemic has been a significant source of stress, and 65% said the amount of uncertainty in the world is causing strain.

At 27, Emily Roethle in Encinitas, California, nearly broke on January 6, when a riotous mob descended on the Capitol.

鈥淭his is my second Dry January,鈥� she said. 鈥淚t鈥檚 difficult this year. I鈥檝e looked to my glass of wine to separate work from home as I work remote, but in ways it鈥檚 easier as there鈥檚 no happy hour or dinner invitations.鈥�

While addiction treatment experts note that a month of forced sobriety may not have a lasting impact and may lead to binge drinking in February, others believe the show of sobriety can鈥檛 hurt.

Dry January began after a woman training for her first half-marathon, Emily Robinson in the UK, decided to quit drinking for the month. She later went to work for an alcohol awareness organization that launched a national campaign. The event slowly went global.

Well before that, in 1942, Finland began a program called Raitis Tammikuu, meaning sober January, to assist the war effort against the Soviet Union, said Hilary Sheinbaum, who wrote a new book about Dry January, 鈥淭he Dry Challenge.鈥� She said she wrote from personal experience.

鈥淥n December 31, 2016, moments before the ball dropped, I made a Dry January bet with a friend,鈥� Sheinbaum said. 鈥淚n the end, I ended up going the full 31 days. My friend did not. He ended up buying me a very fancy meal, but I had the opportunity to see how alcohol was affecting my day-to-day life. With Dry January, I had clearer skin. I was sleeping better. I had so much more financial savings at the end of the month. This is my fifth Dry January.鈥�

When she took on her first dry challenge, she was working regularly at booze-infused events as a red carpet reporter, and a food and beverage writer. She was also single and going on a lot of dates. Now in a two-year relationship, she and her live-in boyfriend do Dry January together.

鈥淗aving someone doing it with you is definitely encouraging,鈥� Sheinbaum said. 鈥淔or many Americans, we start off the year with a number of resolutions, whether that鈥檚 saving money, losing weight, just being healthier in general. Dry January checks the boxes for those goals and many more.鈥�

She and others note that the ritual isn鈥檛 meant as a substitute for addiction treatment and recovery. Dr Joseph DeSanto, an MD and addiction specialist for the recovery program BioCorRx, agreed but said Dry January may give those in trouble 鈥渟omething to rally around, especially if they鈥檙e not in a 12-step group, and provide a sense of community.鈥�

He added: 鈥淎ny kind of harm reduction is advantageous. If someone is a heavy drinker, they could benefit greatly from switching to moderate to light drinking, even if they can鈥檛 stop altogether. I鈥檝e never met an alcoholic that felt worse from drinking less or not drinking.鈥�

MJ Gottlieb is co-founder and CEO of the 100,000-strong Loosid, a sober social network with both physical and virtual events and services around the country. He鈥檚 in recovery himself and launched the company in part to show the world that sobriety doesn鈥檛 mean the 鈥渆nd of fun.鈥�

Since the pandemic, he said Loosid has seen a spike in people posting on its app, messaging its hotlines and accessing its support groups as the pandemic brought on isolation and more drinking at home.

That鈥檚 where Dry January plays a role.

鈥淎 lot of people who did not have problems previous to the pandemic and were drinking a glass of wine a night are now drinking a couple of bottles a night,鈥� Gottlieb said. 鈥淭hey鈥檙e wondering what鈥檚 going on. They鈥檙e wondering, how did I get here?鈥�