Will dry January really make a difference? Professor Jim Lucey, Medical Director of St Patrick’s Mental Health Services, believes Dry January is a great initiative as it could give relief for a time to many who are suffering from the burdens of alcohol abuse within the home and at work. But he argues that the real solution lies in recognising that we have an unhealthy relationship with alcohol all year round, that is detrimental for ourselves, our colleagues and most importantly our children.
In this article, Kate O’Brien questions whether a month off alcohol really makes any difference and why more celebrities are opting to join the sobriety ranks and preserve their livers …
Prof Jim Lucey
Professor Jim Lucey was Medical Director of St Patrick’s Mental Health Services (SPMHS) from 2008 to 2019, and a Consultant Psychiatrist with our team until 2023.
He is Clinical Professor of Psychiatry at Trinity College Dublin. He has been working for more than 30 years with patients experiencing mental health difficulties.
During his time with us in SPMHS, in addition to medical management, Professor Lucey specialised in the assessment, diagnosis and management of Obsessive Compulsive Disorder (OCD) and other anxiety disorders. He gave public lectures and was a regular broadcaster on mental health matters on RTÉ radio, featuring on Today with Sean O’Rourke for many years.