In a short Dry January video from CHU Montpellier, Professor Donnadieu explains how alcohol fits into the picture of addiction. He notes that the question “is alcohol a drug?” is mostly about wording, but that alcohol clearly belongs to the family of psychoactive substances, meaning it acts on the brain and can change behaviour and perception.

Donnadieu describes two different situations that can look similar from the outside. One is simply drinking “too much” without dependence, where the main issue is going over risk thresholds (he mentions excessive drinking as around 10 portions per week, more than two per day, and the need for alcohol free days). The other is addiction, which he defines as losing the ability to abstain and losing freedom in relation to drinking, with reduced control over when and how much you drink, even while understanding the consequences.

The video also highlights why the January challenge can be useful even for people without major alcohol problems. Donnadieu says people often report better sleep, sometimes weight loss, and an overall boost in energy during a month without alcohol. If someone wants to keep some of those benefits afterwards, he points to practical strategies like preparing for social pressure, choosing a non-alcoholic alternative in advance, bringing back alcohol free days, limiting alcohol-focused evenings, and alternating alcoholic drinks with non-alcoholic ones.

Find more from CHU Montpellier (France, January 2026)