Resolutions Relapse: How many people give up on New Year’s Resolutions?

Resolution Relapse: Survey finds 60% Americans have already given up on 2021 New Year’s resolutions…

As we approach the midpoint of 2021, many of the resolutions we made at the dawn of the new year appear to be a distant memory. Among the stress and blur of another pandemic year, many of us may have reverted to drinking alcohol and smoking again, or have not been as prudent with our personal finances as we’d hoped. The exercise bike that was delivered on January 1st is collecting dust in the corner of spare room, and that resolution to quit drinking? Ditched that by Cinco de Mayo!

Oxford Treatment Center, wanted to evaluate how many of us are staying loyal to the resolutions we made nearly half a year ago, and surveyed 3,375 people to find out how strong or weak-willed we’ve been in 2021. With what seems like frank honesty, 3 in 5 (60%) Americans admit they’ve already given up on their 2021 resolutions.

But alas, 43% of us admit we never expected to carry them out to their conclusion in the first place! Perhaps it’s no real surprise as three-quarters (76%) of those polled said the pandemic has made sticking to resolutions like giving up alcohol more challenging – likely due to boredom (from limited outdoor and social activities), anxiety and worry about things like health, finances, family and friends.

Statewise, however, it seems like strong-willed West Virginians put the rest of the country to shame with a staggering 4 in 5 respondents saying they’re still sticking to their New Year’s resolutions. Opposingly, it appears many Kentuckians gave up their resolutions long ago with 79% admitting they’ve given up on their resolutions for the year already.

Oxford Treatment Center compiled these results across the country into the following illustrative infographic, which you can view here:

Quitting alcohol comprised a significant 34% of resolutions for Americans this year with people possibly having evaluated their drinking habits and realized there was room for change. When asked if they had to choose between quitting hard liquor, such as spirits, or drinks lower in alcohol content, such as beer, 63% would opt to quit hard liquor.

Finally, 1 in 3 (35%) respondents said that if they were abstaining from alcohol in 2021, they would allow a pause in their sobriety due to upcoming summer vacations – however, they would go back to being teetotal once the fun of the vacation is over.