Dry July
Dry July is a national campaign that encourages us to give up alcohol for a month to raise funds for people affected by cancer. It’s also a great opportunity to assess how much you drink, why you drink, and how you can make an intentional effort to reduce your alcohol use over the long term for better health and wellbeing.
Alcohol can play a big role in our wider social culture, and while there’s nothing wrong with enjoying an occasional drink in moderation, we all know alcohol isn’t good for our health. Aside from the misery of hangovers, alcohol consumption is linked to more serious and permanent health problems such as depleted energy, mental health issues, interpersonal violence, chronic disease and addiction.
Take part in Dry July and see just how much better you look, feel and function without booze for a month.
5 tips to go dry this July
While a break from booze will look different for each one of us, these strategies can help if you want to stop drinking (even if it's just for a while).
- Create a support network: tell other people about your plans to stop drinking to be accountable to your goal.
- Avoid places where you know you'd normally drink.
- Arm yourself with some one-liners that you use with friends or colleagues, such as 'I'm not drinking tonight because I've got an early start in the morning'.
- Don't keep any alcohol in the fridge at home.
- Don't give up, even if you slip up: any reduction in how much you're drinking is a positive step.