Opinion: Is skipping alcohol for a month really a big commitment?

Why is it so hard to give up drinking? Photo / File

Today is the first of August, meaning I have lasted a whole month without a drop of alcohol.

Dry July, the fundraising campaign for the Look Good Feel Better charity, encourages people to seek sponsorship from family and friends to go dry for the entire month of July.

Was it hard? Surprisingly, no. Not in the slightest.

Drinking alcohol is such a normal part of life in so many ways - it's nice to have a glass of red wine with a yummy steak dinner, or have a refreshing beer at the end of a long, hard day at work.

But when that wasn't an option, it was surprising how much I didn't miss it.

The only times I really thought about it were when someone else brought it up.

"You're doing Dry July? How are you going to handle that?"

"No alcohol for a month? I couldn't do that. Rather you than me."

"But what if you want to go out for dinner or something? What will you drink, orange juice?"

It was getting quite frustrating towards the end. Especially frustrating was the implied suggestion that I personally should have found it so hard.

Alcohol is a big part of Kiwi culture for many of us, so I was expecting a few comments.

But the reaction I got proved to me just how much it permeates our everyday lives.

Why should it be so shocking to go 31 days without a drink?

In the most recent New Zealand Health Survey, published in December, the Ministry of Health said four out of five adults had drunk alcohol in the past year (79 per cent).

In the past year, one in five adults (20 per cent) had drunk alcohol in a way that could harm themselves or others.

Isn't that shocking? The majority of us drink alcohol, and one in five of us are actually misusing alcohol.

I think it says a lot about us that skipping alcohol for a month is seen as such a big commitment.

Dry July is not just supporting a worthy cause - it's a real eye-opener.