Ana Apatu: Dry July - cheers, I'm almost there

Ana Apatu is partaking in Dry July

My friends look surprised - startled even - when I tell them I am taking part in Dry July. I intend to be alcohol-free for that month. Just like that, I decide I'm going to do it, telling myself it'll be a piece of cake. Once I make my mind up to do something I generally stick at it. To be fair, I have given this some thought for some time.

I decide I will break my fast on July 31. This date marks my past husband's birthday. It will end my alcohol-free month. I am more than half-way there.

Once people congratulate me for doing it "oh good on you", they soon share their personal experiences - one friend says she managed only two days into July, another laughs she couldn't do it and that she has just been on holiday and had "monsoon June".

Another friend says she has too many social events this month but would like to stop, other friends stop drinking for health reasons, many tell me they do not drink during the working week and many tell me they could never do it. And, of course, there are some who don't drink at all.

My mate, Henare, does not drink. He used to but, because of an event where alcohol was involved, he gave up - just like that.

I am now well into July. I try not to be smug. I tell myself my liver will love the break - a break that was well overdue.

I look forward to the benefits outlined on dry July websites. I wait with anticipation for the increased energy levels, higher productivity, a clearer head. No more hangovers, sleeping better/snoring less, weight loss, clearer skin, healthier bank balance/save money, sense of achievement, fresh approach to alcohol consumption, generally feel healthier. Sounds great.

I watch the news on TV where Taupo Work and Income staff use the "N" word after bouncers would not allow them to enter a bar. It appears those involved had been drinking.

I guess many of us can relate to doing stupid things when under the influence of alcohol.

But do we excuse this behaviour? I scour the Dry July websites and learn about 392,800 work days are lost because of hangovers and alcohol-related absences every year. That one in 10 New Zealanders admitted to turning up to work still feeling the effects of alcohol at least once a year.

And half of Dry July participants change their drinking habits. (Let's hope it inspires us in a positive way and we slow our drinking down).

I find it's easy to be alcohol-free during the week but, on the weekends with friends who like to imbibe, I miss having a drink. I do not consider myself to be a heavy drinker but I do enjoy to drink with friends and look forward to having a drink on weekends.

That's what we do - we work hard and look forward to relaxing, unwinding, having a few laughs, enjoying drinks over shared food with friends.

I tell myself I love to have a laugh and that the health benefits of having a few laughs is so beneficial - that the health benefits of having a great laugh with friends outweighs being sober and bored.

But the health benefits of drinking are confusing and perhaps flimsy. Cortisol being released is perhaps one benefit. Dr Adele Whyte tells me: My public health team would say that alcohol is the next tobacco, that alcohol in fact is relatively toxic in even small doses.

I have to say it is a little scary when I reflect on when I would have had an alcohol-free month? What is also scary are my "drink check" questionnaire results. I have had this check at my doctors once - it was over the Christmas-New Year break so the results were not good.

So to those of you out there doing dry July - here's to us. To those Winz staff in Taupo and to many of us who have said or done something we regret when having had too much to drink this quote is for us. "Always do sober what you said you'd do drunk. That will teach you to keep your mouth shut." - Ernest Hemingway

-Ana Apatu is chief executive of the U-Turn Trust, based at Te Aranga Marae in Flaxmere