Samantha Motion: How Dry July gives more than it gets

Dry July is personal improvement disguised as a charitable endeavour. Photo / Getty Images

Opinion

Charities are big on raising awareness these days.

There are weeks and months dedicated to awakening the population to particular causes.

Most people would have nothing against the odd awakening but the raising of cash that usually comes after can be a bit tiresome.

That may sound uncharitable but people can understand the sentiment is more reflective of the large number of worthy causes jostling for our generosity than a rejection of giving - it's donor fatigue.

Giving is nice even if it's simply in pursuit of that rush of happiness chemicals - dopamine, serotonin and friends - that come from doing something nice for someone else.

That feeling is all that a lot of causes can offer their donors, and that's enough.

But Dry July is a different model.

Dry July is a personal improvement challenge disguised as a charitable endeavor - or is it the other way around?

The idea of taking a break from booze existed before the branding came along.

But we can forgive the charitable co-opting because, in addition to the good causes (cancer support groups) the campaign supports, it's made taking a dry month a social activity.

The do-it-for-charity approach along with team challenges opens the door for Kiwis who might have otherwise given this a pass and provides added incentive to get through the month.

And there's evidence drinkers can really stand to gain if they stick it out.

Mount GP Tony Farrell, an addiction specialist, told NZME's Essence magazine this weekend that Dry July has real benefits especially if participants can go the whole 31 days.

"If people complete it, the evidence is that [longer-term] their drinking reduces, and that's really promising."

Given Farrell also says there's no "safe" amount of alcohol, so if Dry July also helps New Zealand's binge-drinking culture make space for people who would just rather not drink, more's the better.

The opportunity to reassess our individual relationships with liquor doesn't hurt - maybe more than ever in 2021.

We'd all like to think we can approach drinking as a simple leisure activity but it can be hard to spot the point it crosses over into a more complicated crutch or self-medication.

The technical term is hazardous drinking, and there's research showing it rose over last year's Covid-19 lockdown.

So it's a good time to do a reset.

It doesn't have to be the start of a life of abstinence (though would it be so bad if it was?) but if participants are being honest, it might be a path to benefits such as better sleep and skin, weight loss, more energy and increased productivity.

Sobering up for self-care - now that sounds like a binge-worthy brew.