Reflections on Australia’s drinking culture

As a culture we aren’t comfortable with people not drinking. There I said it.

Don’t want sugar with your coffee, no problems. Decide to quit smoking, good on you. Turn down the second round of drinks on a Friday night, and be greeted by looks of sheer disgust…. seriously, what the hell is wrong with you?
This has become the Australian way. We claim that drinking is a personal choice, that it’s something we have control over, when in fact it couldn’t be more opposite – it’s actually a cultural expectation.

Every year I take a three-month break from drinking, and every year the same things happen. Firstly, my mates give me a hard time. Secondly, I stop being invited to attend social events (read ‘drinking’ events). Finally, when they see that I am successfully approaching the end of my three months they jump on the bandwagon. Suddenly they all want to take a break from booze as well. They see how fantastic I feel, hear how much money I have saved and realise that I’ve actually been going out regularly and god forbid, have been having a good time without getting smashed.

Their interest in taking a break gives me faith. It shows that as a society we are evolving. Twenty years ago no one would join me. No one talked about a problem with our drinking culture. No one thought that anything needed to change.
Today nearly 80% of Australian’s believe we’re a country with a drinking problem. But more than that, these people want to do something tangible to change their own drinking habits and the drinking of their peers.

The time for conversation is over. We all know and accept that there is a problem and we all want to do something about it. Let’s stop the forums that talk about “the problem” and reshape them to talk about “the solution”.

Hello Sunday Morning is part of this solution – we’re trying something new. We’re providing people with support to take a break from drinking and allowing them to
re-define their relationship with alcohol. We are trying to change the current drinking perspective that “if you’re going to drink you might as well get drunk”.
Why can’t you have just a couple of drinks instead of ten? Or perhaps abstain from the booze completely for one night?

25,000 people have already signed up to be a part of this solution. Check out Hello Sunday Morning today and join the movement to take a break from drinking. Why not, it’s only 1% of your life, when you’re ready we’ll be here waiting.