A new survey has revealed the alcohol consumption habits of Australians. So what generation drinks the others under the table?

CALEB Hulme-Moir is a 36-year-old PR executive, booze enthusiast and founder of communications consultancy, Mana Communications. He recently took a break from the beers and below shares his experiences about what he has learned from not drinking.

I’m at the height of my sobriety. It’s been six months since I’ve had a drink which is the longest gap between beverages for 21 years. This means I’ve been drinking more years than not, a sobering, excuse the pun, thought.

So what prompted such a crazy notion? At the time I started out, my girlfriend was dealing with a major life trauma and we thought that laying off the booze for a bit would be wise — this more than any other reason provided the impetus to commit.

There were other reasons too. I wasn’t sure that I could actually go six months dry which I found increasingly concerning.

It got me to thinking about how important alcohol was to my social life. I was terrified by the notion of going out with no drink in hand, convinced I would become a social outcast and labelled a bore, or worse, see fellow revellers in a less flattering light through sober eyes.

The more I pondered this, the more my anxieties seemed ridiculous and I became convinced that a break would do me good.

THE RESULT:

And it has done me good, certainly from a health and wellbeing point of view. I’ve dropped eight kilograms without altering anything else in my life which makes me wonder, can I dress this up and market it as some new wonder-diet?

My eating has improved because I don’t need so much grease to soak up the alcohol and when I do indulge in sweet treats, I don’t feel guilty because I’m not guzzling calories by the wine glass.

I typically have high cholesterol and since I stopped drinking it has gone from high, verging on needing medication, to the top end of normal, which is pretty good. Nothing else I’ve tried has had such a big impact.

I have felt noticeably, and smugly, healthy on a daily basis and I’m no longer subject to alcohol-induced anxiety. I need less sleep, sleep more deeply (and quietly) and my mind is sharper. It’s made me realise that my 20s working life in London, a notoriously booze-drenched city, was conducted almost completely hung-over. Maybe this is as it should be.

PEOPLE’S REACTION:

Despite my considerable concern, I’ve not been cast on the social scrapheap. No doubt my social life has been slightly tamer than it could have been but I’m okay with that and I’ve certainly not shied away from going out.

One noticeable, and annoying, aspect of not drinking is that it becomes a major talking point. When you ask for a soft drink and explain the situation, you are greeted with wide-eyed amazement followed quickly by suspicion.

The last thing you want to do as a non-drinker is to have everyone else talk about it with you. It makes you feel a tad selfconscious, and besides, it’s a bit like the person at a party who wants to chew your ear off about their gym routine, it’s just not that interesting.

I wouldn’t want to give the impression it has all been plain sailing. There have been countless occasions where I have been thirsty for a drink, mostly after a busy week. However, the thirst always passes and can often be quenched, here you will scoff, with a cuppa.

THE DOWNSIDE:

What tea, and especially coffee, will never do is give you that instant feeling of relaxation that comes from a glass of red. Sure you can get the same effect from a run but that requires significantly more effort, is less instant and a whole lot less fun.

Along the way there have been a few occasions when it felt like a terrible decision not to drink. To visit that most romantic of cities, Florence, and not indulge in a glass of Chianti seemed mad. The Italians do indulgence better than anyone and it felt puritanical visiting while dry.

Special occasions, such as my brother’s 50th, or catching up with friends where excessive drinking is mandatory, were also anxiety-laden. In each case the reality didn’t live up to the anxiety and I never walked away thinking that it was a mistake not to have a drink.

WHAT NOW:

I’ve enjoyed my stint as a teetotaller so much that at points I’ve considered going dry long term.

While I’m not at this point yet, if I consider my attitude to alcohol now compared to six months ago, a radical shift has taken place.

I have no intention of going back to previous levels of consumption.

How much less I drink is yet to be determined, maybe over a beer with some of my mates who are relieved that life is returning to normal.

* For those interested in changing their relationship with alcohol I suggest checking out Hello Sunday Morning, a community for those who want to take a short break from drinking.

Caleb Hulme-Moir is the founder of Mana Communications.