Just in case you haven’t figured it out yet, Australians love to have a drink.
It’s a constant and prevalent part of our social culture, and we do it at sports games, weddings, parties and Sunday barbies.
It’s also hurting us.
Overall consumption of alcohol may be at a 50 year low in Australia, but that doesn’t mean the problem is resolved. In fact, in Australia just a few years ago (in 2010) some 157,132 people were taken to hospital for excessive alcohol consumption, and alcohol related hard resulted in 5,554 deaths. This problem is particularly pronounced in young Australians. One Australian teenager dies, and 60 more are hospitalised, every single week from alcohol related accidents. Additionally, alcohol is often found to be a contributing factor to the three biggest killers of Aussie adolescents: accidental injury, homicide and suicide.
The problem seems to bit to contend with, but you can actually make a different right now, this very month.
It’s called Ocsober.
A fundraising initiative that encourages people to go sober in October, Ocsober supports an organisation called Life Education. You might remember it from your own school days, when Healthy Harold the educational giraffe came to tell you all about healthy lifestyles. It’s a great initiative that helps kids to understand and be aware of the dangers of alcohol and drugs, and offer alternatives to early participation.
In 2015, Ocsober hopes to raise $700,000 that they will use to empower 700,000 Aussie kids. These are the next generations of Australians that might struggle with alcohol addiction, and helping them helps our entire country.
But Ocsober shouldn’t just be done for the greater good. Here are a few reasons you should consider participating in the event, just in case you weren’t already sold.
1. You’ll Save Money
Let’s be clear here, alcohol is expensive. Thanks to taxes and import costs, Australia happens to have some of the most expensive alcohol around. So, if you decide to undertake Ocsober one thing that’s guaranteed is you’ll save a bit of money. In terms of the family budget, this is great news and the extra money is always welcome. It could go towards Christmas presents for one thing! Of course, you could choose to truly support the cause by calculating how much money you spend each month on alcohol, and donating it to the Ocsober cause…
2. You’ll Feel Better
We all feel bad when we’ve had too much to drink, but you’d be surprised how much of an effect alcohol can have on the body even if you aren’t hungover. Regularly consuming alcohol means that your body is always working to process it, and your mental function is often clouded. Plus, alcohol can contain a high amount of sugar and carbs (depending on what you’re drinking) that also have an effect on your health. Many people that drink regularly struggle with their weight, and cutting alcohol out might just be the boost your body needs to get on track. So, although the first couple of days might be a challenge, especially if you drink on a daily basis, Ocsober is an ideal way to get started on a health kick. After a month, you might find you don’t drink as much overall.
3. You’ll Set A Good Example
If you’ve got kids and you drink on a regular basis, Ocsober is definitely something you should consider. When children never see their parents enjoying themselves without alcohol, it’s easy for them to assume that alcohol consumption is a requirement for having fun or being social. This is especially true in Australia where it’s exceedingly rare to meet someone who has made a lifestyle choice not to drink at all (as opposed to being limited by belief). So giving up the grog for a month is a good way to show your child that there’s more to life than regular drinking, and that there are always other options if you don’t want to drink.
4. You’ll Help
You don’t need to have signed up for Ocsober to participate, but signing up is a good motivator to get out there and fundraise for this noble cause. Whether it’s among your friends or at your workplace, or even in your local community, let people know that you’re going sober this October and raising money to help support Life Education. Every dollar you save is putting an Australian kid on the right track with their health and good habits for the future. Families can get those around them involved and really spread the valuable message of Ocsober, that alcohol isn’t everything.
Ocsober is a pretty good fundraising cause to get behind, with clear links that will benefit your community in the long run. But even the idea, separate from the fundraiser, is something to consider.
Taking a one month break from alcohol, especially just before the silly season, might be just what your body needs after all.
I get what you’re saying, and yeah, those cases where people meet as adults can explain why the attraction happens.…