Dry July

Dry July is a national campaign that each year encourages us to give up alcohol for a month to raise funds for people affected by cancer. It’s also a great opportunity to assess how much you drink, why you drink, and how you can make an intentional effort to reduce your alcohol use over the long term for better health and wellbeing.

Alcohol can play a big role in our wider social culture, and while there’s nothing wrong with enjoying an occasional drink in moderation, we all know alcohol isn’t good for our health. Aside from the misery of hangovers, alcohol consumption is linked to more serious and permanent health problems such as depleted energy, mental health issues, interpersonal violence, chronic disease and addiction.

This year, we encourage you to take part in Dry July and see just how much better you look, feel and function without booze for a month. What have you got to lose?

Join a mocktail masterclass

5 tips to go dry this July

While a break from booze will look different for each one of us, there are certain strategies that can really help if you want to stop drinking (even if it's just for a while).

Create a support network- telling other people about your plans to stop drinking can help you be accountable to your goal.
Avoid places where you know you'd normally drink for a while.
Arm yourself with some one-liners that you can throw out to your friends or colleagues as to why you're not drinking, such as "I've got an early start in the morning."
Don't keep any alcohol in the fridge at home.
Set yourself goals and don't give up- even if you slip up.

Test your knowledge

How many standard drinks is the average can of beer?

What long term effects does regular alcohol consumption have on your health?

True or False? Drinking coffee will help you sober up faster.

Support is available

It’s important to remember that help is available. Support is available at Deakin's Counselling service and Deakin Medical Centre.

Or you can access support through these external services:

DirectLine (1800 888 236) provide confidential drug and alcohol counselling and referrals to support services.
The Alcohol and Drug Foundation provide information on drug and alcohol use.
ReachOut provide information on what binge drinking does to your body and tips on how to drink alcohol responsibly.
13YARN (call: 13 92 76) is a 24/7 crisis support service that provides a culturally safe space for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples to yarn about their worries, needs and concerns.