Is “Damp Lifestyle” Sobriety’s Cousin?

A DISTANT RELATIVE –

Nov. 10, 2022 – The damp lifestyle, a term originally coined by TikTok user Hana Danly, refers to operating somewhere in between sobriety and heavy drinking. Someone who chooses to live “dry” or sober is choosing to completely remove alcohol from their life, whereas a damp lifestyle is about choosing moderation. Living damp means that you still drink from time to time, but you avoid going overboard.

“A damp lifestyle involves drinking in moderation, drinking to savour a drink or drinking a little on special occasions. It’s basically the avoidance of binge drinking which is what many of us have spent our lives doing,” says Emer McLysaght in The Irish Times.

But because this way of living is less black and white than a fully sober lifestyle, there aren’t really any set rules. The most significant factor is that you’re focusing on moderation and trying to avoid binge drinking. While the exact amount of what exactly constitutes moderate drinking is still up for debate; the CDC says moderate drinking should be one drink a day or less for women and two drinks or less for men.