Is Sobriety Becoming a Status Symbol?

INTANGIBLES ARE THE MOST VALUABLE –

Jan. 19, 2023 – “We simply live in times of heightened responsibility,” Weyns explains. “Modern man has the urge to constantly examine whether he is doing the right thing and taking enough care of himself. Am I exercising enough? Am I eating healthily? And now so too: am I not drinking too much and can I better stop drinking? All these questions go perfectly with the growing interest in our health. “ European countries have the highest levels of alcohol consumption in the world. Yet consumption in high-income countries has declined, Claire Davey, a researcher in gender and sobriety at Canterbury Christ Church University in England, told CNN. It is partly due to the rise of wellness culture, with the popularity of activities such as yoga, mindfulness and self-care.

Health benefits Going alcohol-free for a month lowers blood pressure, reduces the risk of diabetes, lowers cholesterol and increases brain health, which lowers the risk of Alzheimer’s. Dry January participants report sleeping better, having better skin and saving money, according to the charity Alcohol Change UK.

But just how easily people can access alcohol is new, according to Edward Slingerland, a philosophy professor who wrote about alcohol consumption and its impact on society. Slingerland asserts that there used to be more practical limits on how strong the alcohol we consumed was and that drinking used to be centred around festive occasions.