Why self-isolation and coronavirus quarantine is the perfect time to quit drinking

There are few things Aussies love more than a drink – especially during challenging times like those we’re facing right now. But sobriety can give us something we badly need, writes James MacSmith.

Booze is another unfortunate victim of the coronavirus crisis.

As it becomes the latest in a lengthening line of panic buy items every self respecting Doomsday Prepper has to hoard, and is subsequently hit with purchasing restrictions, it’s perhaps time, again, to reflect on our relationship with alcohol.

I’ve been off the booze for a full year now. Yup. Ticked off on April 6 2019. Not a drop for just over a full year now, which is not a bad effort, if I do say so myself, especially for a bloke who loves a beer.

When this comes up in conversation, usually when someone asks if I would like a drink, the question that is always immediately put to me is: “Why?”.

In return I have often pondered why myself. Why is this the seemingly natural reaction, as if what I was doing was unnatural?

And now in this new COVID-19 world order, I ponder why we have moved to panic buying of toilet paper, hand sanitiser and alcohol. An unusual trinity if ever there was one.

The weeks of social restrictions have already given us plenty of time to ponder our lives, how they are travelling and where we go from here. The next few months will offer even more opportunity.

So long boozy afternoons. Picture: iStock

There are those among us who can’t bear the thought of being without grog through it all. Perhaps it’s an Australian thing, perhaps it’s not. But by any measure Australians are comparatively heavy drinkers. But I’m not here to lecture.

A few years ago, I decided to take a break from soft drink because I felt I was drinking too much of the fizzy stuff. It was a time of some self discipline, given it was frequently offered to me for free through the work I was doing. I lasted a year.

My decision to give the booze a break found its origins in this experience. At first I was aiming for a month and then it stretched out to six months, and now one year.

I realised it had become pretty boring watching footy and drinking, and that the occasional hangovers that sometimes came with that were not worth the night before. Plus was I just drinking for the sake of drinking?

So after a mate’s 40th, where I had only a few beers, I decided I would have a month off it.

I have two young kids, so compared to other times in my life the opportunities to socialise are not as great as they once were and it’s true this made it easier early on.

But over the past year (pre-coronavirus) there have been countless times when I have passed on the chance to have a beer but socialised regardless. There have also been countless times I have turned down freebies and had softer drinks or even worse (blood orange sparkling water anyone?) at parties, shindigs, get-togethers, gatherings or the footy.

Quitting drinking helped me lose weight and feel better overall. Picture: supplied

I lost 10kg, but found a way to put a bit of that back on. I do feel lighter. I do feel healthier and I haven’t had a hangover in a year. And while I’m not on track to break any Olympic records, but I am exercising more often too. I’m sneaking the odd Coca-Cola more often than I used to, too. I know – sugar … But it’s hard to drink water 100 per cent of the time.

But truth be told I seldom miss alcohol. There were the dying, nailbiting minutes of a certain glorious NRL Grand Final win last year I might have liked to have been cradling a beer through in the stands. But the exorbitant cost of a beer at the footy might have stopped me anyway.

Which might be another reason to take it easy on the liquor at the moment – the cost.

It’s hardly a necessity during these times is it?

And given alcohol is often a significant part of anyone’s social life, now that has been knocked on the head, it should be easier to at least think about having a spell.

I understand some people might drink alcohol (Duffman whispering: “in moderation”) as a stress reliever or to take a load off, but life without it can provide clarity.

And isn’t that something we all need right now?