Own Work, Wikimedia. Two-Pints-beer-main. October 16, 2017. Retrieved via
Alcohol is everywhere. From concerts to sporting events to university events to bars/pubs opening up all the time. Alcohol is not just about the drink itself but is about the culture surrounding it: being with friends, meeting new ones, unwinding after a long work week, celebrating birthdays or anniversaries or other special events. The list goes on and on. The point is that people, for the most part, love their drinks. But this may not be the case in the UK anymore, where many young people are saying good-bye to drinking in excess constantly and looking to take care of themselves and have fun without a drink in their hands.
According to a source at ladbible.com, more and more young people are ditching alcohol and consuming products that have no alcohol or less than .5% alcohol in the drink. Surprisingly, the UK is listening to these young people and creating beverages to meet this new trend. Young people are not ditching alcohol just because of the expense, but also because of the toll it can have on one’s mental health (ladbible.com 1). I for one find this to be refreshing! I’m not a bigger drinker either and most of the time when I’m out where alcohol is heavily present, I just drink a Coke or water and am totally fine with that. But peer pressure can be present and it does intimidate you to want to drink the stuff, even if you don’t like it all that much.
Taking Care Of Yourself Is Most Important
One example is Harry Jones. He had been consuming alcohol since he was 17 and at the age of 22, he re-evaluated his life and made the decision to cut alcohol out of it (ladbible.com 1). He is quoted saying “I’m definitely happier…I used to work in the service industry and it was extremely easy to fall into a pattern of drinking, as you are constantly surrounded by it. Its often the only thing you look forward to at the end of your 14-hour shift” (ladbible.com 2).
Jones also opens up about his mental health even before alcohol was in his life. He says “I’ve had depression my entire life and it wasn’t until late last year that I was sort of hit with the realisation that my mental health was spiraling and that was mainly down to the fact that I was drinking four to five times a week” (ladbible.com 2). Jones did take time away from his job to sort himself out, trying to cut back on the number of days he drank per week, until he finally realized that cutting it out entirely was his best option (ladbible.com 2). I commend Harry Jones for making this decision. He needed to take control of a problem in his life, found the solution, and is happier for it.
Some Just Don’t Enjoy The Taste Of Alcohol
A university researcher Sarah Garvey was interviewed and she admits that she has never really liked the taste of alcohol so she never really participated in drinking related events when she was in college (ladbible.com 3). But she, like Harry Jones, is concerned about the health issues as well. She says “The main reason I don’t drink is simply because I don’t actually like it…And secondly because of its health impacts. My not drinking on health grounds is more preemptive, because I am aware of the adverse effects it has on many people” (ladbible.com 4). Garvey did her research and shares just how devastating the effects can be: “I once read about the impacts of alcohol on the brain, and something about it stuck-particularly when I was doing exams and wanted to have as clear a head as possible. Since then I’ve never seen any reason to change my mind” (ladbible.com 4).
Garvey also says that she envies how young people are making this change and how much more is being done to make alcohol less prominent throughout the university experience (ladbible.com 4). I, also like Garvey, do not like the taste of beer in particular. I like sweet drinks when I decide to have a drink (Mike’s Hard Lemonade to be specific) and bars/restaurants do not serve it so back to Coke or water I go. I would love to see more universities, sporting events, and bars/restaurants to take this trend in the UK seriously and start making non-alcoholic or low alcoholic beverages for people who don’t like the stuff or who want a low-alcohol option.
Events Where Alcohol Is Not The Focus
Here in the U.S., alcohol and just about everything go together. This leaves people who don’t like to participate in drinking feel alienated. But the UK has made events, where alcohol is not present in much the same way, a priority. A group called Club Soda is an organization that is dedicated to helping people make alcohol less a part of their daily lives as well as organizing events, like one called Mindful Drinking Festivals (ladbible.com 5). Club Soda says “We have nothing against alcohol (in moderation) …Our Mindful Drinking Festivals are about bringing some of our favourite drinks into one place for everyone to try. Whether you are on a health kick, moderating your drinking habits, pregnant or trying, or just a bit sober curious, this is your chance to find a new favourite tipple” (ladbible.com 5). Their goal is “a world where nobody has to feel out of place if they are not drinking” (ladbible.com 5).
Breweries, brew shops, supermarkets, and pubs are also making an effort to supply low alcohol and non-alcoholic beverages throughout their facilities to meet this new trend (ladbible.com 5). I completely agree with this and wish that the U.S. would do this! Small, local breweries would make a killing if they did this. Not everyone loves to drink all the time or even like alcohol period. Going into restaurants that serve alcohol should not be intimidating to those who don’t wish to drink. And at certain places, this means the quality of your service goes down dramatically if you order anything other than alcohol. That should certainly not be encouraged but I have sadly been to multiple places where that was the case. Make these options available and I’m certain many people will try them. We don’t need to have alcohol to have a good time. I sincerely hope this trend (or at the very least some of these products) make their way over to the U.S. I will definitely try them!
