Is the “damp” lifestyle trend on Tik Tok a fresh new thing in the world of drinking or is it just a rebrand of controlled drinking; a reliable, reputable method of moderation with far reaching benefits?
Whatever it is, if you look beyond the delivery system you’ll see that TikToker @hana.elson has 2 million likes and 37,300 followers who are being influenced by her “it’s cool to be moderate” message. They’re a new, mostly youthful audience who are ready to hear “that drinking culture and your relationship with alcohol does not have to be black or white, all or nothing.” Hana says it’s an “action plan” to “drink with the mindset of the next day” which I think slots nicely into the current wellness movement.
Someone was bound to coin a new phrase. I’d thought of “moistly moderate” (cue the laughter) but that was never going to catch on was it!
It’s really about deciding to drink alcohol less often and less excessively.
It’s an option I use with clients who want to get more curious and explore the who, what, when, how and why behind their drinking to help inform and drive their decisions and behaviours.
If you already only have a few drinks a week and on special occasions, well done, you’re already damp!
Damp is a drinking trend obviously not suitable for drinkers mired in dependence, those under 18, pregnant women or alcoholics and problem drinkers who are doing just fine in their abstinence.
It’s more for those who aren’t keen on committing to a life sentence of soda and sobriety. Some people prefer to dial their drinking back with less rules and restrictions. And, the social consequences of seriously sober can be the killer for many. Rightly or wrongly, a lot of what we do revolves around alcohol. It’s embedded itself into our culture, our supermarkets and our social lives in a very big way.
Giving up alcohol completely often means having to change entire friend sets and staying away from drinking establishments, events and gatherings.
Going damp is a harm reduction approach that allows us a way to still go out and stay connected, while implementing responsible and healthy behavioural changes.
If you pre-load, are partial to too many Proseccos, shots, top shelf beverages and cocktails, and you’re often waking up worse for wear, why not consider going damp now, rather than allowing a habit to possibly escalate or become problematic? Our stressful lives are on the increase and if alcohol use is a socially ingrained, commonly used way to combat stress, boredom, loneliness and squish difficult feelings then it could be valuable to learn new coping skills. We only have to look at late night hospital admissions to see the harmful consequences associated with excessive alcohol use – Injuries, assaults and road accidents.
You don’t have to have a problem with drinking to dabble in laying off a bit. Just throw the wellbeing element in there and know that although there’s still self control involved, it’s empowering to cut back.
There’s likely to be bonus benefits like improved sleep, not gaining weight, better cholesterol readings, bouncing out of bed easier in the mornings, clearer skin, saving money, and being more in control of both your physical and mental health.
If drinking too much has led to internal shame showers or regular cycles of chaos, drama and apologies to friends and family then there’s likely to be a lot of positive social benefits too.
Therapy can help with motivation, mindset shifts and finding new strategies and coping skills especially when alcohol is used as a stress coping mechanism.
Exploring the motivation to drink and creating more opportunities to discover how it feels not to, is key.
If you’d like advice or help on how to begin book a phone or video consult today!
Leanne French Relationship Expert & Counsellor 
This is brilliant thank you so much.
LikeLiked by 1 person