A young man in his early twenties, Prakhar Tiwari staunchly believes that alcohol limits a person’s capacity to live life to the fullest. 

“It disconnects you from real life. An intoxicated person gets separated from people around him and his thoughts are utterly disjointed from his life. If one has to live a life full of happiness and contentment, one should get ‘addicted’ to things that are healthy for him or her,” Tiwari told Gaon Connection.

Tiwari’s comments feature in a video released by Gaon Connection which consists of snippets of interviews of some youngsters who talk about their reasons for being a teetotaller. 

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The video is part of a series titled Meri Pyaari Zindagi, which is a collaboration between Gaon Connection, India’s biggest rural media platform, and the World Health Organization Regional Office for South East Asia (WHO SEARO) for a social campaign to promote awareness about the ill effects of alcohol.

Echoing Tiwari’s views on addictions and life at large, Shubhi Agarwal, who is a software engineer by profession, believes that addiction in life can be healthy as well. 

“Wake up before sunrise and go cycling. The sight of the rising sun from the horizon is addictive. Cycling will burn your calories too,” Agarwal told Gaon Connection. 

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Talking about its impact on the economic well being of a person, Shubham Chauhan, a digital content producer said that not only does drinking alcohol affect a person’s physical health but also wreaks havoc on his or her finances. 

“It impedes an individual’s growth in every manner. My friends and colleagues have a hard time when they invite me for drinks as I end up eating all their snacks. I join them but never consume alcohol,” Chauhan said.

Alcohol drinking cool or namaqool? 

Agarwal stated that her choice to abstain from alcohol has often resulted in social isolation for her. But she has zero regrets.

“Whenever my friends used to invite me for drinks, I sat with my non-alcoholic drink and kept to myself. They repeatedly questioned me if I am really enjoying it as I am not having any alcohol. It’s irritating. If I am attending a party, it’s well within my rights to enjoy as I like,” she said.

“If these so-called ‘cool’ people don’t have the sensibility to understand this, these cool fellas are terribly namaqool (unwise),” she added.

When asked about what he does when friends insist on drinking, Aman Gupta, a content writer by occupation, said that he sometimes has to assert his decision to not have alcohol at all. 

“Sometimes, friends don’t understand the word ‘No’. But even then, I ensure not to lose my ground,” he said.

‘Alcohol’s high is momentary, enjoying in sobriety makes memories’

Akansha Singh, a student, told Gaon Connection that drinking alcohol to have fun is pointless as people hardly remember what they did when intoxicated.

Likewise, Poorvi Anand, a photographer by profession stated that she has seen that drinking alcohol leads to unnecessary nuisance in life.

“I was living as a tenant in Mumbai and often my friends came over for partying. Booze often led to nuisance and I used to be worried about the house owner asking me to vacate due to it,” Anand remembered.

Aditi Tiwari, a student, said that addiction doesn’t necessarily have to be that of a substance or a drink.

“It could be a hobby! Singing and dancing can also be a healthy addiction. If somebody is enjoying doing something which gives them peace, that’s the entire purpose. It doesn’t have to be something that consumes your life but something that helps you enjoy in peace,” she said.