With Carnival behind us, the glasses of beer, wine, shots and other alcoholic refreshments have flowed abundantly with many Dutch people. For more and more people a reason to leave the drink for a while. The IkPas app helps you with this.
IkPas: no alcohol for 40 days
The initiative for IkPas is based on the British phenomenon Dry January. The first Dry January campaign was launched there in 2013, after which it grew and spread to the Netherlands. In our little country, too, more and more people are giving up alcohol for a while, and the IkPas app is a handy helping hand.
On the main screen you can see the most important information: how many days you have already completed. In addition, you can win various badges to motivate yourself, such as a badge for surviving a drink, an evening in the canteen or that you have already saved 25 euros.
To see how much you save during the IkPas period, enter how much you drink per week. You also set what you want to do with the money saved, such as eating out or buying something new. Then you see per day how much you have already saved of the total amount that you do not spend on alcohol during the 40 days.
Under the heading ‘Recipes’ you will find all kinds of recipes for non-alcoholic drinks that you can make as an alternative. Think, for example, of a virgin cosmopolitan, chai latte or nada colada. Each region has its own IkPas Coach, which you can approach via the app for questions or a portion of motivation.
Action makes you fitter
You can also see how many other people from different age groups from your region are participating in the initiative. The benefits of not drinking are highlighted in a playful way: you sleep better, feel fitter and therefore also save quite a few cents.
Moreover, research from the University of Sussex shows that people who participate in an alcohol-free month drink a lot less excessive alcohol in the six months after that period. By emphasizing these things, the app helps you through the drought more easily.
Long-term reduction in alcohol
The IkPas campaign is held twice a year. The first challenge is already over. From January 1, people could also participate in 30 days without alcohol to start 2019. On March 6, the second starting signal was given for 40 days without. Such a national starting moment is a good stick behind the door to actually start with a period of not drinking.
If you prefer to choose a moment yourself or want to reduce your alcohol consumption for a long time, the English Dry January app is also an option. This can be used for 30 days or permanently as a buddy to keep track of your alcohol consumption and to deal with it more consciously.