Where Does the Word ‘Teetotaler’ Come From? And More Questions From Our Readers

Although the temperance movement died out in the United States in the early 20th century with the failure of Prohibition, alcohol abstinence was the foundation for a new movement focused on recovery from addiction. Alcoholics Anonymous (AA), founded in 1935 in Akron, Ohio, developed as a fellowship group for alcoholics seeking recovery through total abstinence. The basis of AA was the Twelve Steps program, which outlines the group’s principles and methods for recovery.

Teetotaller religions

He argued that the only true path to a life of wild excitement was total abstinence from alcohol. Contemporary and colloquial usage has somewhat expanded teetotalism to include strict abstinence from most “recreational” intoxicants (legal and illegal). Most teetotaler organizations also demand from their members that they do not promote or produce alcoholic intoxicants. The temperance movement is a social effort that opposes the consumption of alcoholic beverages. Studies in the late 2010s indicated a decline in youth drinking in Western countries, with more than one-fourth of English youth in their mid-teens to mid-20s and nearly three-tenths of college-age Americans claiming total abstinence.

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• It was also estimated that about a quarter of a million individuals were practicing total abstinence.
• It might include water, juice, coffee, tea, non-alcoholic soft drinks, mocktails, and non-alcoholic beer.
• Members of temperance organizations sang songs, organized marches to shut down saloons or pass prohibition laws, circulated pamphlets about the cause, and gave speeches on the moral problems caused by drinking.
• When at drinking establishments, they either abstain from drinking or consume non-alcoholic beverages such as tea, coffee, water, juice, and soft drinks.
• This information should not be considered complete, up to date, and is not intended to be used in place of a visit, consultation, or advice of a legal, medical, or any other professional.

It includes papers from scientific journals classified as either original, clinical or experimental research, review articles or case reports. Some people choose to avoid alcohol because they depended on it in the past, and now they’re in recovery. It’s necessary for a recovering alcoholic to avoid alcohol, even if it means staying out of bars and pubs. The temperance movement still exists in many parts of the world but has less political influence than in the 19th and 20th centuries.

People generally choose teetotalism for religious, health, family, or societal reasons, or from a combination thereof. This does not necessarily mean that they cannot participate in social drinking; for instance, for the typical teetotaller, soft drinks are an easily define teetotalism obtainable substitute at most drinking establishments. A teetotaler is a person who abstains from consuming alcohol in all its devilishly delightful forms.

Word History and Origins

It’s a lifestyle choice that requires an iron will, a love for clear-headed mornings, and the ability to withstand endless mockery from friends who don’t understand the appeal of a party without a single drop of booze. The decision to abstain from alcohol provides benefits for the people who choose to do so. During the 19th and 20th centuries, the temperance movement gained recognition in numerous countries. Certain people stop drinking because they want to improve their physical and mental health. In Dublin, the Pioneer Total Abstinence Association of the Sacred Heart (Pioneers) was founded in 1898 by another priest, James Cullen. This section includes scientific research in the field of healthcare, often involving traditional medicine systems such as Ayurveda, Unani, Siddha and Holistic health.

Why Does a Person Become a Teetotaler?

This means they’ve waved goodbye to the likes of beer, wine, and spirits in favor of more tepid beverages, like water, fruit juice, or herbal tea. Once upon a time, in 1833, a man named Richard Turner stood up in a meeting of the Preston Temperance Society in Lancashire, England. The society was dedicated to promoting a life of sobriety, but Turner believed they didn’t go far enough.

• This approach is rooted in the belief that avoiding alcohol leads to better health and well-being.
• For those of us who enjoy an alcoholic beverage, it’s best to keep in mind that most activities in moderation aren’t harmful.
• The fellowship group for reformed alcoholics was founded in 1840 in Baltimore, Maryland, by six men seeking to help one another and others to maintain their sobriety.
• Nephalism2, temperance, abstinence / abstention, abstemiousness and restraint are synonyms for teetotalism.
• This does not necessarily mean that they cannot participate in social drinking; for instance, for the typical teetotaller, soft drinks are an easily obtainable substitute at most drinking establishments.
• The temperance movement still exists in many parts of the world but has less political influence than in the 19th and 20th centuries.
• Women formed their own Washingtonian chapters, Martha Washington societies, and called themselves “Marthas.” By the late 1840s, most Washingtonian chapters had stopped meeting owing to declining membership.

They recruited other people in their community, even non-alcoholics, and held regular meetings in which they shared their experiences with drinking and sobriety. Over time, the Washingtonians attracted as many as 600,000 members, with chapters throughout the United States. Notably, they welcomed many groups that other temperance societies excluded, including Roman Catholics and Black Americans.

While you’re at it, raise another glass in honor of Richard Turner, whose stutter led to the creation of a term that will forever define those who choose to abstain from the devil’s nectar. Many Christian groups, including Methodists and Quakers, have traditionally supported the temperance movement and prohibition. Richard Turner, a member of the Preston Temperance Society, received credit for using the slang word “teetotally.” He used it to describe abstinence from all existing alcoholic drinks.

Teetotalism, the practice or promotion of total abstinence from alcoholic drinks. It became popular as part of the temperance movement in the early 19th century in Great Britain and North America. Unlike temperance advocates, who promoted moderation in alcohol consumption or abstention solely from hard liquor (distilled spirits), people who practice teetotalism, known as teetotalers, abstain from all alcohol, including beer and wine. Teetotalism is defined as the practice or advocacy of complete abstinence from alcohol and its related products. This approach is rooted in the belief that avoiding alcohol leads to better health and well-being.

Popular in Wordplay

One of the five precepts of Buddhism is remaining free of intoxicating substances that disturb the peace and self-control of the mind. It’s formulated as a training rule assumed voluntarily rather than a commandment. According to historian Daniel Walker Howe, the word came from Lyman Beecher, an American preacher and temperance advocate.