‘365 days with out gentle drink’: TikTok star Rohit Roy on the gadgets that helped him | Australian way of life

Rohit Roy is not your typical TikTok star. He doesn’t dance, sing, or make memes about why millennials need to stop wearing skinny jeans. The 42-year-old financial planning assistant from Melbourne has become famous on the internet for one thing: avoiding non-alcoholic beverages.

Roy has garnered nearly a quarter of a million TikTok followers by sharing daily video updates seriously documenting his journey to battle a lifelong alcohol addiction. He’s been gone for a good 365 days without a drop of that stuff, but every video still starts like this, “Hi everyone, I don’t have a carbonated drink today.”

The switch to Coke helped Roy open a new page. In 2020, his social media presence even earned him an appearance as a Weight Watchers ambassador.

“I feel like a completely different person now,” he recently told his followers. “My life is full of positive physical and mental activities and I enjoy every moment of it.”

Roy told Guardian Australia last year that the support he received at TikTok made staying on the carbonated drinks cart easier. Given the importance of social media to his journey, it’s no surprise that Roy views his smartphone as the object he couldn’t live without. Here he tells us why his phone is so useful, as well as the history of some other important items.

What I would save from my house in a fire

Rohit Roy is sitting in the back garden reading one of the books that changed his life. Photo: Rohit Roy

I would save three books that have completely changed my life in a positive direction. They are how to stop worrying and living, the power of positive thinking and awakening of the inner Buddha. I owe everything that I am today to them.

I know I could buy these books again if I ever lost them, but new books wouldn’t have the memories, emotions, and feelings associated with them. These three books are my companions for the times when I was stressed, depressed, and negative.

I learned from my past and moved on, but I will cherish these books forever because they saved me. I like to believe that these books chose me. I still read them over and over just to recharge my batteries and feel fresh again.

My most useful object

I’m in no way addicted to my phone, but it’s my most useful item.

I’ve recorded it my whole life and it stays with me all the time. Whether it’s my journey to get rid of my soft drink addiction or lose weight, my phone has helped me capture those memories. I also use it to communicate with people who support me.

I have an amazing memory and can remember most things, but I still use my phone as a loyal companion to help me out when needed. It helps me keep in touch and stay social with my family and friends. And of course it also helps me relax by listening to my favorite music, watching videos and shopping.

The article I most regret losing

The item I regret most is an audio cassette that I lost when I was around 12 or 13 years old.

I was born and raised in India. One day I saw a Bollywood movie and I loved the songs. It was a remake of a South Indian film and I was later given the opportunity to visit South India when my father was on a work trip. When I got there, I bought a cassette of songs from the South Indian version of that film. I took the train home and waited longingly to come back to hear it. But when I got home, I found that I had left the tape somewhere on the train. I was so disappointed and regretted it very much.

There was no internet in my area at the time, so it was not easy to download the songs. I was very excited to hear the South Indian versions of my favorite songs, but unfortunately I didn’t get the chance. This memory will most likely stay with me forever.

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