We can’t survive without water, yet some people opt against consuming the calorie- and sugar-free liquid.

Instead, they may choose to hydrate by drinking soda or hot beverages —something Elliott, a 20-year-old Reddit user Idkhowyoufoundme7, can’t understand.

On April 5, he wrote a post titled: “How do so many people just… not drink water?” racking up 16,000 upvotes at the time of writing. The post details that his partner “never drinks water.”

He told Newsweek: “The answers I got boil down to one of three options,” which help explain why some people don’t consume enough water.

They are:

• “I forget to drink water”
• “I don’t like the taste/it makes me feel nauseous”
• “Other drinks have water so I’m probably fine”, with some overlap.”

In the post, Elliott asked: “How is this comfortable?” adding, “I can’t go half a day without drinking water, let alone multiple days in a row.”

While hydration seems like a basic health habit, generational behaviors may play a role. According to Texas Health Resources (THR), Gen Z (born between 1997 and 2012) are more likely to prioritize eating healthy and getting regular exercise; however, they also prioritize their mental health and managing stress.

Water is essential for the proper functioning of every cell, tissue, and organ in your body. The Mayo Clinic states water plays a vital role in:

• Flushing out waste through urine, sweat, and bowel movements
• Regulating body temperature
• Lubricating and cushioning your joints
• Protecting delicate tissues

According to the U.S. National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine, an adequate daily fluid intake is about 15.5 cups (3.7 liters) of fluids a day for men and about 11.5 cups (2.7 liters) for women.

So far, the post has over 3,000 comments, and many users seem to be just as baffled as Elliott.

One commenter said: “What truly blows my mind is when people say they don’t like water. Like, to me it’s as if they’re saying they don’t like air haha. How can you not like drinking water?! Edited to add: I’m the first to say that water can taste very different depending on the source and that not all water tastes good. I’m talking about people who across the board, say they don’t like any and all types of water.”

To which Elliott responded: “Exactly!!! Like I totally understand not liking a brand of bottled water, or tap water, but ALL water seems crazy.”

In another comment, Elliott points out that his partner has attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), and often needs reminding to eat.

Newsweek reached out to psychiatrist Dr. Tom MacLaren, who works at Re:Cognition Health, a cognitive healthcare clinic in London. He explained that ADHD can affect basic self-care routines, including hydration.

“While it might seem surprising, difficulties with drinking enough water are not uncommon among individuals with ADHD,” he said. “The condition can impair interoception, the brain’s ability to recognize internal signals like thirst or hunger.

“Combine that with a tendency toward distraction, time blindness or hyperfocus, and it’s easy to see how someone might unintentionally go long periods without drinking.”
He suggests keeping a bottle of water in sight or linking drinking water to established habits to ensure they hit their daily intake.

Other comments include reasons why people regret not drinking enough of it.

One user said: “I was always amazed that I never really needed water. Gout in my 30’s. I don’t wish that on anyone.”

Another commenter said: “My son did this for years. A couple of kidney stones later, all he drinks is water now. You learn the hard way.”