NO MORE HANGOVERS? –
Jan. 7, 2022 – But in the last five years, coinciding with the popularity of Instagram, more and more people are sharing their sobriety stories. And none of them looks like someone who struggles with an alcohol problem. That’s the first thing to notice.
We are not seeing “rock-bottom alcoholics” who look like they have no choice but to quit. Instead, we are seeing people who do not look on the outside like they have a problem with alcohol but nevertheless are making the choice to quit drinking. Let me explain what I mean by that. Alcohol is an accepted part of our culture—we automatically assume most adults drink. We all know that alcohol use can be bad for us, but many of us do some complicated mental gymnastics to rationalize that our drinking is not the dangerous kind. Many of us would be wrong about that.
The reason for this is the false promise of alcohol. Alcohol promises us an entrance to the land of fun, excitement, belonging, connection, relaxing, romance, sex, and treating ourselves. And this promise is reinforced by our peer groups, culture, and media. Culturally we believe alcohol is the best way to get to this land, and who the hell wouldn’t want to go there? I know I want to.
