When ‘Normal’ Drinking Isn’t So Normal

We hear the word "alcoholic" and cue bias. We picture the stereotypes of "the uncle who is always drunk" or a houseless individual asking for money, with assumptions being made about what they will use the money for. But what if we challenged these beliefs? What if problematic behavior with alcohol goes beyond that? Consider your friend who blacks out every time you hit the bars, your mom who drinks two glasses of wine every night, or yourself when you are craving alcohol to “just relax and let loose.”

If you're reading this, maybe you've found yourself searching the internet for answers because you have concerns about your own drinking or are worried about someone you care about. We could sit here together and review the diagnostic criteria needed for a formal Alcohol Use Disorder (AUD) diagnosis, but that is not a requirement to seek help, reduce, or completely stop drinking. You do not need a formal diagnosis to recognize that alcohol, in one way or another, has a hold on you.

Alcohol consumption in the United States is commonplace, not only for celebratory purposes but even as an unhealthy coping mechanism. From those surveyed in 2025, 79.2% of people 12 and older in the United States reported consuming alcohol and of those surveyed, 20% reported binge drinking in the most recent month (National Institute of Health, 2024) Alcohol marketing does a great job at making us feel connected to a product, securing buy-in, and targeting specific groups. We are now seeing marketing efforts like "mom water" and spiked coffee canned beverages, celebrities promoting their own products, alcohol infiltrating the health space (oh, the irony) by sponsoring everything from 5Ks to marathons, and social media influencers creating recipes for "protein cocktails." Every demographic can find themselves being targeted by advertising. With this in mind, it is important to know you are not at fault, ethical marketing has a major grey area, and our brains believe and give attention to what we are exposed to. It feels impossible to avoid exposure to alcohol. The effects of alcohol use are vast and span from health concerns, accidents, and death, and create lasting impacts on individuals, families, friends, and society as a whole (Bouchery et al. 2011). “Economic costs attributed to excessive alcohol consumption are considerable. In the United States alone, the costs of excessive alcohol use were estimated at $223.5 billion in 2006, or $746 per person” (Bouchery et al. 2011).

The stigma surrounding alcohol use is widespread and deeply tied to the feelings of guilt and shame that are already central to addiction and recovery. Harmful stereotypes, such as the belief that alcohol use disorder is always severe or impossible to control, or that abstinence is the only path to recovery, can undermine a person's ability to change on their own and negatively impact both individual health outcomes and public health goals.Now you might be asking, "okay, great, all of this makes sense and I'm feeling more validated and less alone in my negative experiences with alcohol… but what do I do?"

Bear with me and try your best not to roll your eyes at what I say next. There is evidence that healing does not happen alone, and having a support system is vital. There is a quote common in the AA community: "we are only as sick as our secrets." What this means is we need to practice honesty with ourselves, saying "alcohol and I do not get along,” and talking to trusted individuals about it. If that needs to start with a therapist, great. If it is admitting it to yourself, also great. There is no one singular path to removing or reducing alcohol consumption.

If anything stated here struck a cord, consider implementing some of these tools!

• Trying mocktails in social situations

• Self reflecting on the need for alcohol or what it is helping you avoid

• Practicing vulnerability with support systems

• Hobby replacement: when you find yourself reaching for a drink, pause, and try a different activity instead

If you find yourself resonating with anything said: I feel you, I see you, I hear you, and I have hope for you.

You might even want to check out _____ (insert name of Winona's blog post)

If you are ready for professional support, click the link below to schedule a consultation with our care team. Wasn’t sure which link to use!!!!

Giesbrecht, N. (2024). The impacts of alcohol marketing and advertising, and the alcohol industry's views on marketing regulations: Systematic reviews of systematic reviews. Drug and Alcohol Review, 43(6), 1402–1425. https://doi.org/10.1111/dar.13881

Holahan, C. J., Moos, R. H., Holahan, C. K., Cronkite, R. C., & Randall, P. K. (2001). Drinking to cope, emotional distress and alcohol use and abuse: A ten-year model. Journal of Studies on Alcohol, 62(2), 190–198. https://doi.org/10.15288/jsa.2001.62.190

Karaye, I. M., Maleki, N., & Yunusa, I. (2023). Racial and ethnic disparities in alcohol-attributed deaths in the United States, 1999–2020. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, 20(8), 5587. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph20085587

Morris, J., & Schomerus, G. (2023). Why stigma matters in addressing alcohol harm. Drug and Alcohol Review, 42(5), 1264–1268. https://doi.org/10.1111/dar.13660

National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism. (n.d.). Alcohol use in the United States: Age groups and demographic characteristics. https://www.niaaa.nih.gov/alcohols-effects-health/alcohol-topics-z/alcohol-facts-and-statistics/alcohol-use-united-states-age-groups-and-demographic-characteristics

Sudhinaraset, M., Wigglesworth, C., & Takeuchi, D. T. (2016). Social and cultural contexts of alcohol use: Influences in a social–ecological framework. Alcohol Research: Current Reviews, 38(1), 35–45. https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC4872611/