Question for those who quit drinking, permanently or even temporarily:

[Anonymous]

Husband and I are currently temp abstaining from alcohol. We will certainly drink again at some point, so we are not looking at this as some alcohol is evil or we'll never touch it again or judge those who drink it. Anyways, is it just us or once you're sober for a few weeks you start to truly realize how booze and beer are thrown in your face CONSTANTLY by media, restaurants, and sporting events? Every show, every movie, every other song on the radio, every podcast, every other commercial, magazine and online ads. Even influencer moms on social media seem to be constantly boozing or pushing some "cute" cocktail. Celebrity and athlete endorsements. Alcohol is pushed on the masses from EVERY direction. It feels like a full on propaganda to coerce you to drink. It makes alcohol seem so... gross and sleazy?

[Anonymous]

Yup. This isn't exactly a novel observation.

[Anonymous]

Yes. It's very pervasive.

Both spouse and I stopped drinking due to serious health issues. It's like our social group just dropped us b/c most of our friends' socializing evolves around drinks.

[Anonymous]

I have taken long breaks from drinking and am a light drinker now. This doesn't bother me.

I'd unpack why this bothers you because to me it hints at a deeper issue with booze.

[Anonymous]

The beer ads especially are clearly trying to coerce mid and lower IQ Americans. Country music radio is nothing but songs glorifying and normalizing binge drinking.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Yes. It's very pervasive.

Both spouse and I stopped drinking due to serious health issues. It's like our social group just dropped us b/c most of our friends' socializing evolves around drinks.

I wonder about splitting the bill if friends are drinking up large and I'm having iced water - not even Coca Cola now that sugar and diet drinks are not good either. Not drinking makes you realize how much drinking costs.

[Anonymous]

I agree. I’m not even an alcoholic but the shows that really glamorize drinking like Mad Men really make me want a drink. Seeing people enjoy alcohol is hard.

[Anonymous]

They want the cattle masses addicted and in a haze. Just like they got China hooked on opium and we're too damn stupid to see it. Mormons are such a successful bloc because they don't touch the stuff.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I have taken long breaks from drinking and am a light drinker now. This doesn't bother me.

I'd unpack why this bothers you because to me it hints at a deeper issue with booze.

Doesn't bother me either, but I'm not a huge drinker.

[Anonymous]

I am an alcoholic (in recovery) and I don’t need ads to make me want to drink.

Read “This Naked Mind.” It’s remarkable how bad alcohol is for you and how addictive it is.

[Anonymous]

I haven't had a drink in nearly 18 years and I notice how alcohol is a part of daily life for many of my peers. My social life is great because I do activities where it would be odd to consume alcohol, like tennis and hiking. Although there is now a hiking group who hikes and drinks (smart) and/or gathers for drinks after. I do the hike and skip the drinks because I don't think I can explain why I don't drink and not offend someone. Spoiler: it's not worth the calories and health and beauty ramifications.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I have taken long breaks from drinking and am a light drinker now. This doesn't bother me.

I'd unpack why this bothers you because to me it hints at a deeper issue with booze.

+1

I don't drink and don't really notice the ads and the pushing of drinks. I have noticed an acquaintance with a highly stressful job suck down the drinks, and I'm glad my job isn't stressful.

[Anonymous]

Stopped drinking and drugging in 1987 and I just accept it as a fact of life that I can't drink. Sometimes I get jealous of the ads but it doesn't last long. I think I just have a different definition of myself after all these years.

But I hear you, OP. It an be frustrating!

[Anonymous]

Not to mention country music.

I watch TV without commercials, I don’t follow influencers who push alcohol, I don’t watch shows that glamorize drinking.

Music though… hard to avoid.

I watch Red Zone so not a bunch of commercials

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Stopped drinking and drugging in 1987 and I just accept it as a fact of life that I can't drink. Sometimes I get jealous of the ads but it doesn't last long. I think I just have a different definition of myself after all these years.

But I hear you, OP. It an be frustrating!

I'm OP. I'm not jealous of the ads and they actually don't make us want to drink. We're just far more perceptive of them lately. They are truly non-stop. It's pushed from every direction and that isn't an accident.