Non drinking stigma

The stigma around not drinking is very real, most people do not understand it, and nor would they as they have obviously not had a drinking problem, but I do believe most people expect an "alcoholic" to be someone who does not work, who is possibly homeless, and has no real positive input into society. I know I did, I always thought an alcoholic was somebody who drank from the minute they woke up until going to sleep or passing out, I thought an alcoholic was someone who could not do anything without having a drink.

I guess this is part of the reason it took me and takes so many alcoholic's so long to admit to themselves that they do have a problem, their idea of what an alcoholic is very different to the situation they find themselves in.

I first started entertaining the idea of having a problem about 3 years ago, I realised I had an unhealthy relationship with alcohol and started to notice that in most general life situations I wanted alcohol to be a part of it, I didn’t think I could have any fun without alcohol and lots of it! I was in two minds though, i knew that I was perhaps drinking too much but I also felt it was some what normal, most of my friends were drinking similar amounts and going out and getting on the piss for whatever the occasion was the accepted norm.

I guess this is the problem, the culture around alcohol is so normal and so accepted that if you are a non-drinking you are looked at differently almost weirdly and people can’t understand the reasons for you not wanting to drink, I know I couldn’t, I'd look at the non-drinkers at whatever the event I was attending and think wow how boring I wouldn’t want to be that guy,m he can't be having any fun!

I would basically just not attend a even if I had to drive to get there, it was easier just to stay home and drink, looking back it's amazing to see how wrong my priorities were!

That is the beauty of where I am now, I am not bothered by what people think, I know why I made the choice to not drink and I know it was the right choice, I am proud of my situation and I am proud of what I have achieved so far, I understand the culture around alcohol and I believe generally it is an acceptable way of life, however there are people out there, myself being included, that have trouble drinking the recommended amounts and not knowing when to stop, for people like us the accepted culture of alcohol is a hard pill to swallow as abuse is all too easy.

If you think you may be drinking too much an easy first step is to just start monitoring it a bit more closely. Keep a tab at how much and how often you are drinking.



Success Built from Failure,

The Alcoholic Entrepreneur