OnawaMiniya

I'm pretty sure without even doing a search here that this topic probably gets brought up fairly often, or at least on a regular basis.

I've thought about bringing it up for a while but didn't for that reason.

Then two posts in a different thread touched on that point, and I thought, why not? There are always new people on here who haven't had this conversation here before, so I might as well.

I started thinking about it because I was pondering how, like for example overeating, it is "acceptable" to advertise things like alcohol and food, marketing it like it's more awesome an experience than it is lol. When he's drunk I think about how it's EVERYWHERE, from commercials to shows, sometimes even a theme, even in shows I enjoy (example, It's Always Sunny takes place in a bar and they drink quite a bit). Before living with an alcoholic I noticed, say, beer commercials, but usually from a point of view of thinking the commercial was stupid or sexist, some were funny to me. Now that I live with an alcoholic, I have to say, even ones I find funny can make me cringe because it's glorifying things, and if my husband were to laugh at the commercial it would annoy me in light of how much of a problem he has! Though I could easily laugh with a non-alcoholic.

When he's sober (or, really, a dry drunk), I cringe because it seems like there's a friggin as on, or a reference to alcohol, every other commercial, every few minutes on TV shows. And I understand that for him, while he's sitting there pissed off that he's not drinking (though he will deny that and furthermore, act like him not drinking for a nanosecond proves he's not an alcoholic....I'm sure many of us have heard that one before!), that it's basically being waved in front of his face, tempting him.

And it can make me tense because I know what's going through his head, and how it's different than how I perceive the ad or show. In other words, I am rolling my eyes because it's being portrayed in such a silly and harmless way (and I can't help but to imagine how things would ACTUALLY be going in reality, versus the actors just "harmlessly living it up" lol), because those ads typically play up the fun and play down the possible problems, some "kindly" throwing in a message like,"drink responsibly" at the end. I can't help but to picture the execs having a laugh over that since the majority of their sales are from alcoholics, faithful customers they are.

Ok, this is getting long lol. I'll jump back in after some opinions are shared.

*What do you think about ads and how alcohol is portrayed in the media in general?

*Did you used to notice them less before being involved with an alcoholic? If you were at some point an alcoholic, and have gotten sober, what impact did setting alcohol in the media constantly have on you while you were active, and while you were getting sober?

I could ask many more questions but I'm sure people will have so many points to make that it doesn't matter. I'm sure more points will be made than questions I could even think of, since there are so many experiences and people on here.

Alright! That turned out to be a way longer post than I intended LOL

:: taking a breath so someone else can talk::

BoxinRotz

I can't stand them anymore since being with an alcoholic. I have felt the impact and it's certainly changed me n my views on alcohol. It's even gone as far as me thinking of some of my fb friends as alcoholics. I actually cringe when I read about them drinking a bottle of wine just because they had a bad day. Then there are a few who drink every single day or weekend. I'm like OMG... not you too?!!!

Pretty sick huh?

LexieCat

I don't think any alcoholic drinks because of marketing. To be honest, I don't have a problem with alcohol, period, from a philosophical standpoint. It's legal, most people enjoy it without any real problem. Yes, some people who are not alcoholics are irresponsible drinkers. There are a lot of irresponsible people in the world who hurt others due to their negligence and carelessness, with no help from alcohol.

I don't watch a lot of TV. When I was VERY newly sober, yeah, watching people drink in movies or in other settings irritated me a bit. If it irritated me too much, I left.

Most long-time sober alcoholics feel the same way, I think. I'm neutral as far as alcohol's existence, and marketing, etc. goes. Neither for or against it.

fedupbeyondall

I think it falls under the same thing as smoking ads back in the day. I was watching I Love Lucy the other day and she was expecting people over and casually opening packs of cigarettes and placing them out so her guests would have them, all while very visibly pregnant. I will admit, there was some appeal to seeing the Marlborough man. Rather sexy....I think alcohol ads do the same thing.....use this product and you will be as happy as these people. It sucks people in and never lets go. I think alcohol ads need to go the way of cigarette ads.

wolfpackfan45

I've felt the same way as you Onawaminiya. I'm really uncomfortable when watching a tv show or movie and people are drinking heavily and making it look like a whole lot of fun to be drunk. Football games and the beer commercials are rough too when my son is at home and watching with us. He doesn't have any reaction though, as far as I can tell. He once said that he's learned to be neutral with alcohol. He doesn't have any feelings toward it one way or the other. Or so he says. He told me that his sponsor in AA taught him to be that way. I know he's around people who drink in college so he can't avoid it really. It seems like it bothers him more than me. I never paid much attention to it in movies, ads or TV before my son't alcoholism reared its ugly head. After that it seemed to be EVERYWHERE. And it is. The advertising that is. I just have to remind myself that alcohol is a big money making business. They want their product everywhere, and they've managed to do so. They want everyone to think that you can't have a good time without drinking copious amounts of their products. It's big, big business. Based on the ads we see all day every day everyone is out drinking every night and at every event. But that's just not so. For those that buy into that myth, yes. The heavy drinkers and the alcoholics. But the majority of people aren't out there drinking every day and night. They can't afford to, and they are too busy trying to make a living. I'm also like BoxinRotz. I'm now noticing certain of my FB friends who are constantly talking about drinking and going to parties in their spare time. Two of my female friends are holding drinks in their hands in almost every picture they post. Makes me wonder if they're not struggling. I know it's not my place to judge, but I guess I'm just sensitive now.

spiderqueen

What bothers me the most is how much the ads target young people, teens - and even younger!! It is a well known and well established fact that starting use/abuse of alcohol when young increases the risk for alcoholism. The brain hasn't fully developed and is especially vulnerable to the grip of potentially addictive substances. Parents, please BE ALERT AND STAY INVOLVED, and TALK, TALK, TALK to your children!! (BTW, I have two daughters, 12 and 15 yrs.)

whew, sorry for the mini-rant.

OnawaMiniya

I agree that ads don't turn people into alcoholics.

Though I suppose if I consider those who begin drinking underage and are alcoholics underage, I'd have more of an issue with its impact on developing alcoholism than I would be regarding an adult. Much like cigarettes use cartoon characters often, it doesn't turn one into an alcoholic or a smoker, but kids are impressionable...it certainly doesn't help, as it glamorizes/plays down the negative aspects/makes it look "cool", etc.

I'm interested in what you said, above, in boldface. Now that I live with an alcoholic, I notice it so much more. Sometimes, it's literally every other commercial or a couple back to back. I think if one is serious about quitting, then leaving or changing the channel as you did is the obvious right choice.

I'm interested too since, like eating things that are bad for you, it's one of the few things that are acceptable to advertise, all day, all night. I have to think that poses more of a challenge for someone who is struggling to quit, the fact that it's out in public, unlike if one has, say, a problem with cocaine. You aren't going to see an ad for cocaine!

OnawaMiniya

I have to say my views on alcohol ads have changed considerably given my AH as well. But I'm somewhat conflicted given that people who aren't alcoholics can enjoy drinking now and then, without any real health risks so long as they aren't going crazy with it. Cigarettes? I suppose one can smoke once in a while without paying health risks to themselves as well. Hmm. I don't think cigarette ads should be around...it's a tough one! I've been so pissed before that I've thought they should ban alcohol ads. I admit I have more thinking to do. If I think cigarette ads should be banned then why not alcohol? People can point to second hand smoke but driving drunk is dangerous to others as well.

I don't know the history well enough on when it was KNOWN that cigarettes and alcohol had negative effects on health, that would be an interesting thing to factor in.

Have you ever seen the movie "Thank You For Smoking"?

spiderqueen

Sorry all smokers (and I used to be one!), but I am thrilled to pieces at how our society has slowly turned the boat around, to vilify smokers and smoking, forcing them to huddle together uncomfortably in tiny spaces, far away from doorways, and parks, and airplanes and even BARS, feeling like marginalized second class citizens! Yay!! My 12 and 15 year old daughters think it's TOTALLY GROSS, and would never smoke. PLEASE CAN WE DO THE SAME FOR ALCOHOL NOW? *sigh* The direct and collateral damage is so much more severe.

OnawaMiniya

No, I understand for sure! I've always been pretty good at identifying people on a variety of substances (oh the irony! I'm married to an alcoholic!) but I definitely play "spot the alcoholic" more than I ever have!

Recently I watched with my AH a comedy special, stand up, of someone we like. He got a DUI recently (comedian did). His newest special....wow. Was his whole demeanor different. Even more mean spirited, genuinely, I think (I like some mean comics...but, I know they aren't seriously mean spirited in reality...this guy was a mess).

When I was like,"Wow...he needs to stop drinking..." my AH either pretended not to see what I was talking about, or he really didn't.

I suspect he was pretending not to see.

DreamsofSerenity

Onawa,

All adds bug the crap out of me so we don't have TV. We stream stuff on Netflix though. The kids were watching Desperate Housewives for a while (probably not too appropriate for kids but I'm kind of lax with stuff like that.) Anyway two of the characters had problems with addiction, one was an alkie and another was popping pain pills. It was so ridiculous how easily they got sober. They did this glamorous little one episode stint in rehab and then were all back to normal. (I explained to the kids that this was total BS.)

My kids don't really see ads for drinking but they see adults advertising alcohol with their drinking behavior all the time. This really bugs me. The last time we went trick-or-treating, there were adults trick-or-treating for booze along side the kids. Alcohol bothers me now. I am okay with a few adults sharing a bottle of wine over dinner, but as soon as people start to get a little buzzed, I start to feel really anxious and want to exit the scene.

The advertising thing is an interesting question. I'm not sure what to think about it. I feel like all ads are so toxic that it is my responsibility to shelter myself and my kids from them as much as possible.

OnawaMiniya

Definitely...I notice it so much more now that I live with an alcoholic, and it is ABSOLUTELY everywhere! It's insane! I mean, sometimes, in one commercial break, two, three ads!

Some of them I just can't STAND as they offend me on more levels than just portraying drinking in such an unrealistic way. Sexism in the ads is a HUGE source of disgust for me lol, then again I'm aware of sexism in anything I'm watching lol. Oh, MAN... I hate those Dos Equiis ads (spelling?)! Most Interesting Man In the world my a55 LOL

Yeah...the last bit you said, I get that, too.

OnawaMiniya

As a current smoker, and one who quit for quite a while before foolishly starting again, I have to say I agree with not imposing upon others, namely, nonsmokers.

I know that opinion isn't popular among smokers and I'm waiting to be attacked lol.

Given things like drunk driving, lowered inhibitions/increased fighting and violence, creating situations where people are vulnerable because they are inebriated, etc, alcohol poses a public health risk as well.

When I was very little, I remember scolding my dad for "drinking and driving"... because I didn't understand that coffee was ok to drink Lmao. (Neither of my parents were drinkers, can't even say they drank casually, for the record.)

OnawaMiniya

Yes, I agree totally.

Disgusting how decency takes a backseat to profit.

Sisterella

Well.... Let's be honest. If they showed an ad with just the after effects of their products {girl puking her guts out in the parking lot, with mascara running down her face, while her girlfriend holds her hair back ... only to wake up a few hours later with some guy she doesn't know, and with her stank pukey breath she asks..."Who the heck are you...and where are we....and where are my clothes?"} they probably wouldn't sell as much.

Reality .... Not the best for advertising.

OnawaMiniya

That last point is a good one - after all, the goal is to make money regardless of the product, so it's good and smart to question ads period. I was watching some very old ads not long so and it was funny because they were just "this toothpaste cleans your teeth, you should use it!" Lol, much less insidious than ads today.

Adults trick or treating for booze??? Classy! Great examples to the kids. Jeez...

And yeah, the way any real issue gets resolved on TV so quickly and cleanly amid the hell out of me, too.

Kids are impressionable, often bad habits form young.

OnawaMiniya

Exactly. Profits over decency. They know their best customers - and most of their profits - come from alcoholics, or smokers who will die/get sick, etc. Not unlike almost any product, on varying levels.

DreamsofSerenity

I guess I am feeling like ads don't make addicts, and an addict is going to find a substance to use, period.

The anti-smoking campaign was very successful. Smoking is totally socially unacceptable in this country now. What I'm wondering though is what happened to all the addicts who normally would have smoked? I am guessing that they started using food instead of cigs and that is why we have an obesity epidemic now. Maybe I am totally wrong?

I don't honestly know what to think. If we go on an anti alcohol campaign, are we just going to get more crack addicts and pot heads?

I need to understand the nature and roots of addiction better to make up my mind about this.

Right now I need to deal with my own posting addiction and go to bed. Zen told me I reached 600 posts today and I literally think 200 of them have been in the past two days.

Catherine628

My husband decided to do an at home detox once. During that time I was amazed at the number of ads. Even Sheldon from Big Bang Theory was getting drunk and blacking out. Alcohol was referenced in songs, advertised on billboards, I couldnt escape it. My daughter got a Polly Pocket toy and Polly was lounging poolside with her tiny pink drink cup. My first thought was, "Gee Polly that's probably not lemonade."

My husband said he was uncomfortable seeing one of his drinks of choice advertised or used.

4MyBoys

Interesting topic. This came up the other night when I talked my boys into watching the Disney movie Pete's Dragon. I remembered loving it as a kid.

Well there is tons of drinking in it! I had totally forgot that entire plot line. Nora's dad is a total drunk and they all make fun of him seeing the dragon. He spends all his time in the bar.

I turned to my older sone during it to ask him if he was ok with watching it. You know what bothered him. Was all the smoking in the bar.

I don't know, it did bother me to see it in a kids movie. The funny thing was the drinking bothered me more than my kids.