freedomfries

I'm watching Normal People at the moment. And they're drinking constantly. It's easy to feel a bit left out. I know I can't drink like the way normal people can, and alcohol has to be in my past. But it's hard watching regular people enjoy alcohol. It seems like every tv show is full of alcohol.

GerandTwine

But just a few hours ago you said, as one who never drinks, you enjoyed being with drunk people.
So, what’s hard about watching it on TV if you enjoy their company in real life?

freedomfries

I guess I'm more part of it when I'm actually socializing with drunk people. Whereas watching TV I'm on the outside looking in.

GerandTwine

So, does it increase your Addictive Voice activity to watch actors pretend they are drinking on TV? And then, when you party with drunk people IRL your Addictive Voice activity goes down?

GerandTwine

By having a Big Plan, Addictive Voice activity isn’t “hard” for me. It’s just there. And since you brought up enjoying being with drunk people yesterday, it reminded me I enjoy that sometimes, too, if they aren’t too drunk, and that’s when I have the most Addictive Voice activity and it doesn’t bother me at all. So, for me, watching it on TV is pretty much the same as IRL except pretty much zilch AV activity.

aasharon90

It use to be difficult to see others drinking alcohol
until I began understanding addiction and recovery
for myself.

Listening, learning, absorbing and applying a program
of recovery to all areas of my life allowed me to put the
focus on things in my life that are more important than
worrying what others do or say.

I had to learn how to stay in my lane, my backyard, my
side of the street and not worry what is on the other side
because it is none of my business.

What works for one doesnt necessarily work for me.

Sure, in todays day times are uncertain which can bring
fear, anxiety, depression and a whole slew of other emotions
that can be dangerous for our health.

It is important to focus on my own recovery doing all
that is necessary to bring me peace, serenity, honesty,
positivity, health and most of all continuous sobriety.

I stuck with the winners as it is often called. Winners
are those finding success in their own life and recovery.

With many days sober following in the path set down
from others living a continuous sober life incorporating
a program of recovery as our guideline, I too have found
the same success as well as countless others.

Over my 30 yrs in recovery/sobriety, I have seen and
heard folks entering recovery then turn around going
back out to do some control drinking, testing the alcohol
waters to see if it is safe to drink, to only return and let
me know that it hasnt change.

It is still as toxic as ever, taking folks out left and right,
keeping them sick in their addiction. It is those folks that
confirm to me that alcohol is alive and well and isnt going
any wheres.

However, it will have to be without me.

Addiction kept me sick for a number of yrs until I entered
recovery and learned how to avoid the pitfalls of addiction
and embraced a life within recovery providing me with
many of lifes rewarding gifts.

With one day at a time, one step at a time, one brick
at a time, I, like many learned how to build a strong
recovery foundation to live my life upon remaining
willing, openminded and honest in all my affairs.

There is nothing in todays world that would make me
want to pick up alcohol and return me back to my
addiction and misery. That is one merry go round,
rollercoaster ride that will continue to run, but without
me.

That is where the freedom comes from.

And today we all are looking for that freedom.

I have it and so can you.

Sober45

There’s nothing normal about what they are doing in my opinion. Alcoholism is a raging problem across the globe. Health care systems are hurting because of it.

Alcohol is everywhere especially on TV because liquor companies are getting rich off of our addiction.

im happy to no longer be part of that problem.

brighterday1234

Yes there’s a lot of drinking alcohol in Western media. However once you recover from alcoholism it doesn’t bother you anymore than somebody eating fast food or indeed anything else they may depict. The drink problem is removed and so is any emotional reaction to alcohol in my experience. It doesn’t happen overnight and takes time and working/living an efficacious recovery program.

SWB

I don’t watch a lot of tv, but there was on a show last night my girlfriend was watching called The unicorn. Literally 99% of the scenes involved drinking. I’m not talking about just one episode at least four were on while I was in the room. She didn’t see it as an issue but she was also drinking

biminiblue

Not for nothing, but they aren't actually drinking alcohol in those glasses on TV. They'd never make it through a show taping.

It's just juice or water, FF.

Back when TV was in its infancy (i.e. when I was young) they weren't even allowed to show fake drinking on TV or advertise alcohol. Things are different and personal responsibility is more important than ever. There are a lot of things on TV that are cringe-worthy. Take the news, for instance...

Noam19

It's ridiculous how much alcohol is pushed and glorified. It kills more people annually than almost all other illegal drugs combined. Just imagine if all those commercials were for meth or heroin instead of booze how loud the outrage would be.

Phil71els

There was a show on in the UK earlier this year. A cookery show my wife enjoys and so do I, there is more to it than just cooking. It took place mostly outside with the celebrity chef cooking in scenic and beautiful locations around the UK. A very enjoyable series which lasted several weeks. Every episode the chef would drink craft beers, wine or whatever while cooking. He does the same every Saturday morning in his weekly show too. It didnt bother me but looking back I remember thinking how I used to love a craft beer, I loved them, I wish I could still have one (one? as if). Looking back I think this was a part of me relapsing at the end of June, not the only or main reason but it certainly contributed. I never thought it would affect me or cause me to drink again, I would have laughed if someone said to me it might be a trigger but I think in hindsight it did contribute.
I pay the price now at 4 days sober, the pain just slowly going away. The amount of alcohol on screen is not good.

Erica375

Not only that, but many actors and celebrities are either in recovery or have chosen never to drink for personal reasons.
Sometimes when I see people drinking "alcohol" on TV I make a game out of thinking what could actually be in the glass. Ginger ale for beer? Grape juice for red wine?
The actors aren't even really eating. If you watch closely you'll notice they're mostly just pushing the food around on the plate and taking a nibble now and then.
But if it bothers you, maybe you coukd take a little break from TV, or watch other things, like nature shows.

BornSurvivor

I try to never have the attitude of feeling left out. They don't have the same problem I do so drinking to them is fun, to me it isn't. They go home after they drink while I could end up back in rehab.

I also like to have the attitude of 'I'm not a follower.' I'm do what is best for me and that is not drinking every single time.

nez

In early recovery if walked into a room of 10 people and 9 of them were not drinking and 1 of them was drinking...who would I notice first? Why does everyone get to drink!@#%. That is just the way my brain was wired at that time.

There are lots of people shown on TV who are shown not drinking at the time of being on the air...at least I am pretty sure there are, but I don't know for sure because it is not something I pay any attention to. All I know is that I am sober and I wouldn't want me any other way. :~)

The media is not the problem. The way I process what I see on the media can be a problem...but it doesn't have to be.

Alcoman447

I often think how glad I am that I'm free from the illusion that any form of drinking is an enjoyable pastime

The actors in the TV shows are most likely drinking flavoured water or juice that looks like alcohol but isn't

Whenever I catch myself romanticising an alcoholic beverage, I think back to the days when for me, it was EVERYTHING to drink, a whole life invested in drinking, obsessing about supply, when I could drink next, drinking situations, continuous visits to the off licence on a rota system, lying, deceiving, manipulating, drifting from day to day with no real purpose

That usually does the trick 😊

MLD51

When I first got sober I was ANGRY at how much alcohol there was everywhere I went and how much drinking was depicted and romanticized in the media. I live in a state where you can sell alcohol pretty much everywhere. It's in the gas stations, grocery stores, even Walgreen's. There are 17 bars (or restaurants with bars) that serve liquor in my town of 15,000. SEVENTEEN. That's a lot for a small town (we do have a college campus so that's part of why, but the drinking age is 21 so most students can't drink legally). I felt like it was in my face everywhere I went. I was offended. I was shocked at how something that nearly ruined my life is so normalized. And I wanted to go on some sort of crusade or something to tell everyone how DANGEROUS alcohol is.

I settled down after a while. I was just so on edge and on high alert for anything that could derail my fresh, new sobriety. And I was feeling all sorts of emotions - seeing a display of wine in my local Walgreen's, right by the cash register, made me angry and sad at the same time. Now I barely notice it anymore. Or any alcohol, for that matter. It gets easier as time goes by to just ignore it, now that I don't have any urge to drink. It's there, it always will be, but it means nothing to me.

Nonsensical

Uh - yup!
A few months ago I was going to the pharmacy. I parked, walked up to the door, opened it, and walked in. It was wall-to-wall liquor. I had mistakenly walked into the liquor store next door to the pharmacy. Not because I was about to relapse, but because there was an entire store dedicated to selling liquor right in front of me and I hadn't even noticed it.

lessgravity

What MLD said, exactly. You also notice it a lot less. Do the work, you can only control yourself anyhow.

BeABetterMan

I see it A LOT in advertising especially online. I find it offensive. I wonder how people would feel if they saw ads for heroin or meth online? And even people who don't have a problem...should our kids be being fed this stuff?