We, as a society, have a certain perception of what an alcoholic looks like. We don’t like to admit it, but we tend to envision alcoholics as reckless partiers, people who have nothing going on or lack the willpower to curb their inhibitions. These are stereotypes, which stigmatize everyone and serve no one.
The thing is, alcohol consumption is incredibly ingrained in our social consciousness. Our weekend social life is about going out for drinks with friends or having a glass—or two, or three—of wine in the evening. We celebrate with drinks. We mourn with drinks.
Sometimes, there can be a very fine line between what we think ‘normal’ alcohol consumption looks like and what is just unchecked alcoholism.
And unfortunately, alcohol addiction comes in all shapes and sizes. Alcohol addiction can look like unemployment, isolation, and drinking away your depression. But alcohol addiction can also be the super-mom who packs fancy lunches for her kids, does Pilates, and cleans the entire house before settling in for an entire bottle of wine (or two) in the evening.
To the untrained eye, the former example may be perceived as a “low-functioning” alcoholic, while the latter might seem like a “high-functioning” alcoholic. But the reality is, there is no such thing. Addiction to alcohol is dangerous and devastating, no matter how it appears on the outside.