Anti-Alcohol Messaging
As someone who doesn’t drink, I often find anti-alcohol messaging frustrating because it closes people off from effective alcohol prevention.
Though I’ve been alcohol-free for nine years, I’ve often turned to junk food as a form of escapism. Do I know it’s not the healthiest choice? Of course. But do I want to be constantly shamed or told how bad it is? Not really.
What’s worked best for staying on track of my health and fitness goals is not anti-fast food messaging. It’s following my favourite athletes or PTs showing an active, healthy lifestyle ~ making fitness visible and attractive.
While there’s definitely a place for alcohol awareness, doesn’t a hangover tell our bodies to take it easy? Our body responds and warns us after we’ve overindulged, whether that’s too much alcohol or too much sugar.
For many of our community, stigma is the biggest barrier to stop drinking. People can stop, but don’t ~ because of sober shaming and sobriety not being visible or attractive.
That’s why, at Arclett, we believe in making an alcohol-free lifestyle visible and attractive. We’re inclusive, and we’re here for people when they’re ready for change, whether that means taking a break or choosing abstinence.
What excites us is that our community includes people who drink. Sobriety is rarely linear, but they’re curious about the benefits of an alcohol free lifestyle.
We don’t draw a hard line between people who drink and people who don’t. We’re creating a space that welcomes everyone to explore sober curiosity on their own terms.
When we ran this poll asking, "What’s more likely to improve your relationship with alcohol?" 93% voted for being reminded of the positives of not drinking ~ compared to just 3% who said being told about the downsides of drinking.
If we want real alcohol change, we need to focus on what’s possible ~ not just what’s problematic. People don’t need more fear. They need to feel inspired.
