Is Sobriety Attractive?

We don’t focus on highlighting the dangers of alcohol, not just because our bodies already remind us of its effects when we wake up with a hangover, but because there’s already plenty of awareness about alcohol’s risks. We believe the focus should shift to offering solutions.

The issue isn’t just that alcohol is highly addictive, but that society and mainstream media continually reinforce the idea that we should be drinking ~ while a stigma remains around not drinking.

Is it any wonder so many of us get stuck in this cycle? 

How do we break away from that? While some local authorities have identified through the local SSMTRG they need to make sobriety visible and attractive, this key item can be overlooked because how do you quantify or measure it? 

Charities face similar challenges because prevention messaging often targets and focuses on high-risk individuals in crisis, but often alienates the 94% of the UK population who aren’t high-risk or dependent. As a result, many people close off to this messaging, even though they might need or be open to alcohol change.

In light of the sad news yesterday, it’s clear the current strategy isn’t effective.

That’s why at Arclett, we focus on positive messaging that highlights the benefits of being sober or sober curious. We don’t focus on alcohol’s dangers because that’s not our place. There are already countless “know your limits,” “don’t drink and drive,” and harm-reduction messages out there.  

We showcase the lifestyle we love ~ sober living, and by measuring the impact and effectiveness of our content, we see real evidence of our community becoming sober or sober curious, simply by connecting with us. 

We’re working to break down the stigma around being alcohol-free by normalising sober curiosity, so people feel empowered to make their own informed choices without judgement. 

We believe alcohol prevention shouldn’t just be about raising awareness of risks. It’s about making sobriety visible and attractive ~ not a negative consequence, but an empowering choice.

While sobriety may not seem attractive to everyone, it’s attractive to us ~ and we’re trying to make it attractive to others too.