225. When did getting drunk become a joke?
Today let's explore the normalisation of excessive drinking, particularly among women, questioning why getting drunk is often portrayed as humorous in our culture.... it's not good news I'm afraid!
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Transcript
Hello and welcome back to the Drink Less Live Better podcast.
-:I'm Sarah Williamson and you can find out more about me on my website, follow me on Instagram, or read my book for all insights and wisdom.
-:Drink Less Live Better Related I have coaching spots available at the moment.
-:Send me an email, send sarahrinklesslivebetter.com and ask for my calendar link.
-:Book a slot and we can have a coffee and chat.
-:I'll tell you about how coaching with me might look and you can tell me anything you want to offload at this moment. Let's get on with the show.
-:When did getting drunk become a joke?
-:I want to talk about something that really bothers me. How getting drunk is considered funny.
-:Hilarious, like it's normal, expected and even a punchline in our culture, you scroll through social media and what do you see?
-:Memes about wine o' clock, videos of people falling over after one too many jokes about just the one or I'm not drunk, I'm just social.
-:At first glance, they this humour feels light hearted, a way to laugh at ourselves and bond over shared experiences.
-:But underneath all the laughter, there's a deeper, more worrying story we don't often talk about.
-:Society has a long history of making drunkenness a joke.
-:Movies, TV shows, comedy sketches, they often portray drinking to our excess as funny.
-:When we think about the iconic scenes, the awkward party guest, the drunken dance moves, the dramatic, hilarious misunderstanding, it's so ingrained.
-:When binge drinking became the subject of a joke, it also became normalised.
-:And when something is considered normal, we stop asking important questions like why do we feel the need to drink that much?
-:Or what are we really trying to escape from or numb away from?
-:Or who is this humour protecting or hiding from the truth?
-:For many women in their 40s, 50s and 60s, the core of my audience, this normalisation can be especially harmful.
-:Alcohol is often used to mask stress, anxiety or emotional discomfort after a long.
-:Day balancing careers, family and all the other pressures life throws at us.
-:The jokes around binge drinking can make it harder to admit when it's actually a problem or when it's no longer fun.
-:It can make us feel isolated or ashamed for feeling stuck.
-:When drinking becomes a coping mechanism disguised as humour, it doesn't help us.
-:It keeps us in a cycle of numbing and disconnection. So what do we do then?
-:How do we shift the narrative from it being funny to drink too much?
-:How can we still enjoy connection, laughter and lightness, but without the underlying harm?
-:I've got a few ideas, number one let's be honest about why we drink and acknowledge why we're using alcohol to escape stress or avoid feelings.
-:It opens the door to healthier ways of managing those emotions if we can really see them for what they are.
-:Number two Perhaps we could redefine our humour around drinking.
-:Instead of jokes about getting wasted, what if we shared stories about choosing something different or laughing over coffee with friends instead of cocktails?
-:Number three we could create new rituals for connection.
-:Light hearted fun moments don't have to revolve around alcohol, movie nights, walks, dancing at home or calling a friend.
-:These are joyful and fun things to do.
-:Maybe it's time to stop with the wine memes and post a quote that celebrates sobriety or mindful choices instead.
-:I say this as someone who used to be the worst at posting the 5pm on a Friday meme.
-:By the way, I've changed Let's share a funny story about a time you didn't drink and still had a blast.
-:Let's start a conversation with a friend about what you're really feeling. No punchlines needed. Remember, humour and lightness are vital.
-:They bring us together and ease our burdens.
-:But they don't need to come and at the cost of our well being.
-:This episode isn't about shaming, drinking or taking the fun out of life. Far from it.
-:I hope it's about recognizing the story we tell ourselves and the culture around us.
-:And choosing a story that serves our health, our relationships and our feelings about ourselves.
-:Because when we stop laughing at ourselves through alcohol, we make room to laugh with ourselves properly. Thank you for listening in today.
-:Check out the show notes for resources and ways to work with me one to one. And P.S.
-:I believe in you.
