Why is Alcohol Still Socially Accepted?

why is alcohol socially acceptableEven though it’s widely available and socially acceptable to drink, alcohol is still responsible for thousands of deaths and countless injuries every year. Moreover, despite the fact that it’s addictive and dangerous, people continue to normalize alcohol consumption in a way that would never be tolerated with other drugs. In fact, alcoholic beverages are advertised on all major media, and alcohol is available in anywhere from the supermarket to your favorite restaurants to the arena where you go to watch sports games.

Because of how ubiquitous alcohol is, how acceptable it is, and how much pressure there is to drink it, recovering from an alcohol addiction is extremely difficult, even with the help of inpatient alcohol rehab. But if alcohol is such a risky and addictive drug that’s responsible for so many lives every year, then why is it more socially acceptable and more accessible than other drugs?

For Alcoholics in Recovery, Triggers and Temptations Are Everywhere

One of the keys to long-term recovery is starting fresh, and that includes cutting out the people, places, behaviors, and substances that once dominated an addict’s life. When someone leaves alcohol rehab, they’re encouraged to make new friends and form positive relationships, stay away from people who enable their addiction, and avoid people and places that are associated with their drug of choice. The road to recovery is long and fraught with roadblocks, but these are necessary steps for long-term sobriety.


The popularity of alcohol and the enormous pressure to drink is everywhere, and this makes it very difficult for recovering alcoholics to maintain a healthy distance. In fact, the pressure to drink alcohol is stronger than the pressure to consume any other drug, and this leads to high relapse rates.  

Verify Insurance

Your Treatment is Likely Covered

If you have coverage from a major insurance provider
Verify Insurance

Alcohol Is Pervasive, But Also Dangerous and Addictive

Alcohol is everywhere you look: it’s in advertisements, movies and television shows, bars and restaurants, at parties, concerts, work meetings, and even in some movie theaters these days. People drink at home, on weekends, in the evenings after work, at barbecues and celebrations, and for a variety of other reasons and at a number of other places. In short, alcohol is extremely accessible, and drinking it is just as socially acceptable as drinking tea or water. However, unlike other beverages, alcohol is in fact a drug, and it’s dangerous, it’s addictive, and consuming it can have extremely negative—and even deadly—consequences.

Each year, alcohol can be linked to almost 90,000 deaths around the country and plenty more injuries, stemming from alcohol poisoning, accidents, reckless driving and vehicular fatalities, domestic violence, and drug interactions, not to mention the stress it places on family and friends. Moreover, alcohol also has severe long-term side effects, including liver disease, cancer, heart disease, nerve damage, gastrointestinal problems, and more. In fact, whereas most drugs are only detrimental to a single system, alcohol abuse can impact just about every part of your body.

So Why Is Alcohol So Socially Acceptable When Other Drugs Aren’t

Despite the proven detriment that alcohol can cause, it remains a drug that can be legally purchased by anybody over the age of 21. In fact, alcohol laws are becoming even more permissive, and you can now purchase alcoholic beverages in more locations, at later and earlier hours, and can expect to be served in a growing number of places (such as movie theaters). There are many reasons why alcohol doesn’t have the same legal classification as other substances, such as marijuana, and they include:

  • Constitutional rights, which protect freedom of religion, would be impeded if alcohol were outlawed, since the Christian Bible states that Jesus turned water into wine, and consuming alcohol today is part of the Eucharist ceremony
  • Economics play a role as well, because the alcohol industry employs nearly 4 million people, and brought in over $400 billion in 2010 alone

Managing the Pressure to Drink

So what’s a recovering alcoholic to do when it’s impossible to avoid the one substance you’re supposed to stay away from, and when the pressure to drink is everywhere? It is possible to stay sober, and most people in recovery find success with practice and a few tips:


Tip 2: Try to make new friends who are sober (or who don’t drink very often), and try to avoid your old drinking buddies.  

Tip 3: Remind yourself regularly of the reasons you chose to stop drinking, especially when you’re feeling tempted or pressure to drink.




One of the most important aspects in the fight against alcoholism is altering the way alcohol is perceived, advertised, and talked about in society. At the moment, alcohol isn’t thought of as a drug by many people, and alcoholism is treated as a rare exception to an otherwise unproblematic behavior.


CALL: 877-284-0353

Toll Free. Privacy Guaranteed.

Our confidential hotline is available 24/7
CALL: 877-284-0353

Don't Let Addiction Continue to Control Your Life

Contact Us Now for Immediate Help



Take Step #1 – Begin Your Recovery

Call 877-284-0353 or complete the form below

Take Step #1 – Begin Your Recovery

Call 877-284-0353 or complete the form below

Call 877-284-0353 or complete the form below

The integration of:
  • Biofeedback
  • Music Therapy
  • Sound frequency
  • Guided Imagery
  • Binaural Beats induce a theta level meditative state
  • Low frequency vibrations trigger a natural relaxation response
  • Coherent heart rhythm patterns synchronize the body
  • Positive affirmations develop mindfulness and awareness