Alcoholic

I am sitting at work thinking something to write for this blog post. I decided to get some help from one of my clients. I work at a group home with recovering addicts. She was able to share her views on how she believed the environment may have influenced her journey. Like most of us, she started drinking socially. She says that unlike drugs, alcohol entices drinkers to adapt the behavior by social means. Social gatherings, holidays, and special occasions endorses alcohol consumption as a social norm. She further explains that these aspects are often highlighted in commercial ads. She mentions that some parts of her world became associated with only alcohol. When she hears the sound of fizz, she immediately associate it with beer. After the death of her husband, she says drinking became the only way that she could cope with her loss. She slowly started using alcohol as a reward for making it through the day. I think her story highlights the how social norms can reinforce drug use.