Drinkers like us? The availability of relatable drinking reduction narratives for people with alcohol use disorders

Abstract

Narratives around alcohol are important in determining how people decide who or what qualifies as problematic alcohol use. Narratives draw on common representations that are subject to influences including historical and normative influences. We argue that there are two dominant narratives that relate to how alcohol use disorder (AUD) is identified and addressed. The first is the historically embedded narrative of alcoholism as disease, and the second is the more recent narrative of positive or new sobriety. We present an argument that these two dominant narratives alone do not capture the wide and heterogeneous experience of alcohol harms, and as such a more diverse range of relatable narratives are required to reach and resonate with the broader community of people with AUDs. In particular, we reflect on the fact that these dominant narratives are both abstinence focused and therefore exclude many drinkers who are not willing and may not need, to consider lifelong sobriety to reduce their risk or experience of harms. We ask that alcohol policy professionals, researchers and lived experience advocates consider these issues and support diversifying the range of lived experiences, to support goals including public health outcomes, stigma reduction and alternative routes to recovery.