The definition for Gray Area Drinking is clear and very simple. If you’re trying to opt in or opt out of an arbitrary drinking label, you’re missing the point.
I find it fascinating that there is so much labelling, slicing and dicing when it comes to talking about alcohol. Yes I agree society's view is black and white (normal drinker vs alcoholic) but the situation in between is also incredibly nuanced. No wonder so many people worry and wonder what kind of drinker they are. I think it comes down to what the individual wants. And in all the work I do it's to not spend all that much time defining and declaring what kind of drinker they are. They want to make it an irrelevance.
Like I said in the article, there is no safe or healthy recommended level of alcohol -- so with no safe level, there is no label. The nuance comes when drinkers know in their heart of hearts that they are drinking too much. That inner knowing (not a self-selected label/non label) is what causes the worry and wonder. The neuroscience points very clearly to healing through repairing, replenishing and rewiring the body and brain on a physiological level not a subjective, philosophical level of making alcohol irrelevant.
Jolene I really enjoy reading and learning more about Gray Area Drinking. Before I cleaned up my act I never truly considered all these different terms that apply to a drinker. Now I would rather not give alcohol the attention it thinks it deserves, but these conversations are important.
Thanks. There is confusion and it needs to be cleared up. Otherwise there’s no difference from the cultural thinking on alcohol compared to 40 years ago. It’s turning into the same regurgitated stereotypes but just using different names for two categories of drinkers. There are not two categories of drinkers! We know better, so it’s time to (courageously) do better with this topic.
I was nodding my head the whole way through, Jolene. Thank you so much for coining, defining, and explaining gray area drinking in such a clear, no bullshit way.
Thanks. I’m so glad you liked it, Dana. This was a fun one to write, I spent a lot of time on it. A definitive statement/ line in the sand is long over due. It’s a jungle out there… in the Wild West of the alcohol-free Internet world.
I find it fascinating that there is so much labelling, slicing and dicing when it comes to talking about alcohol. Yes I agree society's view is black and white (normal drinker vs alcoholic) but the situation in between is also incredibly nuanced. No wonder so many people worry and wonder what kind of drinker they are. I think it comes down to what the individual wants. And in all the work I do it's to not spend all that much time defining and declaring what kind of drinker they are. They want to make it an irrelevance.
Like I said in the article, there is no safe or healthy recommended level of alcohol -- so with no safe level, there is no label. The nuance comes when drinkers know in their heart of hearts that they are drinking too much. That inner knowing (not a self-selected label/non label) is what causes the worry and wonder. The neuroscience points very clearly to healing through repairing, replenishing and rewiring the body and brain on a physiological level not a subjective, philosophical level of making alcohol irrelevant.
Jolene I really enjoy reading and learning more about Gray Area Drinking. Before I cleaned up my act I never truly considered all these different terms that apply to a drinker. Now I would rather not give alcohol the attention it thinks it deserves, but these conversations are important.
So happy to hear it was helpful.😊
Saving this on my resource list! Thank you!
Yes!! Really love the clarification.
Yup. Too many labels—just like everywhere else in the World. It’s exhausting.
This is so good because there's a lot of confusion out there!
Thanks Jolene!
Thanks. There is confusion and it needs to be cleared up. Otherwise there’s no difference from the cultural thinking on alcohol compared to 40 years ago. It’s turning into the same regurgitated stereotypes but just using different names for two categories of drinkers. There are not two categories of drinkers! We know better, so it’s time to (courageously) do better with this topic.
I was nodding my head the whole way through, Jolene. Thank you so much for coining, defining, and explaining gray area drinking in such a clear, no bullshit way.
Thanks. I’m so glad you liked it, Dana. This was a fun one to write, I spent a lot of time on it. A definitive statement/ line in the sand is long over due. It’s a jungle out there… in the Wild West of the alcohol-free Internet world.