Our relationship with alcohol goes back thousands of years. It is a substance that is deeply ingrained in many cultures and drinking is consistently viewed as a social activity with positive benefits, provided you can regulate your level of consumption and intoxication.
The sociocultural aspects of alcohol consumption are fascinating and provide some insightful views of our relationship with drink. The problem, as many of us are aware, is that some people struggle to regulate their drinking or maintain a healthy relationship with alcohol
Unfortunately, a percentage of drinkers develop an unhealthy relationship with alcohol. Professional help with drinking problems is often required when the situation gets out of control, and options such as ambetter alcohol rehab are there to help guide patients on the road to recovery.
The problem for many who have a drinking problem is that it is difficult to avoid some interaction with alcohol as it is so prevalent in society. Here is a look at alcohol and its sociocultural influence.
A brief history of our relationship with alcohol
Alcohol has been ever-present in human culture throughout history. All societies have used intoxicating substances in some form or another throughout our time on the planet. Alcohol is easily the most commonly used intoxicating substance throughout human development.
It would be understandable if you concluded that because alcohol use has been constant through the ages, it must offer some adaptive benefits. The implication would be that we must have a positive rather than negative view of alcohol for it to have been around so long.
Drinking might be embedded as an accepted social practice, but that does not mean it should be viewed as beneficial. Attempts to ban or limit the consumption of alcohol have never achieved success. Prohibition is a prime example of a failure to impose controls, although religious sanctions have proved more successful.
How alcohol impacts our behavior
What is very noticeable is how vastly different individual cultures behave around alcohol. For instance, alcohol is perceived to be the main influencer of antisocial and violent behavior in societies based in the northern hemisphere, such as the UK and Scandinavia. It is fair to say that Australia and the United States are cultures where alcohol use tends to have a negative connotation.
Other cultures have a more positive association with drinking in their culture. Mediterranean cultures are a prime example of drinking behavior being generally peaceful and enjoyable, with drinking occurring in a harmonious atmosphere.
There is little doubt that social and cultural factors play a huge part in determining our relationship with alcohol.
When you look at the global landscape of alcohol consumption and the social and psychological issues fueled by drinking, you can conclude that only a small minority of consumers have a problem with their level of drinking.
Your social and cultural background will almost certainly influence how you view alcohol. What doesn’t change over the years is the need for a network of support options for the people who need help to regulate their drinking, regardless of their cultural background.
