There are some marked societal shifts being recorded in our younger generations, with more and more young adults moving away from alcohol. The growing sober curious movement and lifestyle shifts away from a social life which is intrinsically linked with alcohol, is so great to see. It is integrating healthier habits from a young age and reducing social pressure to drink, which can only be a good thing during these very vulnerable years of development. It certainly makes us feel more optimistic for the future of these young people and for a sustained shift away from life lived around alcohol. This will make it much easier for those with addiction to alcohol and going through recovery to stay with their programme.
At our luxury addiction treatment centre in Spain, we see the results of years of heavy drinking and addiction. In many cases, the addiction has ravaged their bodies and minds, and destroyed their personal and professional lives. This has often started young and so the damage done is profound and difficult to reverse.
While not all young people who drink, will develop an addiction to alcohol, there is evidence that binge drinking in adolescence is highly related to the development of alcohol use disorders, therefore the less they drink during these formative years, the better it is for the health and wellbeing of their generation. However, it is important to note, that alcoholics can’t just ‘stop drinking’ and even in a less alcohol-fuelled society, we will still see addiction, as it is an illness, not a choice.
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Young people and their relationship with alcohol
It’s great to see mindsets shifting regarding the relationship between alcohol and health, and the change is marked. For example, between 2018 and 2023, the number of people in the US who believe one or two drinks a day is detrimental to health has increased significantly, particularly in the younger age groups. In a survey of 1,000 US adults conducted in 2018 and 2023, 34% of 18-34 year olds believed 1-2 drinks a day is unhealthy in 2018, compared to 52% in 2023.
In the Generation Z demographic, data from 2023 showed that nearly half of over 21s had never drunk alcohol. They are concerned over the health impacts of drinking alcohol, as well as the financial costs of drinking. They are also liberated by the many non-alcoholic options out there, as well as the “cool factor” of being sober these days.
Since the pandemic, lots of people in their 20s are drinking less and report less stigma around not drinking alcohol at all. We loved reading this quote in a recent article on the BBC from a 22 year old student in the UK – “Friends who haven’t limited their drinking as much as me think it’s cool when people go out sober,” she explains. “It’s a you-do-you mentality where people are respectful of your choices, whether you’re protecting your mental health, or just don’t fancy it.”
The article goes on to report stats from 2019 in the UK which showed that 16-to-25-year-olds were the most likely to be teetotal, with 26% not drinking, compared to the least likely generation (55-to-74-year-olds), 15% of whom didn’t drink.
This decline in youth drinking can be seen across the world, where young people are now more risk averse than previous generations and do not want to lose control. Being drunk is now viewed by Gen Zers as uncool or boring, rather than a good night out, as well as knowing its bad for you, so they’d rather not do it.
The Sober Curious Movement
When you have a problematic relationship with alcohol, total sobriety is the best way to protect yourself and your health and we believe in abstinence in recovery. That’s because alcoholics cannot moderate and are unable to choose when to stop, and after a prolonged addiction, drinking any amount of alcohol can be dangerous.
However, we’re pleased to see the growth in mindful drinking, which is so important to the sober curious movement, as it is easier for those people to identify potential issues with alcohol before damage is done.
The sober curious movement encourages people to reduce their alcohol intake and take regular breaks from drinking, choose low alcohol options when they do drink, or simply be mindful of the quantity they are drinking. They are often driven by health and wellbeing goals and realise that drinking alcohol can inhibit their performance, and also impact on their physical and mental health, and so are cautious and highly controlled with their drinking, if they drink at all.
There’s a great community for this global movement with people who are deemed cool and well respected coming out in support of not drinking. This removes a lot of the social pressure to drink, and is releasing the stigma of being sober, which has trapped many alcoholics in a destructive cycle of addiction, shame and fear of being rejected by peers. This sober curious community is very open and inclusive, and offers social and leisure activities which don’t focus on alcohol. They also offer tips and tools of how to decrease reliance on alcohol, which can be very helpful for anyone struggling with their drinking.
The movement is pushing the food and drink industry to improve their alcohol-free options, and the leisure market to offer alternatives to spending the whole weekend in the pub. Mocktails and alcohol-free beers are now freely available, and deciding not to drink when you’re out is no longer taboo. That’s an amazing step in the right direction for these strong-minded youngsters, that they will see the benefit of throughout their lives.
How this is impacting addiction numbers
It’s hard to measure the impact that Gen Z’s approach to alcohol will have to numbers of those addicted to alcohol, as it takes time for the shift to be measured in rehabilitation centres like ours. However, we believe that it will certainly filter down, as there will be less exposure to alcohol in the formative years, and more ease with saying no. This should limit addictions from forming and make identifying an issue with alcohol easier. The lack of stigma of being sober, will also make it much less difficult to stop drinking if there is an issue and the amount of alcohol-free options available, should make recovery a less isolating and challenging experience.
Of course, addiction will not be eradicated entirely, but the shift in attitude, mindset, culture and alternative leisure options will all help to reduce its prevalence and make going through recovery more socially and culturally acceptable and that can only be a good thing.
The younger generation’s awareness of their mental and physical health and their confidence to speak out about issues around addiction is setting a fantastic example. There are many more people who openly admit to their addictions and how they have faced them head on through addiction treatment or lifestyle changes. Whether it’s in the media, or on TikTok, there are many more people proving that there is life after addiction, and encouraging others to share and seek help. That’s such a positive step and we hope will reduce the long-term damage done by addiction. If you feel you have an addiction to alcohol or drugs, please do seek help as soon as you can. Our rehabilitation centre takes a holistic approach to addiction treatment and enables you to get the help you need, in a comfortable and luxurious setting. Our programmes are personalised to you, highly effective and focussed on long-term recovery. If that sounds like a good fit, or you have any questions on how we work, please contact us today.
