Have you ever noticed those three little words on the back of wine bottles?
“Please drink responsibly.” Every time I see them, I roll my eyes.
Here we have a product that causes cancer, depression, anxiety, dementia, diabetes, and even death… and yet the label fails to mention a thing.
That’s because there’s a whole industry banking on you continuing to blame yourself for drinking too much (whilst also seeing wine as pretty harmless and normal…).
In this video, I’m unpacking the sneaky psychology behind ‘drink responsibly’ – and sharing some brutally honest alternatives…
Key points
“Please drink responsibly” puts all the blame on you
Those three words imply that any unwanted health risks or side effects can be avoided if you can just get a grip and drink responsibly. All the focus is on you – not on the drug itself. That seems mad to me, given what we now know about there being no safe level of drinking and the fact that this drug kills over 10,000 people in the UK every year.
Plus, recent research has found that women who binge drink just two large glasses of wine in one sitting face a 2-3 times higher risk of liver damage – even if they’re only doing that once a week. I don’t know about you, but I’ve drunk way more than that in one sitting, many times.
We’re already very responsible, thank you
The outrageous thing is that the women I work with at The Sober School are incredibly responsible people. They’re juggling work, businesses, caring for children or grandchildren, managing their own health struggles, navigating perimenopause – and they keep everything going no matter how bad they feel. Their drinking often happens because they have too many responsibilities on their shoulders.
So what should wine bottles actually say?
I asked some of my Sober School graduates what they think should be written on the label instead. Their suggestions were brilliant and brutally honest. Things like:
- Warning: Only drink this if you want cancer, dementia, anxiety, weight gain, insomnia, and fake friends.
- Warning: Many precious moments of your life will be taken by drinking this toxic thief.
- Warning: Alcohol impacts your ability to create memories. You will also do some really stupid s@*t while drinking this – regrets and shame are unavoidable.
- Warning: May cause you to fight with your spouse and not remember what you said or did the following morning.
- Warning: Can gradually screw up your life without you noticing it has taken hold until you’re in a right mess!
The alcohol industry is banking on you staying hooked
I know, it’s tempting to get to this point in the post and say, “Well – she would say that, wouldn’t she?” Maybe this all sounds a bit preachy and holier-than-thou (though, I really hope it doesn’t). Because actually, I have a serious point to finish with here: there’s a whole industry counting on you to continue blaming yourself for your drinking.
They’re banking on you to continue normalising alcohol and looking for solace at the bottom of a bottle. They’re going to be laughing all the way to the bank as they reassure you that these pretty bottles of rotting fruit juice are elegant, magical elixirs. Just drink “responsibly” and things will be fiiiine. I hope you can see through the nonsense.
Ready to create an alcohol-free life you love? Click here to learn more about my Getting Unstuck course.
21 responses
So true!! Thank you as always!!
I would like to stop drinking but it’s the only pleasure I have can’t afford the pleasures and Hobbies that I really want to do that’s why I drink it’s the pleasure I love and I can afford.
I have so many students who would disagree with you on that point because they’ve saved thousands ££ or $$ since quitting drinking – enough for weekends away, special jewellery, holidays, deposit for a car, even a new horse! Drinking is an expensive ongoing habit (and damaging to your health), but investing in help to stop saves you loads of cash in the longer term. Please reclaim precious time and money with my online coaching programme which would be a great fit for you. Here are the details: https://thesoberschool.com/course/
Kate, of all your many excellent posts/videos, this one takes the prize. Absolutely fabulous & spot on!
Ah thank you Colleen, I appreciate your kind words and glad it hit the spot! 🙂
Very good, true and honest blog!
As you said nasty photos on cigarette packaging but nothing like that on wine bottles, it’s still an addictive drug that damages lives!
Absolutely! We don’t use the same language with alcohol, but it’s still a drug and should be recognised as such. 🙁
Kate you’re absolutely right. The bottle should read Danger will ruin your life in every way. Avoid at all cost.
I’m glad you agree with me. The reality of the damage alcohol can cause to health and relationships has been brushed under the carpet for too long!
this is so true … the guilt when you ‘don’t drink responsibly’, weighs heavily with the hang- anxiety spectrum.
l stopped drinking for a month then had a weekend off and although l am a very responsible person the ‘wine witch’ didn’t take any of the blame for the dreadful hangover – the label clearly didn’t state that l would ‘lose a day’, have feelings of ‘self-loathing’ and ‘general malaise’ – obviously a badly labelled bottle of wine
Lessons learnt – back on the sober bus xx
The labels on alcohol don’t give very much information at all, but lay the ‘responsible’ label squarely with you. Have a listen to my free pep talk to help you get back on the sober bus tonight: https://thesoberschool.com/pep-talk
Nailed it, Kate!!!!
Warning: Alcohol busts open all living cells without discrimination no matter whether bacteria or brain. Only use on cells you want to remove. Redemption value = 0
Good one, that’s an excellent label suggestion! 🙂
Wow that really should be on wine bottles that really puts it into reality how it can be the cause of all those diseases
This nails it totally. Here in Ireland wine is in every corner shop and garage alongside vapes you cannot go into a shop without looking at it. Putting swing gates into the alcohol section is supposed to be safer. May as well take the clip out of the grenade and hand it to someone. Serious warnings are needed you can slowly kill your self and torment everyone around you for €5.00 one of our greatest shame !
It’s all just lip service to give the illusion that the alcohol industry cares that we consume their product responsibly – I call it out!
If you think you need me? You Don’t…THINK AGAIN
Nobody ever regrets NOT drinking. Love your suggested label. 🙂
Love this Margaret so true
Such an eye opener