What Is Mommy Drinking Culture?

Moms in their 20s through 40s have a problem — mommy drinking culture. Mommy drinking culture socially normalizes drinking as a coping mechanism for stress.  In light of health risks and alcoholism, the enabling atmosphere that mommy drinking culture supports has become dangerous. For those who need help with dependence, an alcohol addiction rehab center in Palm Springs, CA, can help.

Social Norms of the Mommy Drinking Culture

The attitude behind mommy drinking culture is that motherhood is exhausting, and moms deserve a break. Women use alcohol as a way to relieve stress after a stressful day and all the work that motherhood entails. Women balance the majority of child-rearing responsibilities with full-time careers. Motherhood has evolved as an impossible division of duties to do it all, and it’s too much to handle.

Plenty of memes depict mommy drinking culture as blowing off steam, but some “wine moms” have gotten addicted. The jokes only contribute to the problem and make it accessible. Women should think about the message that mommy drinking culture is sending. This message is that “wine moms” need wine to deal with the chaos of life and raising kids. Another harmful message is that moms and women can only socialize over drinks. 

The Underlying Issues Behind Mommy Drinking Culture

There are plenty of pressures on women and mothers. There are pressures to keep the home immaculate, manage children’s lives, and provide for their spouse.. Domestic pressures happen all while a mom is working full time. Mommy drinking culture has then manifested in multiple forms. These forms include:

• Internet phenomenon
• The focal point of social groups
• “Wine Mom” merchandise
• Societal pressure

If mommy drinking culture has led you or a loved one into alcoholism, refer them to our alcohol detox center.

How Mommy Drinking Culture Hides a Public Health Issue

Many public health experts have been saying that wine mommy culture is the normalization of binge drinking. There are long-term dangers that come to the families of those who are “functional alcoholics.”

The idea of a “functional alcoholic” is dangerous. “Functional alcoholism” implies that the only real ones are dysfunctional. In reality, an alcoholic by any other name is still an alcoholic. Not being seen as alcoholic by others doesn’t mean there is no long-term health damage from addiction. Women are smaller and have a different body chemistry. Women to get drunk faster, and process alcohol more slowly. Slower processing of alcohol leads them to become more dependent easier than men. Alcoholic women are more likely to suffer health effects than alcoholic men, including liver damage, brain damage, and heart disease. Women with a drinking problem can experience cancer, hormonal issues, and osteoporosis.

The dangers aren’t just confined to the mom, as there is also danger to the family’s life. Alcoholism can run in families because of genetic factors and because of behaviors that children learn from parents. Addiction can be genetic, but it children also pick up social cues. When a child sees their mom self-medicate with alcohol, they learn to think of alcoholism as harmless. The dangers to family members increase because women are less likely than men to seek help for addiction. This is due in part to the mommy drinking culture but also the social taboo against women’s addiction. Women fear losing a partner or spouse and to have their children taken away.

If you or a mom you know is alcoholic and wants to stop, check out Phoenix Rising Recovery’s women’s rehab program. 

It’s Not Just about Mom

Mommy drinking culture isn’t the whole target of the widespread enabling of alcohol. Social norms and advertisements about alcohol are usually favorable and often promote drinking in excess. Advertising increases the peer pressure on moms to drink. It can also be hard even to recognize addiction.

Having a glass of wine to relax is healthy and not harmful. However, if you worried about your alcohol consumption, then there is help available. Contact Phoenix Rising Recovery online or call 8552328211 for assistance.