The Dangers of Wine Mom Culture

Throughout American society, you might hear references to wine mom culture. Unfortunately, these references are also normalizing the alcoholism from which many moms are suffering. Catchphrases include, “I wine because my kinds whine,” or “Mommy juice.” Either way, these phrases emblazoned on coffee mugs, tote bags, and wine glasses are dangerous promotions of wine mom culture. While it may seem cute or just playful, it underscores a potential danger to women’s health. Fortunately, Right Step Houston has the alcohol addiction treatment programs necessary to help individuals.

How Wine Mom Culture is Defined

It was not until the early years of the 2000s that wine mom culture started exploding on social media. It was during this time that many people started engaging in conversations and posts about shared interests, including participating in a Facebook group entitled “Moms Who Need Wine,” which launched in 2009. On this page, which has over 70K followers, moms share the challenges they face raising children and how it requires copious amounts of alcohol.

Social media is not the only platform that is responsible for supporting the wine mom culture. There are several movies, including Bad Moms and Wine Country, normalizing this culture. There are also TV shows showing moms clutching onto wine glasses when trying to cope with raising their children. Not every mom who is part of this culture suffers from alcoholism, but some are alcoholic mothers.

How to Battle the Dangers of Wine Mom Culture

Do you feel like you are not part of the “crowd” if you are not participating in wine mom culture? Do you feel like you need to start pouring glasses of wine when cooking dinner or at a particular time of day to cope? Battling the dangers of wine mom culture starts with being honest with yourself and about what you are doing. Here are some ways of understanding how to battle this culture:

• Alcoholism: Unfortunately, those who are part of the wine mom culture take drinking and alcoholism lightly. Data available a study published in 2017, indicates that there is a 58% increase in risk among women during the past decade.
• Children: When you make comments about needing a “mommy timeout” to drink, or if they see phrases on your items, what message are you sending to your children? They are seeing that, when you are parenting, you can only cope when you have a wine glass in your hand. The last thing any mother should be doing is sending them a message that parenting them requires alcohol.
• Physiology: Because a woman’s body contains less water than a man’s, they can achieve a higher blood alcohol level. The higher concentration of fat a woman’s body carries also allows it to retain more alcohol. As a result of that, in addition to producing less of the enzyme that breaks down alcohol, a woman’s body is subject to more damage than a man’s.
• Underlying issues: If you find yourself making a lot of wine mom culture jokes, that could signify that you have an underlying issue. For example, you might feel more comfortable showcasing a sippy cup with the phrase, “mommy’s juice,” because it makes you feel less vulnerable than asking for help.

How Wine Mom Culture is Dangerous for Families

We learn from the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) that approximately 10% of American youths live with at least one alcoholic parent. That exposure heightens their risk of becoming dependent on alcohol. We also learn from the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism that women are less likely to seek treatment for alcoholism. That reality poses significant dangers for families.

Final Thoughts

Do you have questions about if wine mom culture is affecting your life? Are you struggling with alcoholism and feel like you cannot ask for help? No one should undergo such struggles without the best help. Here at Right Step Houston, we offer numerous addiction therapies to help individuals. Contact Right Step Houston 1.844.768.0169 to learn more about how we can help.