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There’s No Such Thing As A “Normie”
The myths of normal drinking and alcoholism
There’s a popular misconception perpetuated by Alcoholics Anonymous that you are either a “normal drinker” or an “alcoholic.”
In AA meetings, members typically refer to themselves as “alcoholics” or “drunks,” while people who drink in moderation — the so-called normal drinkers — are referred to as “normies.”
We now know that drinking, even in moderation, has many health risks and that no amount of alcohol is safe.
Since the Surgeon General first put cancer warnings on cigarette packs in the 1960s, the general public has become aware of the health risks associated with smoking.
Before then, they were subjected to an onslaught of cigarette ads like the one below, which seemed to indicate that smoking was perfectly healthy — ask your doctor.
