Adopting and sustaining responsible drinking: reconciling selves amidst conflicting messages

This paper draws on theories of identity to examine challenges that former excessive drinkers experience in adopting and maintaining responsible drinking. Narratives were collected using in-depth interviews and eight-week diaries from twenty-five formerly excessive drinkers. Findings indicate that participants’ attempts to sustain responsible drinking behaviour require them to engage in complex identity negotiations, which are compounded by confusing or easily misread communications messages from both the alcohol industry and social marketers. We suggest that communication initiatives to sustain responsible drinking should reflect a nuanced understanding of the inherent complexities of modifying and maintaining individuals’ selves within their social and relational contexts, rather than focusing exclusively on changing drinkers’ behaviour