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...