Is Gen Z too self-conscious to drink? 

A new study from writing platform EduBirdie suggests 63% of Gen Z want to quit drinking entirely. Anfal Sheyx investigates the role social media plays in increasing sobriety rates among young adults.

Following a night out clubbing, Lucy*, 23, was subject to taunts online, illustrated through images or ‘memes’, suggesting she had taken her drinking “too far”.

“I was so embarrassed. I was out with some friends, and we were all drinking. Some people I knew had an Instagram page for their friend group, and the next morning I woke up and found myself on it.” 

Lucy, who works in journalism, describes herself, much like the rest of the UK adult population, as a “moderate drinker”.

“I was horrified; these were people I knew, and they were making fun of me. I felt too embarrassed to be around them or to drink again for a long time.” Her newfound sobriety was motivated by fear – not health.

Lucy’s not the only one. According to EduBirdie, 47% of Gen Z questioned whether they drink too much, with 31% finding embarrassing photos and videos of themselves after a night out.  

With the launch of Instagram in 2010 and Snapchat in 2011, Generation Z, which refers to people born between 1997 and 2012, now between the ages of 14 and 29, is the first generation to grow up with and document their lives through social media.  

Where milestones and experiences surrounding drinking used to be more personal, features like Instagram Stories mean that one moment can be viewed for 24 hours and seen by hundreds. 

Marie, 24, studying for her MSc in Business, drinks twice a week, admitting that afterwards she struggles with ‘hangxiety’, wherein someone may feel anxious about their or someone else’s actions the night before, leading Marie to feel more self-conscious. 

“Social media has a massive effect on everything, drinking included. I feel like I need to curate a feed and look put together. We’re in this really nice location, I’m wearing a nice outfit, I just want to chat to my friends, but no- I feel like I need to take a picture.” 

Marie continues: “There’s a lot of pressure to go out socially and drink, every post you see romanticises drinking with your friends and you don’t want to miss out on that.” 

According to EduBirdie, 1 in 3 Gen Zers worry that sobriety could risk their friendships.  

Supriya, 23, who works in marketing and drinks in moderation, feels the pressure to post on nights out. 

“I drink rarely and I’m quite mindful of my intake and know when to stop, which helps me feel in control. Social media can make you more aware of how you look instead of just letting go and having fun – it turns a night out into something more performative” 

Ben Tannenbaum, an alcohol industry analyst with a background in anthropology, who supports the drinks industry in understanding the drinking patterns of young people, highlights the curation in Gen Z’s drinking patterns.  

Tannenbaum says, “social media has fundamentally changed how drinking functions as a social technology for Gen Z.”

Recently featured in a GQ article where he breaks down the social benefits of drinking, Tannenbaum tells db: “Gen Z isn’t anxious about being seen drinking, but rather about what kind of drinker they’re being seen as.” 

On the ‘Performative Night Out’ wherein Gen Zers feel pressure to document their nights out through stories, posts and TikToks, Tannenbaum suggests that for Gen Z, the act of documentation is the experience. 

“For Gen Z, the bar is a place where the drink is a prop, the bartender is part of the production, and the Instagram story is the encore. The £22 cocktail isn’t expensive because of what’s in it – it’s expensive because of the experiential certainty it provides: anticipation, theatrical presentation, a shareable moment.”

Tannenbaum suggests that the growth of social media alongside Gen Z has changed the consumption of alcohol into self-expression, saying: “Social media made drinking visible and accountable in ways it never was for previous generations. Gen Z responded by demanding that their consumption mean something. The performance extends beyond the Instagram post to the entire night – venue choice, drink selection. It’s all a curated story about who they want to be.” 

But not everyone feels the same way. Richard, 22, who works in hospitality and drinks a few times a week, understands the pressure others feel to project a curated image, even on nights out, but often isn’t affected by it. 

Richard explains: “Posting when I go out is a low priority. I think social media has made drinking more accessible because you can make plans with people, but at the same time, there’s so much awareness about the consequences of alcohol abuse on social media.” 

As shown in EduBirdie, Gen Z’s motivations for moderating their drinking are based around wellness, so while growing up alongside social media may have encouraged a stronger sense of self-awareness around drinking, Gen Z are now taking control of the narrative, one carefully curated Instagram post at a time. 

With 63% of Gen Z rethinking their relationships to alcohol this year, alongside the steady rise of the sober curious movement since 2018, it’s clear that Gen Z’s awareness around their drinking habits, and how those habits are being perceived online, is changing how alcohol is being consumed, or if you’re the social media generation – how alcohol is being experienced.

 

*Name has been changed 

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