Welcome back to Punjabi Alcohol Awareness, the podcast where we unpack stories, science and silence around alcohol in our communities. I'm your host, and today's episode is one I've been sitting with for a while. It's called Why We Drink Culture, genetics, and The Long Road to Recovery.

We're going deep today into history, into biology, into healing, and we're going to weave in some insights from a recent episode of the Joe Rogan experience where Russell Crowe, yes, gladiator himself, opened up about his own relationship with alcohol and addiction. Let's start there. In this conversation with Joe Rogan, Russell Crow talked about losing 57 pounds, but it wasn't just about diet or exercise, it was about cutting back on alcohol.

He said something that stuck with me and I quote, I had to ask myself, is this helping me or is it just a habit of stopped questioning? End quote. That hit hard because in, in Punjabi culture, we don't just drink. We ritualize it. We normalize it, we celebrate it, and we rarely question it. Crow also talked about how addiction isn't always traumatic.

Sometimes it's subtle. Sometimes it's just a slow erosion of clarity, energy, and peace, and that's something many of us know too. Well, let's name it. Why do Punjabis drink so much? Well, one cultural rituals. From weddings to funerals, alcohol is often the centerpiece. Two, masculinity for men. Drinking is tied to pride, power and bonding.

Colonial trauma, British colonial. British colonialism disrupted food systems, land ownership, cultural identity. Alcohol became both a coping mechanism and a tool of control, migration, stress. Many Punjabi immigrants faced racism, isolation, and economic pressures. Drinking was a way to numb and connect silence around mental health.

We don't talk about anxiety, depression, or trauma. We eat drink instead. And here's the thing. None of this is accidental. It's historical, it's systemic, and it's deeply personal. Let's talk a little bit about the science. There's growing research on how genetics influence alcohol tolerance and addiction risk.

Some populations metabolize alcohol differently. Some carry genetic markers that make them more vulnerable to dependency. But here's the nuance. Genetics aren't destiny. They're just part of the picture. What matters more is environment, culture, and coping mechanisms. If you grow up seeing alcohol as the only way to celebrate, grieve, or connect, you're more likely to rely on it.

And in Punjabi communities and families, especially for men, drinking is often modeled as normal, expected, and even heroic. Recovery is in a straight line. It's a spiral, a cycle, a slow unfolding. I've had uncles who quit drinking after 40 years. I've had friends who relapsed after 10 months.

I've had my own moments of doubt, clarity, and recommitment. And what I've learned is this experience comes with time. You don't wake up healed. You wake up committed, and then you keep choosing peace one day at a time. In the words of jolly roll, no one comes into these rooms or spaces on a winning streak.

Russell Crow said he didn't quit drinking entirely. He just became intentional. He asked, is this helping me? And that's a question we all need to ask ourselves. So what do we do? Uh, for some steps? Here are some steps we can take individually or collectively as a group. One, ask the hard questions and why do I drink?

Why am what am I avoiding? Track your habits. Awareness is the first step to change. Find alternatives, movement, art, prayer, community, whatever brings you peace. Seek support therapy, peer groups, elders, spiritual guides. And lastly, celebrate small wins. Every sober day is a victory for communities and collectively, one, create safe spaces where people can talk about addiction without shame.

Two challenge norms. Do we need alcohol at every event? Ask yourself that. Three. Educate youth teach about trauma coping and self-worth. Four support recovery programs, especially those rooted in cultural and communities environments. Share stories. Lastly, like this podcast, we need more of these. We need more similar spaces.

If you're listening to this and you're struggling, I want you to know you're not alone. You're not weak, you're not broken. You're just human and healing is possible. Russell Crowe didn't share his story to brag. He shared it to remind us that even the strongest among us have to pause, reflect, and choose differently.

So let's, so let's do the same. Let's choose clarity. Let's choose connection. Let's choose healing. If this episode resonated with you, share it, talk about it, bring it to your family, your workspace, your community, , feel free to visit our website and feel free to visit our website at www.ratracepodcast.com.

Support the show. Remember every little bit helps. Until next time, take care of yourself. And remember, you don't have to drink to belong. You don't have to numb to survive. You deserve peace. Everyone does. Bye guys.