Why does TV rarely depict the sadness and thrill of drinking alone?

Mel Magazine

The Queen’s Gambit's sixth episode, showing Anya Taylor-Joy's Beth Harmon spiraling out of control with her drinking problem, is a reminder that television rarely shows that reality of alcoholism. "Countless movies and TV shows have portrayed characters battling addiction, but this scene hit me harder than any moment in Mad Men or Leaving Las Vegas," says Gavin Jenkins. "I was overwhelmed with anxiety watching Harmon (Anya Taylor-Joy) perfectly capture my worst fear — seeing what I probably looked like binge-drinking in my apartment. Before I got sober in 2014, I often got hammered and stoned alone; even when I had roommates, I’d get wasted in my bedroom with the door closed."