Ok, so for social drinking situations, does just saying, “nah, I’m good,” work for anyone?
It’s what I plan to do. Not make a big deal out of it or anything but because if I drink, it leads to me getting blackout drunk.
Then again, I am new to the whole sobriety thing and even admitting I’m a alcoholic (1 week, yay).
I don’t have many social events and my Mom is very supportive of me not drinking at all. In addition to staying sober for my health, I am staying sober because, when you drink, you’re an annoying ass even if you don’t think you are. You just are. Fight me on this lol! And I don’t wanna annoy my Mom or my Dogs.
I also had a Father who was a alcoholic, he passed away when I was 10 from alcohol related issues. He drank until he was blackout drunk too. Blamed everyone else. Rolls eyes
So I have seen what alcohol leads to and don’t want that for myself basically.
Doing grea tSophie , i was told in my early days stay out of Pubs and Clubs till you are strong enough to be there ? if you are its simple just say i dont drink hopefully your wont be in that situation for a while best of luck
When someone offers me a drink I’ve just requested a non-alcoholic drink. I’ve actually noticed that people are almost embarrassed to have assumed everyone wants something alcoholic so they get me that non-alcoholic drink and don’t ask questions.
Saying “Nah, I’m good” has worked for me. If it’s pushed I just reinstate what I had just said. When I was drinking (8 days sober today) and was at someone’s house and was asked I would just say “No / Nah, thanks anyway” and that’s when I was drinking.
I’m also in my later 40’s so no one is really trying to push booze on me at this stage in the game.
But to reiterate… saying “no” is plenty or just choose some non-alcoholic drink like @VSue had mentioned.
@VSue thats too funny.Actually gives me some comfort.
I went to a winery a few months ago for a bachlorette and everyone assumed I was pregnant.
The bartender was weirded out I wanted sprite in a wineglass. Well so?Thats what I want.It helped me get through the night and it was fine.
Anyway I told people It was for health reasons.Alcohol holds me back from my fitness progressions.Which is true!
I plan on saying health reasons too, if someone pushes it. That’s one thing that sucks about being a woman, now everyone and their mom will think I’m pregnant, ugh.
@Elisabeth Lol yeah its pretty annoying. They start smiling all big like whens the baby due.I just laugh it off and then they get very serious and say
"But seriously, are you?"
I just say no thanks or i ask for something non alcohlic. If they ask why u dont drink alcohol i will sometimes say "im allergic, everytime i drink i breakout in metal bracelets😆. Or something else smartassy, usually they chuckle and move on. Being sober is nothing to be embarrassed about. Be proud of this wonderful but hard time in your life since drinking is no longer apart of it.
Right, I shouldn’t be embarrassed, but I am. I will get there eventually and be loud and proud of my sobriety I’m sure. I’ve read that being allergic to alcohol is a real thing; however, it only takes a small amount before someone has a reaction. In my case…and every other alcoholic, this would not be very believable. Lol
I’m allergic to the sulphites that some manufacturers cram into their drinks. They make me go red in the face and wheezy (as in semi-asthmatic). Sulphites are VERY dangerous to some people and there’s alternatives the manufacturers/distributors can use so wtf they use them for is anyone’s guess. Laziness probably. Or they don’t give a damn…
I just got round it by drinking alcohol without sulphites in it.
And then there’s the histamines in wine!
Glad I packed in.
I personally stay away from bars and pubs, however I am an introvert and did all my drinking at home, so needless to say I have no alcohol in my house. also I don’t go out to social situations when drinking is the predominant factor v’s a dinner out where everyone has one or two drinks.
I also stay very very far away from the people I know who there goal for the night is to get floor licking drunk.
Like @Ray_M_C_Laren said stay out of slippery situations to stay strong.
I was 5 years sober sometime ago, and I started hanging with Co workers in bars (because I was lonely and drifted away from my support system) and decided that I could handle 1 drink… 15 years later I am back where I started.
Remeber you don’t need excuses when you keep yourself out of drinking situations. There is no need.
When my “friends” hit me up via text to “grab a drink”, “meet up”, “come out”, the following are some of my responses:
All set, thanks. - worked - response was “No problem” (hate when people say that!
I don’t go out in the winter - worked - response from 2 people was “See you in the spring” lol that’s what they think
Or if someone asks what I’m up to, I just respond with the name of a Netflix series like “Penny Dreadful”, then they disappear
Pretty shocked at how successful I’ve been avoiding drinkers. My one drinker friend called me to check up on me while she was out, but knows I’m laying low, so didn’t even suggest me coming out!
I plan on saying “No thanks” or asking for a non alcoholic beverage while around friends who I’ve drank with before. When I inevitably get the “What? No wine?” I plan to just say that “it’s not a part of my life anymore.”
Most of the time people are way too concerned with themselves to worry about what we’re doing. “I need to focus at work” has worked for me in the past if it ever did come up.
Just had a work friend invite me to her “drain the swamp” (drain her liquor cabinet, that is) gathering on inauguration night. She knows me as a party girl (Dead Heads for years). Seemed so odd saying no, but seemed odder to plan to show up and not do any draining. Maybe someday I will be able to feel comfortable with the new truth.
