It’s just that many drinkers have had the experience of having a non-drinker around, and they seemed moody and didn’t want to do anything. Everyone was sure they would have loosened up if they just had a beer or two. If you’re not going to drink, still do your best to being sober around drinkers be in the mix. Or if you find you have no interest in being “fun” in the way drinkers usually define the word, then that’s a sign you may be better off avoiding that crowd altogether. The biggest being, “I just don’t like the taste.” This immediately brands you as a naive drinking newbie. Sometimes these white lies succeed, the person leaves you alone, and you can continue not drinking and hope they don’t notice for the rest of the night.
) Focus on Self-Care
Alcohol can also be addictive and cause withdrawal symptoms like fevers and hallucinations if people stop drinking after a long period of consumption. Drinking alcohol can be fun, but it takes a huge toll on the body. When you drink alcohol, it quickly enters your bloodstream and reaches the brain.
Have an Alternative Plan in Place
But if there’s nothing in place, “make it happen—start your own thing,” says Foster. Get a small group together that loves to read and create a book club. Or, as we do at The Muse, gather a few folks together on a Friday night to play board games in the office. Of course, pressure still exists, and being able to handle it is important—for your health and for your work relationships. Having to bring up something as personal as choosing not to drink in front of your colleagues can be incredibly daunting. There’s a fear, as Foster described to me, that you bring less to the table.
Always Keep a Beverage in Your Hand
Depressed mood is really common when you first quit drinking. It has to do with how alcohol affects and changes your brain. If your partner or roommate isn’t supportive, it is even more important to build a strong support system because it will be significantly harder to avoid temptation. It’s not easy to quit when you live with someone who plans to continue drinking. There are ways, however, to navigate situations like this, and they all involve strong Sober living house communication and boundary-setting. If you have bottles that are valuable or sentimental and you can’t bring yourself to toss them out, give them to a friend or family member.
- Tom Collins is another drink that’s pretty standard and safe to order.
- But these are the core elements that I’ve used and seen others use successfully over the past few years.
- At other times you’ve made them feel insecure about their own habits and they want to get you to back down so they can reaffirm their choices.
Not having a hangover is a reward in itself, but tying it to a specific, enjoyable activity makes the benefit even more tangible. This simple strategy reinforces the positive choice you made the night before. While others are nursing headaches, you’ll be out enjoying your day, feeling proud, refreshed, and fully present for the life you’re building.
Revise Your Social Calendar
If drinking too much doesn’t make you act foolishly during the evening or feel ill in the morning, you can handle your drink. Conversely, if you feel drunk or ill after just a little alcohol, we might say you can’t handle your drink. Perhaps fish don’t really drink, but they do spend all their life in water. To say someone drinks like a fish is to say they drink a lot. When COVID hit, drinking alone at home became a dangerous habit. In those moments, I started to remind myself of my brother who has completely let alcohol rule his life, and that scared me.