How difficult/weird does it make one's social life if one quits drinking?

MotiMorphosys · 2016-11-26T16:02:08+00:00

It doesn't affect it at all. I have a friend who doesn't drink. He's confident and assertive about it. People respect it. It's a non issue.

PraetereoBonobos · 2016-11-26T16:30:30+00:00

I just started doing this so I can chime in a bit. I usually get invited to bars/party's where there is a lot of drinking, by now a lot of people know I am not drinking so it doesn't really come up but when I started I simply said "I am taking a break" usually people drop it therebut if they press for a reason I just tell em because I felt like one. I think there is a bit of a stereotype that people get offended by this, and maybe insecure people do but I haven't really seen anyone give a shit yet. The most I get is "oh ok cool man"

Eyeswears · 2016-11-26T19:19:53+00:00

I've never drank and it's led to some strange sideways glances, but as long as I just confidently say "I'm waiting for the right time" or "It's not my thing" and move the conversation forward immediately, nobody cares anymore. As long as you're not attacking people for drinking, it won't make a difference. It can be sort of a shit test at first, but it's monkey business really.

redpill_disciple · 2016-11-26T16:45:02+00:00

No one will think of you any less. If they push you just say you found out you're allergic to it

JLipsius · 2016-11-27T15:09:39+00:00

Hi, alcoholic here. 10 months sober.

I'm not an alcoholic or anything

Okay.

but I think I have some kind of weird reaction to alcohol;

Okay.

if I have anything more than, like, one beer (and sometimes even one is all it takes), 9 times out of 10 I'll have a headache or occasionally even a full-on hangover the next day,

Okay.

and it's really frustrating.

Okay.

So you can't stop drinking when you start and express frustration that your drinking fucks the next day up. You're definitely not an alcoholic, though.

Do you notice any incongruence?

This is you hamstering that you aren't an alcoholic. Your "weird reaction" is called poor impulse control. You are an alcoholic. Your life hasn't been ruined by alcohol so you don't categorize yourself with them.

How difficult/weird does it make one's social life if one quits drinking?

It doesn't. No one worth your time will think you're a pussy because you quit drinking. Anyone who doesn't accept you due to your not drinking is a low quality person and you should be glad that you now have an easy way to filter shitty people out of your life.

Don't make a spectacle over the fact that you don't drink. Don't bring it up unless asked, portray confidence and surety when you tell people and they'll leave you alone. I'll tell you what doesn't work: "I don't like the taste/I don't like it/It's not for me." Cue people trying to get you to try their favorite drinks.

Title	How difficult/weird does it make one's social life if one quits drinking?
Author	tekende
Upvotes	1
Comments	6
Date	November 26, 2016 3:59 PM UTC (9 years ago)
Subreddit	Posted in /r/askTRP
Original Link	https://old.reddit.com/r/asktrp/comments/5f01wz/how_difficultweird_does_it_make_ones_social_life/
Archive Link	https://theredarchive.com/r/askTRP/how-difficultweird-does-it-make-ones-social-life.78172 https://theredarchive.com/post/78172

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