Excuses! Excuses!

[Hannah]

What excuse do you give when someone offers you a drink?

My latest is - I don't know, it just seems to give me a headache lately, and hot flushes....

[Accountable for Me]

Excuses! Excuses!

Mine is: I think I have developed an allergy to alcohol. I break out in a rash around my chin. (and believe it or not - it is the truth!)

[sidney]

Excuses! Excuses!

I am on a diet and alcohol is a lot of empty calories. Since I have lost weight they buy it.

[KateH1]

Excuses! Excuses!

I guess I am really fortunate in this area. I just order a non-alcoholic drink with no apologies. On the few occasions that somone says something, I just say, I am not drinking tonight. I think sometimes this is much more difficult for the younger ones. Those whose lives revolved around events where drinking is the main event.

[retteacher]

Excuses! Excuses!

I have a few:
-I felt a headache coming on earlier in the day.
-I get hot flashes from alcohol.
-I don't tolerate alcohol the way I used to.
-I'm on medication.
-It interrupts my sleep cycle.

I've used any & all, but I've found people don't really care whether I drink or not.

Mary

[Accountable for Me]

Excuses! Excuses!

That is what I am finding too. No one really gives a rats ass if you are drinking or not.

I also agree that it is harder for the younger people where alcohol seems to be the 'main course' at certain events.

[Starlight Impress Forever]

Excuses! Excuses!

Hi Hannah,
I guess many people worry about this scenario, especially in the early AF period. I find I`ve personally reached the stage where I`m no longer willing to "duck and dive"......I refuse to excuse myself for choosing to abstain from something I no longer wish to do......in this case drinking.

I think peer pressure can play a part here, regardless of how old we are, but.......only if we allow ourselves to feel pressured into drinking. Not everyone who doesn`t drink has a problem with alcohol and it`s small-minded people who assume that alcoholism is always the reason someone opts for a soft drink.

I feel very strongly about this situation. After all, why should we feel embarassed for making the excellent, informed choice of not to drink alcohol ?........we have every right to exercise our own free will.

Darling x

[MyOwnWoman]

Excuses! Excuses!

I agree with Darling - it's a fricking shame that society is such that we feel embarassed to not take a drink and make up excuses.
Wouldn't it be great if we could proudly proclaim, "Thanks but no thanks... I have succeeded in overcoming the greatest challenge of my life, and my new freedom tastes infinitely better than that glass of wine ever could."

If we have the power to say no, we should be exceedingly proud of ourselves for that moment of saying no, rather than embarassed for the struggle we've risen from.

[Accountable for Me]

Excuses! Excuses!

I LOVE it MOW! I COMPLETELY agree with everything you said.

[tlrgs]

Excuses! Excuses!

no thankx dont drink anymore and you would be surpise on the respones you get.
from people
#1 like sorry to hear that or
#2 man i have been trying to slow down too .
#3 been waking up with horrible headache.

[sammys]

Excuses! Excuses!

I use I can't drink everyday of my life. We serve alcohol at my work, so that works for me.

Sammys

[brittzak]

Excuses! Excuses!

This question comes up from time to time......I am going to be very honest. IF you have friends that you can not simply say..."I do not want a drink tonight" and that NOT be ok, then the real issue is not that you stoppped drinking but that your friends may not be real friends. My friends know why I am not drinking. It could be like KateH1 said and be an age thing as well. I agree it is easier in my setting at my age. At 20, may have not been so easy. But, at nearly 40, take me like I am or leave.

[Beaches]

Excuses! Excuses!

I tell people I am DD or that I just don't need one right now.

[boozehag]

Excuses! Excuses!

Yep agree with MOW & Mr T
I just say I dont drink any more and then I bore them to death with details of how many days I have been AF and how early I get up in the morning now and all the things I have done since being AF and NF. Most people just say that is great and try and escape! Quite a few people say oh I really need to cut down too. I think it is probably an age thing though - I dont think I would have got away with that when I was younger as a drink would have forced on me and I would have been ridiculed for not drinking. I fact I can remember ridiculing or hassling people that didnt drink myself. What a loser!
BH

[july232007]

Excuses! Excuses!

I am amazed at how few people ask or notice.

I tell the few who do ask the following:

to friends;

"I quit, it was starting to kill me."
Responce: "Really?"
My reply, "yes, really"

to strangers;

No, I don't drink.

Never a reply

July