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Old 03-01-2010, 08:40 PM
  # 3 (permalink)  
Toronto68
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Join Date: Feb 2010
Location: Toronto, ON
Posts: 1,591
Houndheart, I don't know if the reply about Jack Daniels was an example of her typical humor or sarcasm (ie, she would have said that ANY day), but if you start to see a pattern, then I think you have to decide whether you want to make an issue of it. Some people like to say things that challenge or bring their friends down a notch, because it's a way of asserting power. (That may sound extreme, but I think it's true, ha ha!) It usually has to do with a lack of security on their own part, whether on a related topic or not. This friend may not be the same way.

I think you could start out by "asking" her what she thinks about making random references like that, does she think it might have anything to do with your having chosen not to drink for your own benefit. If a pattern continues, then you can be more direct and say you were doing some thinking about what you'd said earlier, and it doesn't seem like it is helpful to hear random comments about alcohol, does she see any reason why she would keep making them, knowing the obvious (that you've quit). If it continues beyond that, then you have to decide whether to break apart from her or not. If this is really bad, then this person would probably make this about your self-interested nature and turn your desire for sobriety on its head, into something unhealthy. Something I would not want around. A friend would want to hear more and understand what they are supposed to do (even when the answer is nothing); even have a hard time understanding and deny it for a while. If she does the above though, that is just totally ignoring everything you said.

Bear in mind that I can be a little reactionary or feisty about things like this I devited a couple of paragraphs to it methodically, ha ha.

But the main thing for me is the sobriety and the clear head, like Suki said. We have to live with people in our lives and have to deal with our own frustrations and do so harmoniously, but I also think we should be champions of ourselves when we know we have to.
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