EJ,
You have to be ready for when they start have a drink! Why not???
You can say: I got stomach upset... I got headache... I am on antibiotics...
I am driving...
So you are ready...
Have a soft drink all the time in your hand!
If you are about to fall for it... GET OUT!
And you can actually have a good time sober,
is like a test that you can actually smile and laugh without a drink,
you have to unlearn to be drunk and learn to have fun without it!
You are getting anxiety bc you are auto-suggestioning over thinking:
there will be drinks... all will be drinking but me... they will ask me...
what I am going to say... I want to but I can not... etc. etc. etc....
you are repeating it over and over in your head.
I know it cos I do it!
so you suffer before you even get there!
If you are not ready make an excuse and do not go!
when you are feeling stronger you can go to another event!
What ever you choose you will do the right thing!
and Smile what ever you do
