Originally Posted by
byebyealcohol 
I slipped so I'm back, I've read the books including AA, I have a strong faith in God but ya know what else I have? FEAR!!! I'm soooo scared of being the odd one that can't drink or the friend that everyone tip toes around nor can I begin to imagine vacations, graduations ect. Without the poison. I feel like I am trapped but I am ready and determined.
Its strange not drinking on vacation and graduations at first.
Then no big deal after that.
I shouldn't imagine graduations and vacations are a weekly occurrence for you, unless all your friends and family are in college.
I dealt with it by doing the following
1. Nomination myself as official photographer at things like weddings, christening, birthdays and graduations.
2. When you do go to these events, you might be surprised, like I was, that not everybody drinks like we do.
Some people have 2 drinks and then no more.
Some make a glass last all night.
Some drink tea or coffee.
When I went to my first wedding sober, in the evening, I was like 'wow I must have stuck out like a sore thumb!!" I used to get blackout drunk or be staggering around. There were the odd one or two people like that, but 98% were not.
It was a huge wake up call for me.
I also found it helpful not to thing too far ahead.
A day at a time.
In the early days I would wake up every morning and say to myself 'today I am not drinking. Tomorrow I might, but today I am not'.
Simple as that.
If anyone commented and said 'will you be drinking at my 40th or at our party, or when we go to wherever?'. I would use the same thinking. I would say not thought about it, too far ahead, lets just wait and see.
I wish you the best xx