Itsmytime

Great post, I am on day 3 and was thinking ahead to some outings we have coming up. When we go out I will be the one driving, that never gets questioned. It is the party coming up at our place that will be tricky, but when I quit before for 5 years I was still one of the loudest party animals around. So maybe no one will notice LOL I always drink soda with lime, ppl think it's a drink and I did get to the point of saying I don't drink with pride and when I started again and no one batted an eye, I think it was a relief to some to have their party buddy back.

I think we need to do what is right for us and let go. For me right now I am saying I am on a diet, which is true as I gained so much the past year. I know in time I will be able to say I quit, it is too soon right now for me, don't want to set myself up to fail.

Itsmytime

"I'm allergic to alcohol, I break out in a drunk"

parentrecovers

i have a friend sober for almost 20 years. when people offer him a drink, he says "no thanks, i drank all mine"...

toast

hmm there's been a few times when i've been trying to stay completely sober. I've driven a few times just to avoid drinking. Also I should try the medication one seeing as it is kind of legit...

Saturday week ago, I was out with a few friends and one asked me to do shots and it felt so weird to refuse, its like i've always just drunk and drunk and never really considered the situation in the past, taking the alcohol no matter how much i've had. And yet with one simple word you can just avoid it like that.

Emimily

I went to a bar with a bunch of sober kids (we knew the d.j.) and when we were asked why we weren't drinking, I said "there's not enough here for us AND you." We laughed.

chewie

1. i've dabbled in alcoholism and it didn't work for me (this usually gets a laugh instead of people getting all serious and not knowing what to say)
2. i'm giving my liver a break.
3. i'm on the wagon.

gravity

Earlier in my recovery, I was quite anxious about having to answer this inevitable queston. Would people think I was weak? That I wasn't "one of the boys"? That something horrendous had happened to me that scared me into quitting? That I am an alcoholic? In retrospect, my fear was all ego-based and inside my head. Either people don't care or are glad that I quit (was told this a few times). I have simply said "no thank you" so many times. I was teased a couple of times but I responded with a smile and an "oh, well!". Bit of a shot to the pride (macho guy that I am ) but I survived.

Anyway, to answer your question, some of my early responses before I became more comfortable with my sobriety were:

"Not this time."
"I have a big day tomorrow."
"I have to drive."
"Don't get me started."

I also stayed away from places where drinking was the primary focus (e.g. bars, some parties) where I was likely to be pressured. Today, I just do not want to go to these places.

chewie

"i'm an all or nothing kind of person, so tonight it will be nothing. thanks!"

Jersey Nonny

15 years after I quit drinking, I retired from a 27-year job ...it wasn't necessary to offer any excuses...most of them had seen me in action. Those I was close enough to knew how and why I quit...they were pleased and supportive.

You may be pleasantly surprised that few people care that you're not drinking, just as long as they get theirs.

bostonluv

Okay...that was funny. I just pictured people asking all shocked, you're not taking crack tonight?! Why not? Do you mind if I smoke crack? Because I'll step outside if it's a problem. People really do that when you say you don't want to drink sometimes.

I liked Jules response also. I was a little surprised my guy friend didn't want to know why. I guess the world really doesn't revolve me and what is in my cup.

least

The way I've been feeling lately I'd just as soon say "it was bad for me so I gave it up" and leave it at that. I don't care what anyone thinks about it, I know what I think about it.

chewie

when people find out i'm vegetarian, i get a much stronger response than when i say i've quit drinking. funny!

SelfSeeking

Chewie- my SO is vegetarian, and here in New Orleans not even vegetables are vegetarian- they get fried in bacon grease! People react in confusion, then utter horror when they hear he doesn't eat meat. "Not even seafood?? What about chicken?" LOL

Surlyredhead

I usually say that I gave up drinking for a better way of life!!!

ForeverDecember

I have a lot of trouble saying "No thanks". I've realised I react a lot to people, rather than places. I don't want people to think I'm not drinking because I need to not drink, and - as I think Jules and Boston wrote about - surely the world will stand still if I were to refuse a drink...

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Good luck.

nolonger

"I'll have an orange juice."
"What? Don't you drink? How come?"
"I love orange juice. I find it really helps me to mind my own business. Can I get you one?"

Eclipse

I'm trying to loose weight and alcohol is filled with calories...works for me

spudida

So I read this thread yesterday morning and I think to myself "boy I'm glad I don't have people around me that drink" (I did my drinking alone at home). Not 10 minutes after I sign off I get a call from my next door neighbor and the first thing I know she is talking about wine (she's 85 years old and we have never talked about wine)...and she says "I don't know if you drink" pause...WOW
so I say "no I don't drink" - 10th day of sobriety and I hear myself say that. The conversation continued without a heartbeat and my scarey moment was over. So there....I don't drink.:atv

bostonluv

Alright Spudida! Proud of you for that one and what a great thing that you read this thread and already had the seed planted on your options. Awesome.

SelfSeeking

I have been trying it on for size in my head: "No thanks." "Oh, I quit." *shrug* "Sprite please?"

Cause really... what sounds weaker... a bs excuse, or giving out exactly as much information as I want to and no more?