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I Don't Want To Tell Everyone

Old 10-26-2014, 08:19 AM
  # 21 (permalink)  
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Easier to say no thanks than to think about it.
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Old 10-26-2014, 08:39 AM
  # 22 (permalink)  
Marchia in Aeternum
 
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Virgin Diet Cuba Libre: diet coke with lime. Keeps those who want everyone drinking fooled.

I'd love a diet coke!

If you are going to a holiday party take a box of peppermint sticks. The soft kind work better. 7Up or club soda with peppermint swizzle stick looks like something special. Take your own 7Up.

No, thanks, I'm driving.
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Old 10-26-2014, 09:24 AM
  # 23 (permalink)  
Just another day...
 
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I just say I quit or Im not drinking. If asked why again I say health reasons.
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Old 10-26-2014, 09:26 AM
  # 24 (permalink)  
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Keep it simple, no one really knows the extent of my drinking to this day.

"I'm not drinking today" can do just fine!!
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Old 10-26-2014, 12:18 PM
  # 25 (permalink)  
A Day at a Time
 
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Originally Posted by aasharon90 View Post

I took responsibility of my addiction
and my own recovery and ran with
it day after day for 24 yrs now. I am
not worried about what family or
friends think or say about me anymore,
because my life and recovery belongs
to me and not them.

Im grateful for my sober life I own
today. You can too.
Wise words and they say everything that needs to be said
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Old 10-26-2014, 01:26 PM
  # 26 (permalink)  
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I struggled with this a lot in the beginning of my sobriety, and like you, I didn't know how to tell people that I had decided to quit drinking because I am an alcoholic and drinking was ruining my life, or if I even wanted to. The truth is, most of the people close to me were very aware that my drinking was a problem, even those people that I tried to hide it from. And many of them noticed when that I wasn't drinking. I got questions about it, and how to answer caused me a lot of stress. I finally settled on telling people that I had decided to take a break from drinking because I was trying to lose some weight (which was true) or that I taking a break from drinking because I was having some health issues that were exacerbated by alcohol and my doctor had recommended I not drink for awhile (also true). Most people didn't pry, and were pretty supportive. There were still lots of times when I decided not to attend parties or barbecues because I felt like there was a giant neon sign over my head that screamed "dysfunctional alcoholic over here!" It's your decision on what you tell people, if you tell them anything at all. That being said, I realized about 2 months in that by not telling people the truth about why I had quit drinking, and my realization that I am an alcoholic, I was, in a way, leaving myself an escape hatch. If no one knew, then I could relapse and nobody would be the wiser. And so I started telling those closest to me, with the caveat that I wasn't ready to have a big, lengthy conversation about it. For the most part, people were incredibly supportive, and respected my boundaries. Like I said, it's your sobriety, and what you tell people, when you tell them, and who you tell are incredibly personal decisions. Just some thoughts.
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Old 10-26-2014, 01:32 PM
  # 27 (permalink)  
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If that's a setting where you would normally drink then don't risk it, do something else instead. Maybe go see a movie, or go out of Chinese food or maybe get a massage. If you do something else make sure it's as good or better then the party, just sober. You'll be able to join in time when you have more sobriety under your belt.

Also, I agree with what Foolsgold suggested. I've found that a glass of coke with a lime wedge in my hand is sufficiently booze-y looking to ward off any questions. Really, unless it runs dry, nobody bothers to ask. Apparently non-alkies don't obsess over booze, who would have guessed it?
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Old 10-26-2014, 02:41 PM
  # 28 (permalink)  
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I told my family...but they knew.
I can't think of a single family occasion over 10 years where I did not end up passed out or sick everywhere.

You really don't owe anyone an explanation - honestly

No thanks works for me in almost every case.

The only exception is the already drunk and insistent ex drinking buddy. I don't mind telling them I'm an alcoholic. It makes the room go quiet

I should add I spent my first Xmas at home,. alone. It was great. I did what I wanted

D
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