ScottFromWI

Even if were true that I was looked down upon by the rest of society for my sobriety, I could not care less. I know my life is better without alchol and if other people disagree that is their problem, not mine.

thenewguy

I'm more in agreement with the OP. It depends where you live. I live in one college town and work in another so there is a very prevalent drinking culture. In addition, I live in a state which tries to bill itself as some kind of Microbrewing "Mecca" (ie crappy overpriced beers), which tends to glaze over or glamorize heavy drinking under the guise of being some kind of hipster or conossieur. Personally, I think rates of alcoholism are vastly under-reported.

Carlotta

You said it Scott: What other people think of me is none of my business.

MelindaFlowers

There were times I'd have a movie night with a friend at my house. She didn't like drinking (imagine that) and I would drink 3/4 of a fifth of vodka during the movie. Oh yeah, I was annoyed that she was totally fine without drinking during a movie at home. Even more annoyed the next morning when I'd wake up at noon hungover and she had been up since 7 am, happy and content, going on with her day.

I always wanted what they had: to feel content and comfortable in their own skin.

MIRecovery

All of the non drinkers I hang out with think I'm just fine

Nonsensical

Seems like there is generally more social disdain for an alcoholic who won't abstain from drinking than for non drinkers. Anyone who would prefer me blacked out to happily sober I am well shod of.

miamifella

I was never a heavy drinker and became an addict in my late 30s, so maybe my perspective is different. But I never saw any suspicion toward non-drinkers. Maybe sometimes there might be speculation that non-drinkers might be "alcoholics" but that was about it.

However, someone who had drinks at lunch, or made a fool of themselves after getting drunk at the Christmas party, were usually gossipped about with a mixture of pity and derision.

DoubleDragons

My alcoholic mother once told me that since I decided to quit drinking people are going to think that I "have a problem." It sounds so ridiculous now, but when I was a drinker, I used to think like that. I thought non-drinkers were boring and uptight. Now that I am a non-drinker, my eyes have opened up to the fact that most people are fairly light drinkers. As a non-drinker, I could care less if people are drinking around me, however when people start getting really drunk, that is my cue to leave.

Brad41989

I feel this way as well and Probably felt this way when people told me they didn't drink when I was a binge drinker. I know where I live in the state of New Hampshire where their is no sales tax on booze.wine or beer. People from mass flock here by the hundreds to buy food and liquor beer and wine to save money. I live in southern NH about 15 minutes from the border of mass. I work in a kitchen in a busy restaurant with lots of alcoholics and drinkers for co workers. A few make fun of me and think in lying about being sober for close to a year now. I understand where your coming from though it does feel lonely out their being sober in a state full of drinkers. You turn on the tv and every commercial is for beer or booze. I'm off social media because that was all I saw was friends partying and drinking and actually wondered if I got off of Facebook twitter Etc.... Would these people actually seek me out to see how I was doing. I left a goodbye post before leaving with my number and email if anyone wanted to contact me and honestly I maybe only keep in touch with a handful of people out of the 400 friends I had on Facebook. The world is getting more shallow by the minute this is why we just have to get stronger and look past all the bull crap and keep pushing.

EndGameNYC

My mistake.

EndGameNYC

I felt uncomfortable being around people who didn't drink while I was drinking and would think to myself about what they were missing.

A Doctor?s Most Dreaded Patient: The Addict | Addiction Recovery

EndGameNYC

I felt uncomfortable, sometimes fearful ("They must know that I have a problem."), around people who didn't drink during the time I was drinking, and I thought to myself about all that they were missing.

A Doctor?s Most Dreaded Patient: The Addict | Addiction Recovery

Pondlady

We attended an event tonight with an open bar. I was so glad to not have to stand in line for drinks....no one said anything about my husband and me, not drinking. We sipped on cokes and ice water, and had a great time.

Now that I don't drink , it's very obvious to me, when certain people are a bit too eager for their drinks....that used to be me. We had a great time, but were ready to leave, as I noticed things getting louder. Once home, I saw pics on FB of some that hit a bar after the event.....just glad I'm safely home and comfortable .

Buggirl

I have come to the conclusion that different people drink for different reasons and all share different views and intake levels. It is about who you socialise with that makes the experience of you not drinking the issue or lack of issue.

As a whole though, it is the legal drug that is accepted by law and society and yet the one that causes most destruction ! Just go and spend the weekend in any A and E dept in any hospital in the world on a Friday or Saturday night to see what I mean!

I always wonder what people would think if we had legal heroine public houses ? That's effectively what pubs are, drug dens! I think there would be uproar and yet from an early age, I was conditioned that you had to be a drinker when you were old enough, as It made you an adult! How wrong. Now a bindge culture of youngsters who just want to get drunk has developed in the UK and when you go out it's all about drinking to loosing control.

I think it all depends where you are from and who you know.

Pipping

I stood out because I drank so much more than everyone else. I remember returning back to my home town after 5 years away and the husband of a friend said to me "Do you still drink tons of alcohol" I just about died of embarrassment but the truth was I was drinking much more. The only people that question me about not drinking are heavy drinkers other than that no one seems to notice.

MelindaFlowers

I've never called a friend in the evening and been asked with disdain, are you sober tonight?

firstymer

I think that many truly believe that non-drinkers are boring.

For example, if I see that slogan "Alcohol - Because no great story begins with 'I was eating a salad'", I'm gonna scream. Really? How many absolutely HORRIBLE stories begin with "And then after consuming my 10th drink I ..."

In a nutshell, the people who think their friends need to drink with them are aren't smart enough, or interesting enough, to be friends with me.

So there. (*munching on a nice baby plate of spinach and radicchio with a lemon balsamic vinaigrette*)

countrygirl2014

I thought others would judge me for not drinking at first. I thought I was the talk of the town for not drinking. Ironically I work as a bartender. Patrons ask me all the time what do I like to drink. I proudly tell them I don't anymore. All I get is positive comments. "Ohhhh cool" "oh ok" I even had one nightly customer switch to soda and another 5 drinks easy in a night woman who found it so inspiring she only drinks two a week now. Otherwise, they don't care. No one judges or notices if you don't drink.

Jennifer

Tang

I had someone at work recently say to me "you think you're too good for us that you won't have a drink?"

There is a perception from some that people who abstain are uptight or unsociable. Just my experience.

FreeOwl

Those sound like really good people to not hang around with anymore.

Not because you're "better than" - but simply because everyone deserves to be respected and why the hell would anyone want to hang around with anyone who doesn't make caring, respectful company?