Have you experienced social pressure into drinking?

[Scealle]

Have you experienced pressure from friends/family or colleagues into drinking alcohol? How do you react?

Was having a farewell party with some of my friends today and was put into a rather awkward social situation where they pressured me into trying out alcohol/vodka. Maybe its a bit naive for me to live by a motto of not drinking alcohol even though I am of legal age. I insisted on not trying & luckily my friends are pretty understanding and they didn't force me to do it. Though they warned me in the future when I go out to work I might be put in similar situations and it could end up pretty bad if I got drunk outside.

[rareboy]

So don't drink.

You can either tell people that you are forbidden from alcohol or a recovering alcoholic or that you would just prefer having a soft drink.

There are lots of people we know who don't drink.

and no one is pressuring them to get wasted.

just stay true to your own beliefs.

By the way, I'm sitting here having a lovely glass of amarone. Can I pour you some? lol

[Telstra]

Just say you got stomach ulcer and can't touch alcohol.
And warn them they will have ulcer soon if they keep doing this.


Lying this way is fine.

[The Fly]

If you don't want to drink....DON'T. Your friends who drink should/will see this as advantageous to them. You can be the sober driver, or just the guy in the group who can say "that's not a good idea" to drunken lapses of judgement.
But don't lie to them about alcoholism, medical conditions and the like, that will only come back to bite you in the ass (and not in a good way)

[geloge]

I freely chose taste beer and I liked it

[refujiunderground]

i feel your pain BUT nobody's going to put a gun to your head and make you drink if you say no. you may get looked down at and have people clown you BUT you still held your ground. people will respect you for doing that instead of following the leader.

[Telstra]

My dad used to pressure me so I could fit with all my male family and friends.

In college I always carried a bottle of pills with aspirins and no one ever offered me alcohol because of that.

oh i forgot, social drinking is ok.
As long as you don't drink at home by yourself.

[Telstra]

i feel your pain BUT nobody's going to put a gun to your head and make you drink if you say no. you may get looked down at and have people clown you BUT you still held your ground. people will respect you for doing that instead of following the leader.

nah, if you don't drink for special occasions, people think you are no fun.

[Harke the Boeotarch]

Yes and tonight I have money to do it again. Whoohoo!

[swerve]

I'll OFFER you my arm...

And ASK you to TWIST it!!!

[birddog7]

I have been pressured to drink, but I ignored it, and didn't. I've never even tried drugs at all. I will take a drink, but only if I want to, and it's something I like the taste of. I've never been drunk, and don't intend to be.

[MoufOfKhaos]

I never had that pressure to drink... for some reason, people seem to try and pressure me into smoking a hell of a lot more. Too bad for them i've no desire to even try it.

[youngnihilist]

Sober people or "just going to have one drink/couple beers" are boring, so yes, we encourage them to drink more. Social settings need to be at the same level - now no one likes the idiot whos blackout at 10 pm and needing assistance either, so that's the other extreme. If I was your friend I'd be encouraging you to drink more, then again we probably wouldn't be friends.

[birddog7]

I never had that pressure to drink... for some reason, people seem to try and pressure me into smoking a hell of a lot more. Too bad for them i've no desire to even try it.

Been through that too. I did try it, but after a drag or two nearly choked me to death, I haven't touched any form of tobacco since...

[maxpowr9]

You are not welcome in my parents' house if you do not drink. Course they are not asking you to get trashed but to not accept the solicitation of an alcoholic beverage in their home is an insult to them. I had a friend over their house recently who did that and my mom just starred daggers at him the entire time he was there.

I will never peer pressure someone into drinking [I do have "dry" friends] but when it comes to dating, they must be able to enjoy alcohol or I see the relationship not lasting long. Due to my parents, it's one of those deal breakers.

[RaKroma]

The heaviest "peer pressure" I'm experiencing into drinking is from the gay circle of friends. I thought high school and college years were past me, but no, this is worse now than ever. I'm a light drinker and would probably avoid even one drink if I'm not bugged about it all the time. But even after I have a single drink, my friends will always tell me or ask me why I don't get another drink, or buy me a drink without asking me and shove it to me. It's little things like this that can ruin my night in a bar.

[G-Lexington]

Oh definitely. Most obvious example: my ex wanted me to meet his new boyfriend, so I met them both at a gay bar. The new guy immediately started flirting with me (for some reason), and when he heard I wasn't a drinker, he announced that I was definitely getting drunk tonight. He proceeded to buy me three shots, two mixed drinks, and a beer. Which sat there on the table. When he proclaimed that I wasn't touching my drinks, I told them that they weren't mine - I didn't order them, and I didn't want them. He got pretty pissed, but he found plenty of other people willing to drink them.

It's very easy. Just say "I'm not drinking". And say that a thousand times if you need to.

Lex

[Audio Tech]

Many times. But I didn't drink at all in my young years. I'm somehow not surprised that it cost me my social life.
Today I'll have a glass of red wine with dinner, but that's IT.

[eastofeden]

Social pressure to drink? Hell...all the time after I quit drinking. The worst...49ers games. Everyone had shots when there was a touchdown. Instaead of doing the whole "I dont' drink" speech ...I just poured myself a shot of 7 up and toasted and drank right along with everyone else.

[Nishin]

I guess they think you're too quiet and need to relax/open up

[Scealle]

Thnx for the advice. Yeah I think I should stick to not drinking even if it might affect my social life and what not. I just don't want to end ur saying anything weird or have a really bad hangover. Some of my friends got really wasted during their birthday parties and they did / say something that they really regret.

[ruivinho]

Sober people or "just going to have one drink/couple beers" are boring, so yes, we encourage them to drink more. Social settings need to be at the same level - now no one likes the idiot whos blackout at 10 pm and needing assistance either, so that's the other extreme. If I was your friend I'd be encouraging you to drink more, then again we probably wouldn't be friends.

now that was just ridiculous.
anyway:
lately i've been hanging out with people that always have a drink, always at bars, i even went to a typical beer bar
but, not because of any moral or health standards, i chose not to drink alcohol, simply because i don't enjoy it that much
people sometimes find it odd, but they've gotten used to it and even say to others: he is just not the drinking type
so in the end, they understand and respect it.

but anyway, it is not worth it to be friends with people that do not respect your wishes, much like youngnihilist over there
with his crappy psicosociological arguments....

BUT if YOU just refuse in a natural way, not making a big fuss out of it, eventually people will let you go....

[ruivinho]

You are not welcome in my parents' house if you do not drink. Course they are not asking you to get trashed but to not accept the solicitation of an alcoholic beverage in their home is an insult to them. I had a friend over their house recently who did that and my mom just starred daggers at him the entire time he was there.

I will never peer pressure someone into drinking [I do have "dry" friends] but when it comes to dating, they must be able to enjoy alcohol or I see the relationship not lasting long. Due to my parents, it's one of those deal breakers.

You mean because your parents won't like that person?
If that is the case, then i'm sorry they are reducing your chances to find someone good for you...

[ruivinho]

Oh definitely. Most obvious example: my ex wanted me to meet his new boyfriend, so I met them both at a gay bar. The new guy immediately started flirting with me (for some reason), and when he heard I wasn't a drinker, he announced that I was definitely getting drunk tonight. He proceeded to buy me three shots, two mixed drinks, and a beer. Which sat there on the table. When he proclaimed that I wasn't touching my drinks, I told them that they weren't mine - I didn't order them, and I didn't want them. He got pretty pissed, but he found plenty of other people willing to drink them.

It's very easy. Just say "I'm not drinking". And say that a thousand times if you need to.

Lex

I admire you for your self-respect.
It is a shame and embarrasing for him that he actually got pissed LOL

[justsimon]

I've only really felt pressured to drink once and it was the summer before last. I wasn't drinking because I'd been put in charge of watching over my very drunk (female) cousin who was surrounded by a bunch of groomsmen at the after party for my other cousin's wedding. My third cousin (the drunk cousin's sister) and I were the only sober people at the party and people were literally whining at us to take a drink. But we're adults who don't cave to peer pressure so we just filled our glasses with cranberry juice and told everyone to back off.

[altlover85]

No one's ever had to pressure me into drinking.

Same here.

You mean because your parents won't like that person?
If that is the case, then i'm sorry they are reducing your chances to find someone good for you...

Honestly, only one guy I ever dated didn't drink. Most of the people I know do drink socially.

Thnx for the advice. Yeah I think I should stick to not drinking even if it might affect my social life and what not. I just don't want to end ur saying anything weird or have a really bad hangover. Some of my friends got really wasted during their birthday parties and they did / say something that they really regret.

Don't drink if you don't want to. However, don't be afraid of drinking either. If you drink very slowly over a long period of time (say a few hours) you'll be fine.

[Hellax24]

LOL. Yes years ago. I was not into to drinking and my friends and I went to Pride in San Diego. So I drank a huge Pina Colada on an empty stomach in the hot summer sun. Well, Alcohol loosens the inhibitions and trust they got it all. LOL. They have regretted it to this day. They also got what they wanted. They never pressured me to drink again!

CXXX

[blackbeltninja]

Thnx for the advice. Yeah I think I should stick to not drinking even if it might affect my social life and what not. I just don't want to end ur saying anything weird or have a really bad hangover. Some of my friends got really wasted during their birthday parties and they did / say something that they really regret.

Okay, this is 4 months later, but hey.

I'm not sure why you can't distinguish between having a drink or two and getting absolutely plastered. For most of us, a beer or two is unlikely to cause a massive hangover, nor will it make us get onto the table and strip in front of our colleagues.

Have a glass of wine with dinner, fine. Have a sherry or port afterwards, fine. Have some vodka on the rocks as an aperitif, fine. Having alcohol does not automatically mean you're in pieces embarrassing yourself.

-d-

[earlgrey]

Just say you have gout. I know 2 young guys who have it.

I used to not drink, but nowadays, I'd like to give everything a try at least once for the experience.

But if I was pressured to do something I didn't want to do, I'd just flat out say no. And it's always been that way.

[sixthson]

Forget about making up things and lying. Just tell them you don't drink and stick to it.

[borg69unimatrix]

If you act like her, you've had too many.

[umjreon88]

Love drinking but would not force friends into drinking just coz I want them too, or to fulfill some sorta social code.

Idot dance like that ^ too, but not when I'm drunk, LOL.

[EuroSoccer]

Sweet Gif.............

Anyway back on topic, Scealle don't do anything you don't feel like doing (that's how people get bad habits AKA smoking+drugs), although drinking in moderation never killed anyone.

[Swellegant]

If it's someone I can joke with, I say alcohol makes me sick, one drink and I turn into an asshole. If it's someone I can't joke with, I just say no thank you, I don't like it. If they push me, then I tell them I'm a recovering alcoholic. There are a lot of cultural traditions that involve alcohol, in which a host might be offended by my refusal to participate; I would probably find it expedient to simply avoid such occasions, but have never actually experienced someone being offended by my refusal to drink.

But in my drinking days, nobody had to pressure me to do something I already did before I got there. I pressured plenty of people to drink, though, because I felt that a random stranger's refusal to drink was an implied criticism of my drinking. I knew that it was wrong to drink the way I drank, but didn't want to admit it, so got angry at the nondrinkers instead. Classic addict behavior.

[Alistair]

I actually had to stop going into my favorite mom and pop bar and grill for this very reason. My contractor that does all my work on my house (siding, windows etc) always has to buy round after round when I stop in. He buys them without asking, and gets offended if you refuse. He's the nicest guy, a great worker who does an excellent and very fairly priced job, but I just can't sit there and drink like he does. It's just around the block for him and he walks home. It's across town for me and I'm not drinking and driving.

[Scealle]

Don't drink if you don't want to. However, don't be afraid of drinking either. If you drink very slowly over a long period of time (say a few hours) you'll be fine.

I heard this tip before going to do it in the future if the situation came up haha But since I am not a club or bar person (and never been to one) i'd say it would be a bit time consuming to chill in the bars for hours if you ask me haha.

If you act like her, you've had too many.

Hahaha LOL!!! Tbh one reasons I don't drink is because I know I would probably humiliate myself. esp if there is a cute boy in the crowd that time. I'd be doing that LOL!!! But if that got recorded on a video I might as well be dead

I actually had to stop going into my favorite mom and pop bar and grill for this very reason. My contractor that does all my work on my house (siding, windows etc) always has to buy round after round when I stop in. He buys them without asking, and gets offended if you refuse. He's the nicest guy, a great worker who does an excellent and very fairly priced job, but I just can't sit there and drink like he does. It's just around the block for him and he walks home. It's across town for me and I'm not drinking and driving.

Drink driving is indeed pretty dangerous. One reasons why I don't drink because most of my friends does. Hey it's always better to be the sober person

[earlgrey]

Drink driving is indeed pretty dangerous. One reasons why I don't drink because most of my friends does. Hey it's always better to be the sober person

You can be the designated driver that gets invited to all the parties, there's a perk in this.

[crimsonpaine]

No. Can't say I ever have been. I've been offered but never pushed. I want to drink then I will drink, if I don't feel like it, then I don't and everyone is fine with that.

No one makes you do something you don't want to do, you allow them to make you do it.

[USEDCAR]

I have a 3 drink limit when i go out, I drink mixed drinks i don't like the taste of Beer or straight liquor. My friends understand i don't drink if someone tries to pressure me i kindly tell them no and move on.


I had one guy try to get me to get drunk come to find out hes an alcoholic. He can't go no where with out getting wasted he gets so drunk that he forgets what he did in the morning. hes a cool guy just has a drinking problem i had to stop hanging out with him.