Pressure to Drink

[tkioz]

So I'd like to start off by saying I'm not a teetotaler, and I'm most definitely not under drinking age, but lately I've not had much of a desire to drink, and my annoyance with my friends over their "have a drink already" attitude boiled over on New Years eve after three hours of "it's new years, drink something".

I can likely count the number of times I consumed alcohol in 2010 on both hands with fingers left over, I just seem to have lost my affection for drinking; well drinking cheap crap I suppose, I like a good wine, and I love a good whiskey, but it's too expensive to indulge often.

It's the middle of Summer here in Australia and it was high 30s well into the evening on New Years eve, the very last time I wanted to do was to consume a drink that I knew would make the heat worse, even if I felt like it, but after hours and hours of being annoyed to "at least have a beer" I snapped and wondered off to watch the 10pm fireworks on my own, and then went home.

I should point I wasn't give any disapproving looks, nor making any comments about other people's drinking habits, I honestly didn't care, I just didn't want to bloody drink just to get drunk.

So anyone else have a similar new years? being pestered to drink?

And yes I know I either need new friends or move back near my old friends who knew when I said something I damn well meant it.

 

[RewardMe]

You need a good british climate to enjoy a drink. Nothing better than enjoying a nice cold lager in a warm pub when it's pissing down.

 

[teh_gunslinger]

Count yourself lucky mate. I question if todays hangover might be too high a price to pay for last night.

By God, can those death metal guys drink...

 

[me.vicky]

Thumbs up on not drinking to get drunk.

I lived in AUS for a few years and was of drinking age there for a while, during which time I tried and decided I didn't like alcohol and wasn't going to bother drinking it.

Cut forward, I'm back in the states and one year shy of drinking age, last night at a friend's party the hosts and my parents (my own parents!) kept pushing a margarita at me and saying it was okay to drink it if I wanted it.

Which I didn't because I'm sick and didn't want it, besides which I think alcohol tastes gross, and I hate feeling buzzed. My parents KNOW this, and they wanted me to drink the damn thing.

Suffice to say, I think I get you, OT.

 

[Daymo]

Just have something in your hand at a party and if someone asks say it's a new drink, the people that drink will buy it because they're drunk and people that don't drink won't care. Works with soft drink as well, tell them it's a mix of something and they'll leave you alone. I drink a bit as well, not to get drunk, just to be more socialble then normal and be able to ignore stupid drunken actions of others.

 

[tkioz]

They were trying to be gracious and generous hosts but their enthusiasm rubbed you up the wrong way. Did you explain why you weren't drinking? I've found that 'no thanks' makes you sound upset or whatever but 'no thanks, it's too hot and I'll probably be sick' is more reasonable to people who've already had a couple of drinks.

It was "nahh, too bloody hot, got any cold coke back there?" the first few times, after that it went to "don't really feel up to it tonight" and then "No. Thank. You." and eventually "I better get home, later".

Annoying thing is I was actually having a good time when they weren't pushing drinks at me.

 

[Evilbunny]

Hmm, I drank a little on New Years and I had friends that didn't drink but I didn't pester them to do so. I offered it to them and set it on the table in the middle of the room so they were welcome to have some if they liked, but if they don't want any it's no skin off my nose. Just more for me later.

 

[Baron_BJ]

Alcohol itself tastes awful, people add ingredients and mix drinks so that the taste is more pleasant or it may even form an interesting sensation with the drink intself, I've never noticed the latter and when I ask for advice on a drink that "I might like" people always end the sentence with something along the lines of "...you won't even taste the booze", to which I respond "Then why mix fucking booze into it? Why not just mix the rest of this shit in with water or buy a fucking coke?!" there's no response. The fact of the matter is that alcohol is a drug and people enjoy the very mild buzz that they get from it (it causes no real detrimental effects if a person drinks in moderation, however this limit is easily passed since by the time your body indicates you've drunk too much you've probably already ingested more), and it's something of a global custom (with some exceptions, mainly middle-eastern countries) now for people to drink heavily during celebrations and other similar events.

People often find it strange when people don't follow a custom that is often showed and enjoyed, for example if you met a person and outsretched your hand to shake their hand in greeting and they didn't understand you would most likely show and explain the custom, in effect mildly enforcing it as the person may feel compelled to use it next time they are in a similar situation. This is a very general example, but I think it applies well here.

EDIT: You can carry a vodka bottle with you and fill it with water, works for me when I'm at parties and shit, pretend to take a swig every so often.

 

[Colour Scientist]

Count yourself lucky mate. I question if todays hangover might be too high a price to pay for last night.

It was totally worth it!
Shame though, first day of 2011 and I don't really want to do anything.

I am a regular drinker but I've never had any real pressure to do so. I've spent many nights around my friends sober while they're drinking and no one says anything.
I don't think they meant it in a negative way, I'd say they just thought you might have felt left out or something.

 

[kannibus]

Personally I tend to put away the sauce... LOTS of it. But still, when I don't want to drink I will seriously not even drink at all. It's just a question of timing I suppose and how I'm feeling.

Of course, my mates usually respect my choices. They'll nag me for a bit and then buy me a coke or something.

Damn you Australians and your nice weather in the middle of our northern hemispheircal winter!

 

[tkioz]

Damn you Australians and your nice weather in the middle of our northern hemispheircal winter!

42c with 30% humanity isn't nice, it's hell.

 

[CrashBang]

I'm the same, bro. I've never been much of a drinker and some of my mates are totally fine with it. One of my mates is teetotal, actually. But I have two groups of friends and, while the one group are cool with my lack of hardcore drinking, the other group go crazy and give me the cold shoulder on a night out if I'm not as hammered as they are. Sucks

 

[JRCB]

I don't drink. My mom is an alcoholic, my grandparents on my dad's side are alcoholics, my stepdad is an alcoholic, why the fuck should I drink? I don't want to end up like them, because frankly I'm embarrassed when they're drunk. Hell, I'd send everyone to alcoholics anonymous if I could.

This is what I get for being a Gooderham.

 

[Faine']

I share your pain. This is part of why I don't 'go out' with anyone anymore. All they seem to do is get drunk.

 

[squintzepalladoris]

I Understand you. After working in a bar for 3 years the last thing I want is alcohol. And it's hard to find people around me who don't drink, so all my friends are sadly alcoholics. You probably did the best thing by just walking away.

 

[AquaAscension]

So I'd like to start off by saying I'm not a teetotaler, and I'm most definitely not under drinking age, but lately I've not had much of a desire to drink, and my annoyance with my friends over their "have a drink already" attitude boiled over on New Years eve after three hours of "it's new years, drink something".

I can likely count the number of times I consumed alcohol in 2010 on both hands with fingers left over, I just seem to have lost my affection for drinking; well drinking cheap crap I suppose, I like a good wine, and I love a good whiskey, but it's too expensive to indulge often.

It's the middle of Summer here in Australia and it was high 30s well into the evening on New Years eve, the very last time I wanted to do was to consume a drink that I knew would make the heat worse, even if I felt like it, but after hours and hours of being annoyed to "at least have a beer" I snapped and wondered off to watch the 10pm fireworks on my own, and then went home.

I should point I wasn't give any disapproving looks, nor making any comments about other people's drinking habits, I honestly didn't care, I just didn't want to bloody drink just to get drunk.

So anyone else have a similar new years? being pestered to drink?

And yes I know I either need new friends or move back near my old friends who knew when I said something I damn well meant it.

I was really confused by the temperature at first, and then I realized that you were talking about Celsius rather than Fahrenheit. 30 degrees in the states (i.e. with Fahrenheit) is below freezing.

Though I don't think I've ever really been pressured to drink by anyone, I know that there is a pretty large pressure on people to drink, and in social situations, it can be a little obnoxious especially with people who confuse drinking with... whatever it is that they do. It's a tradition, but not necessarily a good one.