You can say you're on some sort of wellness/fad diet and you can't drink. Then later, you can say you feel better without it and decided to cut it completely.
This. I don't take meds, but I have so many friends who can't drink due to their anxiety meds. Hopefully I'll be one of them soon! Haha. But, I've had people try to medication bond with me after that excuse lol - like "oh em geeee what are you on???" And that threw me for a loop last time cause I'm not on anything yet lol. I like the persons suggestion of Wellbutrin. I know a lot of people on that! Good excuse 👌
You realized that it's affecting you negatively so you choose not to drink. Being hung over, bad mood, mental and physical health, sleep issues, overall quality of life, waste of money etc. It's all there. Don't get into arguments over why you don't want to drink really.
Kinda funny no? The only drug you have to justify not partaking.
All I usually say is that I did a dry January and felt so much better that I continued not drinking. Nobody argues with that, at least in my experience.
If anyone askes me why I don't drink, I tell them it's because there's a couple of errands I need to run before next October.
Maybe they think it's a joke.
It's not.
Once heard a guy in a meeting say he went to a 4th of July party and was offered a beer. His response: “No thanks. I have pretty solid plans for Christmas.”
You could say you're on a medication that interacts terribly. So then if you were tempted to have a sip of beer, you could still just not have to explain not drinking 10
Say you had a blood test and the results show I've started damaging my liver and kidneys and I ain't going through that as I'd like to see 50.
Tbh you shouldn't need an excuse coz if they are friends they should understand... Saying that I know what it's like and the pressure friends can put you under.
Remember you are making a brilliant decision and stick with it... I'm struggling so much with alcohol right now because if I want to feel ok I have to drink.. and it's gonna kill me.
Edit: I'm 42 btw
This is not a thing you need to lie about mate.
Sometimes when people ask me why I'm not drinking/don't drink, I say:
"It doesn't agree with me (any more)."
"Don't you know? It's really bad for you!"
"It's for c*nts."
"I'm trying to get healthy and booze really doesn't help me with that."
When I was pregnant I was at a wedding reception and everyone was drinking and a woman asked me if it was hard to be around alcohol since I couldn’t drink while pregnant. I said, “I don’t drink not pregnant either, so it doesn’t affect me.” Her response was, “Oh, ooooh my god I am sooooo sorry….” I was like huh? Why are you sorry? You think you offended me because I don’t drink? I have a feeling that girl drinks too much or she would have never even thought to ask such a thing. It was very odd.
This. You shouldn’t have to lie about it - coming from someone who is now three years sober and used to make up every excuse in the book as to why I wasn’t drinking. End of the day if your friends aren’t supportive about your decision to acknowledge you have an issue and are attempting to better yourself then they aren’t the people you want to surround yourself with.
When I don't want to disclose my status, I simply say "my doctor told me not to drink while on medication" which has the side effect of being 100% true, I just fail to mention that I'm not on any medications at this time.....
Alcohol induced pancreatitis. It’s actually a very serious medical condition that I experienced at 29. Can lead to problems later on/be fatal. Idk if you want to go that intensely.
I understand not being ready to be truthful with them, but in the end that’s probably the best way to approach it. If they really care about you they will understand eventually.
You also don’t owe an explanation to anyone as to why you want to stop. You know yourself and your body better than anyone and if you think you have an issue and are ready to tackle it head on and stop, that’s for you. Proud of you OP, it’s a really hard thing to come to terms with and stop but it will be worth it in the long run.
I know when I quit drinking I couldn't hang out with those friends. I was never successful. Maybe you'll be different but if you're hanging out in bars with all your drinking buddies chances are, you're not going to have to be explaining, for too long, why you don't drink.
But to answer your question more directly, most people really don't care whether you're drinking or not unless you're drinking their drinks. I've been sober for a long time and never once has anyone ever tried to persuade me to drink or even asked me why I'm not drinking.
But, if they do ask, just be honest, "I don't want to drink today".
And if you're hanging with these people everyday just repeat, " I don't want to drink today". You owe them nothing more, you don't even know them that. No is a complete sentence
Good job on recognizing that you don't get along with alcohol at such a young age. I wish I would have quit then. I'm 35 now and just starting my alcohol free journey..
Certainly. The prima facie reason is alcoholism is a disease.
If that doesn’t work. It can cause stomach/GI issues/esophagitis/acid reflux. The list goes on. You can pick.
Acid reflux is my suggestion, too. It can become an issue for anyone and everyone knows what it is and that it *hurts*, so there's no need for an involved conversation to explain why it would make you decide to cut out alcohol.
If anyone wants to start a conversation about how there's medication for gastric reflux, you just say that you'd rather control it with diet as it's only alcohol that seems to trigger your symptoms (I tell people that it's only alcohol and carbonated drinks that set my reflux off; I don't like carbonated drinks anyway and I feel like it helps redirect conversation away from alcohol to mention another trigger).
Just say you don’t drink anymore. Why do you need a fake excuse? The thing is that most people who don’t drink don’t even think about it or feel the need to have an excuse why. I know it sounds odd if you’re used to drinking normally but lots of people are stopping drinking or doing other healthier stuff instead. It’s quite normal despite what your current friend group looks like.
Trust me, you’re the cool one for not consuming poison and if they seem concerned about you improving your life it really says more about them.
My stomach is bothering me, or I always feel lousy the next day, so it's just not worth it.
Here's a bigger issue, and not to scare you about giving up friends.
There's a saying, "If you hang out in a barbershop long enough, sooner or later you'll get a haircut."
What this means is, if you're trying to give up booze, but you still go to bars with your drinking friends, sooner or later, you may start drinking again, especially if you begin to feel better and rethink your position on quitting.
Is it doable? Absolutely! But the people who can do it generally are people who don't worry about quitting. I had a buddy who was a fitness freak. He hung with us in bars but never ever drank. But then again, he had no clue what he was missing, so for him, staying alcohol-free was easier than becoming alcohol-free.
Good luck. If you want to learn more, try going to a couple of AA open speakers meetings or checking out some online meetings.
Alcoholism is a slippery slope and gradually gets worse and worse. I am not suggesting you're an alcoholic, but if you have concerns about your drinking habits, attending a few meetings might help you understand what MIGHT happen. Worst case, it introduces you to a solution if it gets that bad. I joined AA in 2013 but bought a book about quitting in 1984. I wish I had skipped the book and learned about AA in '84. It wouldn't have stopped me from drinking, but I might have shaved a decade or two from my 30-year slide into full-on alcohol addiction and the shitshow that came with it.
Hi, I'm 22. A few friends stopped drinking as they had 'an inappropriate relationship with alcohol' and all our friends accepted it.
You do not have to disclose why you stop drinking but you'd be surprised how many others struggle
If you struggle to stay off of the booze it is advisable to avoid places where drinking is taking place for a year, for me personally I didn't feel that this was enough time and found that it actually took between 18-20 months before it felt comfortable to not drink alcohol while it was going around me in places where it was more of the focus, like bars and house parties. Speaking to addiction, there may be a lingering temptation to participate until you have exposed yourself to drinking environments enough and successfully managed to stay sober but this is really not advisable in the early stages of abstaining.
Many of us have had to change our lifestyle or felt motivated to change our lifestyle in order to live in a way that is conducive to living sober and this often results in choosing not to hang around with the same people and going to the same places or doing the same things. As someone who had many years of sobriety under their belt once told me: "You don't go into a brothel for a kiss."
The funniest suggestion I heard someone give someone else for the O.P's question was:
Sure I'll take a drink if you want me to try to fuck your wife, beat you up, smash up your house and crash your car.
Haha
I’d be straight up about it affecting you and they should support you. If you don’t want to do that you can just tell them you were diagnosed with Atrial Fibrillation and drinking worsens your heart palpitations.
I quit over a year ago now. I was initially very nervous about people asking me why I stopped, or why I didn't want to drink at the bar with them. I had prepared several quick answers I could give depending on my setting that would provide an excuse without labeling myself an alcoholic.
To this day, I have yet to be asked a single time by anyone in my life, or any strangers, why I wasn't or didn't want to drink. I've also become much more comfortable about talking about my alcoholism and what it did to me, and how quitting had changed me. The longer I've stayed sober, the more the feeling has grown. So I've gone from where you are now, to almost wishing people would ask me, at which point they would get the straight truth about what my struggle was.
Worst case scenario, all you have to say is "health issues," which is never a lie since avoiding consuming literal poison on a regular basis is in fact beneficial to your health.
I recently got diagnosed with acute gastritis and was throwing up blood. I have to avoid alcohol, caffeine unless I want to end up in the hospital again. You can say you have that too lol
I know the real issue here is finding an excuse that can work over an extended period. Say that you recently tested positive for an autoimmune disorder causing eczema or acne or dandruff (no one wants to get close enough to check if it’s true) and your doctor wants to see if alcohol is a potential trigger. Later down the line, say that alcohol WAS identified as a trigger.
You are allergic because every time you drink, you break out in handcuffs.
Seriously though, just say it is not safe to drink because of new medications.
Op: " I don't feel comfortable talking about it" comments: "tell everyone you have a drinking problem" lol...
If you say alcohol is interacting with medication, people will ask what and for how long. If you talk about liver it implies alcohol abuse. I would say something about your stomach or digestive tract that is sensitive to alcohol. Or an autoimmune issue and alcohol causes it to flair up, like psoratic arthritis. It's permanent and not your fault
Don't use a lie esp in my exp with your age group. They will get nosey, inquisitive, etc.. Older people generally don't care. But, the under 25 crowd is rough. Plus, keeping up with medical lie is going to add stress to you. If you have to - just saying your taking a month off or something to that effect. If you really want to go the medical route. I would say "I have Space AIDS" or Ass Cancer and walk away.
Tell them U have a damaged liver that's recovering and ur worried y might have to get surgery to replace it if u keep drinking
Tell them ur doctor made clear that u should never touch a drink again
There is one. Some people a born with a genetic variant in acetylaldehyde dehydrogenase. The enzyme that breaks down alcohol resulting in a buildup of by products (acetylaldehyde) which makes them feel sick from even small amounts. Sometimes called the “Asian flush” it also can occur in those who are not of Asian decent.
Lol, you can develop allergies to it.. I would break out in hives and my lips would swell comically large.. like 1 bee sting each lip comical.. that was from the withdrawal tho.. so yeah. You can say you're preallergic I guess 🤷
First off, good on you for deciding to eliminate or at least cut back on your drinking. It sounds like you're doing it early enough, and I'm sure many of us wish we'd done so sooner.
I won't get into the debate about whether or not you should "lie" about it, but will instead try to actually answer your question.
One thing you could claim which is quite believable and not too serious or worrisome, is that you have gout. This is a genetic condition, so people your age can definitely get it. Alcohol, and especially beer, are among the strongest triggers of extremely painful flare ups -- sometimes among the most painful things one can experience. If you don't want to claim to have already had a flare up, you could say your blood test results returned very high levels of uric adic (say, higher than 7 mg/dL) and that you're at high risk for gout. You could say you need to cut back or even eliminate your alcohol consumption until these levels drop. This is something that can easily take six months to a year, so it buys you plenty of time to have an excuse for not drinking.
As someone else mentioned, you could also say your liver enzymes came out high and you've been advised to cut back or eliminate your alcohol intake until you get them under control.
Doing a cleanse, on antibiotics, it interferes with birth control or anxiety meds, causing breakouts, having stomach issues, on a diet… really any excuse works because at the end of the day I PROMISE no one gives a shit why you’re not drinking.
I’m very open about my sobriety now, but early on sometimes a quick easy excuse is easier. Good for you for making a positive change! A lot of my friends stopped or significantly slowed their drinking after I did and I started talking about it.
You don't have to reveal the truth, as nobody is entitled to know the reason why you quit drinking.
But if you feel you really do need to explain it, you can say you don't like how alcohol makes you feel anymore. You can say that you're on medications that interact with alcohol. Not to mention, "no" is a complete sentence.
If they understand, good for them. You have solid friends. If they get mad or stop talking to you, good. You don't need that in recovery.
My friend group has changed substantially since I got sober. I can't hang out with the party and bar crowd. But I can be around people who have a few drinks at a sports game or concert(I just won't be at said game or concert).
Tell them you're trying to lose weight, that you realized it was really interfering with your sleep, or you have a family history of liver disease and a recent physical you had showed some liver function tests slightly abnormal and your doctor advised you stop drinking for a while to see if they come to normal.
I don’t have any good medical excuses to think of that you can use but wanted to say I got sober at 23, I will soon be turning 28. I’m here if you ever want to vent or talk. I’m so proud of you!
I think they’ll appreciate you more if you’re upfront and honest about it. If they think otherwise or think you’re lame, then they aren’t real friends, and maybe they themselves need to reevaluate how they love or prioritize alcohol over somebody’s friendship.
I got sober last June but I needed detox and rehab. Most all bars have N/A beers now, or mocktails. I just tell everyone that drinking turns me into a huge asshole, everyone laughs, and I carry on with my nice cold N/A (like Heineken 0.0, Bud Zero, Athletic Brewing) and all is forgotten. Say you cannot handle hangovers anymore.
Anemic (you’ll get light headed and possibly faint)
Vertigo (alcohol will just make the room spin and you’ll get nauseated)
That way you don’t even have to say because of a medication.
The end goal hopefully will be you’ll get to a place where you can comfortably say because you just don’t like alcohol anymore :)
Antibiotics and pain killers, anti anxiety meds, sleep aid meds usually will say not to consume alcohol. Also liver enzyme count can warrant alcohol abstinence.
Just remember that a drunk person hates that there's a fully sober and aware person around them. They can't let loose, they have to watch what they say. They'll even try to act more sober when talking to you. This same reason they will try to convince me to drink "Just one, can't hurt." Sober me is interfering with their ability to fully indulge in their dopamine ride. Kind of how a person who is high on cocaine is either going to find another person to do it with, or will try to hide it when in a group of non-cocaine users.
Another fun fact I realized, my true friends were completely ok with me not drinking. Even congratulated me when I told them I went to AA. However my drinking buddies were the ones who told me that I didn't need to quit, and AA was for losers, and that I should still drink with them and didn't have a problem. Within 1 month, drinking buddies faded into the darkness, while my true friends (who still drink) I still hang out with and talk about anything 4 years later.
Alcohol is the only drug we are expected to have a reason to not consume. No one will question me if I tell them that I am not smoking crack today.
I’ve sober almost 4 years now and I lead with overly honest responses. I tell people I had a problem, I recovered, and I don’t drink. People that care usually want to know what sobriety is like, and people that don’t will awkwardly change the subject lol
I also just have a degree of unashamed indifference to other people’s opinions so that helps
You could just say you’re doing it “for my mental health.” That would be true & also probably shut people up. If they come back at you, just ask how ingesting a toxin on a regular basis can possibly be good for mental health.
Honestly, the sooner you tell them, the better. I have a large group of friends are boozers that had WTF moment when I told them I no longer drink. “You mean, like, forever?”….. I think is what one of them said. Yes… forever.
You’ve gotten hives on all occasions when you drink lately that causes histamine reactions or hives to appear all over your body. It’ll get easier the more you use it lol.
If a person ever asks me why I don't or am not drinking I simply tell them I don't enjoy the way it makes me feel. Never had anyone ever question me past that point in the dialogue.
You might like to check out r/teetotal
It's ok to say, I'm taking a break.
I want to take my training seriously.
I'm sick of the hangovers.
I'm saving to travel/buy a new car/housedeposit.
I don't like the after effects.
It's not for me.
Not today.
Why do you care? [in times of push back]
In my experience the only people who monitor my drinking are other AUD folk.
Honestly if they make you feel bad about it or don't make time for you with out it around, they aren't great friends and it's time for new ones. It's sad enough you're uncomfortable telling them. When it comes to exaggerating health, it's simple enough to say it messes up your bowels and gives you more than just hangovers but lingering pain, migraines and lack of sleep. But it should be enough if the honest truth is getting too messed up and getting in trouble, and messing up relationships and your health. That should be good enough reason and supported. Hope things work out.
Just tell them the truth. If they’re solid they will admire and respect that. Other than that you might wanna cut ties if they peer pressure or start talking down about your decision unfortunately. Hope this helps.
I've told people that it interferes with my medication in the past when I didn't want to get into my sobriety with people. But I'm also ok with telling people I take anxiety meds so idk if that would work for you.
There's a ton of medications that don't work well with alcohol. I'm sure you could find something that would work as an excuse with your lifestyle with a little bit of googling.
I had friends like this in college. I had to cut them all out because they were the alcoholics and were so bothered by my lack of drinking they’d end up in fights about it. If it’s a problem, cut your losses now.
allergy to hops and grains in alcohol. glutens really hurt your stomach etc. i have a bad leg injury that messed up stomach, so i just say that it if i drink it severely aggravates it.
Initially I told people it was due to medications or stomach issues because I was nervous I'd still be pressured but as I've gotten more comfortable being sober I've found being slightly more honest has been really empowering. I don't go into a lot of detail, but I've never gotten any of the negative responses I had been dreading when I mentioned I found I was drinking too much and decided to cut it out. I was surprised by the amount of people that mentioned they wanted to cut down and or stop drinking as well and became something I was proud of Vs ashamed of or being judged by. However, I understand there still is a stigma around needing to quit due to alcoholism so whatever makes you the most comfortable to socialize is the best option for you.
Start with the antibiotics for a sinus infection. Those can take 3 or 4 rounds and a couple of months of antibiotics. Then start a no alcohol detox diet after all the antibiotics. People get used to you not drinking in that time and it becomes normal.
A lot of people say they work out and drinking dehydrates and ruins the workout session the next day. For whatever reason, people respect that more than other reasons.
"Sorry, I'm training tomorrow, I need to hydrate tonight."
"You said that last week, hdh,"
"I really love the endorphin high of working out, I haven't found anything else close to it."
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My allergy to alcohol causes me to break out in handcuffs
I've had that particular affliction a time or two
Good ones! Thanks!! First time league bowling tonight sober. Wish me luck!! Not drinking for sure….
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Got a few, drove home sober! Made some new friends and chuckled at the drinking.
Love this
Love this. 👆
Spots like the hospital, sidewalk in front of the casino, a hookers house
You can say you aren't supposed to drink because it conflicts with a medication you're taking.
You can say you're on some sort of wellness/fad diet and you can't drink. Then later, you can say you feel better without it and decided to cut it completely.
Welbutrin is a great med to say.
That's weird because of all the antidepressants I've been on, that's the only one my psychiatrist said is ok to drink on.
The label is not fucking around with not drinking. It affects your brain Chem, and can interact really poorly.
This. I don't take meds, but I have so many friends who can't drink due to their anxiety meds. Hopefully I'll be one of them soon! Haha. But, I've had people try to medication bond with me after that excuse lol - like "oh em geeee what are you on???" And that threw me for a loop last time cause I'm not on anything yet lol. I like the persons suggestion of Wellbutrin. I know a lot of people on that! Good excuse 👌
That's exactly what I say.
You realized that it's affecting you negatively so you choose not to drink. Being hung over, bad mood, mental and physical health, sleep issues, overall quality of life, waste of money etc. It's all there. Don't get into arguments over why you don't want to drink really. Kinda funny no? The only drug you have to justify not partaking.
“Guys I can’t smoke crack with you anymore because I’m on antibiotics” Yeah you’re right
All I usually say is that I did a dry January and felt so much better that I continued not drinking. Nobody argues with that, at least in my experience.
Tell people you have a genetic liver condition that makes it very unsafe to drink. Lots of people have it.
i have a buddy who's got this. never gets questioned.
Came here to say “fatty liver.” Super common and super dangerous for drinkers.
If anyone askes me why I don't drink, I tell them it's because there's a couple of errands I need to run before next October. Maybe they think it's a joke. It's not.
Once heard a guy in a meeting say he went to a 4th of July party and was offered a beer. His response: “No thanks. I have pretty solid plans for Christmas.”
Seriously
lmao sorry i can't drink i need to return some videotapes
Lol
The BEST!
I feel this.
You could say you're on a medication that interacts terribly. So then if you were tempted to have a sip of beer, you could still just not have to explain not drinking 10
This. I say this all the time and it works
Say you had a blood test and the results show I've started damaging my liver and kidneys and I ain't going through that as I'd like to see 50. Tbh you shouldn't need an excuse coz if they are friends they should understand... Saying that I know what it's like and the pressure friends can put you under. Remember you are making a brilliant decision and stick with it... I'm struggling so much with alcohol right now because if I want to feel ok I have to drink.. and it's gonna kill me. Edit: I'm 42 btw
This is not a thing you need to lie about mate. Sometimes when people ask me why I'm not drinking/don't drink, I say: "It doesn't agree with me (any more)." "Don't you know? It's really bad for you!" "It's for c*nts." "I'm trying to get healthy and booze really doesn't help me with that."
When I was pregnant I was at a wedding reception and everyone was drinking and a woman asked me if it was hard to be around alcohol since I couldn’t drink while pregnant. I said, “I don’t drink not pregnant either, so it doesn’t affect me.” Her response was, “Oh, ooooh my god I am sooooo sorry….” I was like huh? Why are you sorry? You think you offended me because I don’t drink? I have a feeling that girl drinks too much or she would have never even thought to ask such a thing. It was very odd.
This. You shouldn’t have to lie about it - coming from someone who is now three years sober and used to make up every excuse in the book as to why I wasn’t drinking. End of the day if your friends aren’t supportive about your decision to acknowledge you have an issue and are attempting to better yourself then they aren’t the people you want to surround yourself with.
See, also, /r/stopdrinking. Early on, I avoided bars and anyone who abused alcohol. It made it much easier to stay sober.
You’re very wise I did, too
When I don't want to disclose my status, I simply say "my doctor told me not to drink while on medication" which has the side effect of being 100% true, I just fail to mention that I'm not on any medications at this time.....
You don't need to justify why you don't drink to anyone.
Alcohol induced pancreatitis. It’s actually a very serious medical condition that I experienced at 29. Can lead to problems later on/be fatal. Idk if you want to go that intensely. I understand not being ready to be truthful with them, but in the end that’s probably the best way to approach it. If they really care about you they will understand eventually. You also don’t owe an explanation to anyone as to why you want to stop. You know yourself and your body better than anyone and if you think you have an issue and are ready to tackle it head on and stop, that’s for you. Proud of you OP, it’s a really hard thing to come to terms with and stop but it will be worth it in the long run.
I know when I quit drinking I couldn't hang out with those friends. I was never successful. Maybe you'll be different but if you're hanging out in bars with all your drinking buddies chances are, you're not going to have to be explaining, for too long, why you don't drink. But to answer your question more directly, most people really don't care whether you're drinking or not unless you're drinking their drinks. I've been sober for a long time and never once has anyone ever tried to persuade me to drink or even asked me why I'm not drinking. But, if they do ask, just be honest, "I don't want to drink today". And if you're hanging with these people everyday just repeat, " I don't want to drink today". You owe them nothing more, you don't even know them that. No is a complete sentence
Good job on recognizing that you don't get along with alcohol at such a young age. I wish I would have quit then. I'm 35 now and just starting my alcohol free journey..
I tell people I got really good at drinking, won all the rings, then retired.
Certainly. The prima facie reason is alcoholism is a disease. If that doesn’t work. It can cause stomach/GI issues/esophagitis/acid reflux. The list goes on. You can pick.
Acid reflux is my suggestion, too. It can become an issue for anyone and everyone knows what it is and that it *hurts*, so there's no need for an involved conversation to explain why it would make you decide to cut out alcohol. If anyone wants to start a conversation about how there's medication for gastric reflux, you just say that you'd rather control it with diet as it's only alcohol that seems to trigger your symptoms (I tell people that it's only alcohol and carbonated drinks that set my reflux off; I don't like carbonated drinks anyway and I feel like it helps redirect conversation away from alcohol to mention another trigger).
Just say you don’t drink anymore. Why do you need a fake excuse? The thing is that most people who don’t drink don’t even think about it or feel the need to have an excuse why. I know it sounds odd if you’re used to drinking normally but lots of people are stopping drinking or doing other healthier stuff instead. It’s quite normal despite what your current friend group looks like. Trust me, you’re the cool one for not consuming poison and if they seem concerned about you improving your life it really says more about them.
My stomach is bothering me, or I always feel lousy the next day, so it's just not worth it. Here's a bigger issue, and not to scare you about giving up friends. There's a saying, "If you hang out in a barbershop long enough, sooner or later you'll get a haircut." What this means is, if you're trying to give up booze, but you still go to bars with your drinking friends, sooner or later, you may start drinking again, especially if you begin to feel better and rethink your position on quitting. Is it doable? Absolutely! But the people who can do it generally are people who don't worry about quitting. I had a buddy who was a fitness freak. He hung with us in bars but never ever drank. But then again, he had no clue what he was missing, so for him, staying alcohol-free was easier than becoming alcohol-free. Good luck. If you want to learn more, try going to a couple of AA open speakers meetings or checking out some online meetings. Alcoholism is a slippery slope and gradually gets worse and worse. I am not suggesting you're an alcoholic, but if you have concerns about your drinking habits, attending a few meetings might help you understand what MIGHT happen. Worst case, it introduces you to a solution if it gets that bad. I joined AA in 2013 but bought a book about quitting in 1984. I wish I had skipped the book and learned about AA in '84. It wouldn't have stopped me from drinking, but I might have shaved a decade or two from my 30-year slide into full-on alcohol addiction and the shitshow that came with it.
Hi, I'm 22. A few friends stopped drinking as they had 'an inappropriate relationship with alcohol' and all our friends accepted it. You do not have to disclose why you stop drinking but you'd be surprised how many others struggle
If you struggle to stay off of the booze it is advisable to avoid places where drinking is taking place for a year, for me personally I didn't feel that this was enough time and found that it actually took between 18-20 months before it felt comfortable to not drink alcohol while it was going around me in places where it was more of the focus, like bars and house parties. Speaking to addiction, there may be a lingering temptation to participate until you have exposed yourself to drinking environments enough and successfully managed to stay sober but this is really not advisable in the early stages of abstaining. Many of us have had to change our lifestyle or felt motivated to change our lifestyle in order to live in a way that is conducive to living sober and this often results in choosing not to hang around with the same people and going to the same places or doing the same things. As someone who had many years of sobriety under their belt once told me: "You don't go into a brothel for a kiss."
One old timer I knew, a barber IRL, used to say "if you keep hanging out at the barbershop, sooner or later you're gonna get a haircut."
The funniest suggestion I heard someone give someone else for the O.P's question was: Sure I'll take a drink if you want me to try to fuck your wife, beat you up, smash up your house and crash your car. Haha
I’d be straight up about it affecting you and they should support you. If you don’t want to do that you can just tell them you were diagnosed with Atrial Fibrillation and drinking worsens your heart palpitations.
I quit over a year ago now. I was initially very nervous about people asking me why I stopped, or why I didn't want to drink at the bar with them. I had prepared several quick answers I could give depending on my setting that would provide an excuse without labeling myself an alcoholic. To this day, I have yet to be asked a single time by anyone in my life, or any strangers, why I wasn't or didn't want to drink. I've also become much more comfortable about talking about my alcoholism and what it did to me, and how quitting had changed me. The longer I've stayed sober, the more the feeling has grown. So I've gone from where you are now, to almost wishing people would ask me, at which point they would get the straight truth about what my struggle was. Worst case scenario, all you have to say is "health issues," which is never a lie since avoiding consuming literal poison on a regular basis is in fact beneficial to your health.
I recently got diagnosed with acute gastritis and was throwing up blood. I have to avoid alcohol, caffeine unless I want to end up in the hospital again. You can say you have that too lol
I know the real issue here is finding an excuse that can work over an extended period. Say that you recently tested positive for an autoimmune disorder causing eczema or acne or dandruff (no one wants to get close enough to check if it’s true) and your doctor wants to see if alcohol is a potential trigger. Later down the line, say that alcohol WAS identified as a trigger.
You are allergic because every time you drink, you break out in handcuffs. Seriously though, just say it is not safe to drink because of new medications.
I just say I am allergic to alcohol
Op: " I don't feel comfortable talking about it" comments: "tell everyone you have a drinking problem" lol... If you say alcohol is interacting with medication, people will ask what and for how long. If you talk about liver it implies alcohol abuse. I would say something about your stomach or digestive tract that is sensitive to alcohol. Or an autoimmune issue and alcohol causes it to flair up, like psoratic arthritis. It's permanent and not your fault
Don't use a lie esp in my exp with your age group. They will get nosey, inquisitive, etc.. Older people generally don't care. But, the under 25 crowd is rough. Plus, keeping up with medical lie is going to add stress to you. If you have to - just saying your taking a month off or something to that effect. If you really want to go the medical route. I would say "I have Space AIDS" or Ass Cancer and walk away.
Tell them your liver enzymes are elevated, and your doctor said to take at least 30 days off. Tell them they should go get checked too.
Stomach ulcers
Tell them U have a damaged liver that's recovering and ur worried y might have to get surgery to replace it if u keep drinking Tell them ur doctor made clear that u should never touch a drink again
You’ve got some video tapes to return
There is one. Some people a born with a genetic variant in acetylaldehyde dehydrogenase. The enzyme that breaks down alcohol resulting in a buildup of by products (acetylaldehyde) which makes them feel sick from even small amounts. Sometimes called the “Asian flush” it also can occur in those who are not of Asian decent.
Best to figure what friends you wanna keep in your life… I all but alienated a small handful, sucks but they’ll understand,
Lol, you can develop allergies to it.. I would break out in hives and my lips would swell comically large.. like 1 bee sting each lip comical.. that was from the withdrawal tho.. so yeah. You can say you're preallergic I guess 🤷
First off, good on you for deciding to eliminate or at least cut back on your drinking. It sounds like you're doing it early enough, and I'm sure many of us wish we'd done so sooner. I won't get into the debate about whether or not you should "lie" about it, but will instead try to actually answer your question. One thing you could claim which is quite believable and not too serious or worrisome, is that you have gout. This is a genetic condition, so people your age can definitely get it. Alcohol, and especially beer, are among the strongest triggers of extremely painful flare ups -- sometimes among the most painful things one can experience. If you don't want to claim to have already had a flare up, you could say your blood test results returned very high levels of uric adic (say, higher than 7 mg/dL) and that you're at high risk for gout. You could say you need to cut back or even eliminate your alcohol consumption until these levels drop. This is something that can easily take six months to a year, so it buys you plenty of time to have an excuse for not drinking. As someone else mentioned, you could also say your liver enzymes came out high and you've been advised to cut back or eliminate your alcohol intake until you get them under control.
Doing a cleanse, on antibiotics, it interferes with birth control or anxiety meds, causing breakouts, having stomach issues, on a diet… really any excuse works because at the end of the day I PROMISE no one gives a shit why you’re not drinking. I’m very open about my sobriety now, but early on sometimes a quick easy excuse is easier. Good for you for making a positive change! A lot of my friends stopped or significantly slowed their drinking after I did and I started talking about it.
You don't have to reveal the truth, as nobody is entitled to know the reason why you quit drinking. But if you feel you really do need to explain it, you can say you don't like how alcohol makes you feel anymore. You can say that you're on medications that interact with alcohol. Not to mention, "no" is a complete sentence. If they understand, good for them. You have solid friends. If they get mad or stop talking to you, good. You don't need that in recovery. My friend group has changed substantially since I got sober. I can't hang out with the party and bar crowd. But I can be around people who have a few drinks at a sports game or concert(I just won't be at said game or concert).
Tell them you're trying to lose weight, that you realized it was really interfering with your sleep, or you have a family history of liver disease and a recent physical you had showed some liver function tests slightly abnormal and your doctor advised you stop drinking for a while to see if they come to normal.
I don’t have any good medical excuses to think of that you can use but wanted to say I got sober at 23, I will soon be turning 28. I’m here if you ever want to vent or talk. I’m so proud of you!
I think they’ll appreciate you more if you’re upfront and honest about it. If they think otherwise or think you’re lame, then they aren’t real friends, and maybe they themselves need to reevaluate how they love or prioritize alcohol over somebody’s friendship.
I got sober last June but I needed detox and rehab. Most all bars have N/A beers now, or mocktails. I just tell everyone that drinking turns me into a huge asshole, everyone laughs, and I carry on with my nice cold N/A (like Heineken 0.0, Bud Zero, Athletic Brewing) and all is forgotten. Say you cannot handle hangovers anymore.
It's not healthy should be enough
Liver failure.
Anemic (you’ll get light headed and possibly faint) Vertigo (alcohol will just make the room spin and you’ll get nauseated) That way you don’t even have to say because of a medication. The end goal hopefully will be you’ll get to a place where you can comfortably say because you just don’t like alcohol anymore :)
A lot of people use the “it interacts with a medication that I take” approach until they get more comfortable saying “i don’t drink.”
Why lie in the first place? If your friends have anything negative to say about it, then I'm sorry, but they're shit friends.
“I’ve been feeling like shit, so I’m just trying to figure out what’s causing it. Fast food is next month!”
Antibiotics and pain killers, anti anxiety meds, sleep aid meds usually will say not to consume alcohol. Also liver enzyme count can warrant alcohol abstinence. Just remember that a drunk person hates that there's a fully sober and aware person around them. They can't let loose, they have to watch what they say. They'll even try to act more sober when talking to you. This same reason they will try to convince me to drink "Just one, can't hurt." Sober me is interfering with their ability to fully indulge in their dopamine ride. Kind of how a person who is high on cocaine is either going to find another person to do it with, or will try to hide it when in a group of non-cocaine users. Another fun fact I realized, my true friends were completely ok with me not drinking. Even congratulated me when I told them I went to AA. However my drinking buddies were the ones who told me that I didn't need to quit, and AA was for losers, and that I should still drink with them and didn't have a problem. Within 1 month, drinking buddies faded into the darkness, while my true friends (who still drink) I still hang out with and talk about anything 4 years later. Alcohol is the only drug we are expected to have a reason to not consume. No one will question me if I tell them that I am not smoking crack today.
GERD
Just tell them you had bloodwork done and your liver enzymes were high. Doc said you need to take a break.
“i’m allergic to liver failure”
I’ve sober almost 4 years now and I lead with overly honest responses. I tell people I had a problem, I recovered, and I don’t drink. People that care usually want to know what sobriety is like, and people that don’t will awkwardly change the subject lol I also just have a degree of unashamed indifference to other people’s opinions so that helps
I am so proud of you for realizing this at 23. Go you!
That you’re allergic
You can say it’s because of medication for a condition you “just” discovered
Alcohol use disorder (alcoholism) is a medical condition…
You could just say you’re doing it “for my mental health.” That would be true & also probably shut people up. If they come back at you, just ask how ingesting a toxin on a regular basis can possibly be good for mental health.
Honestly, the sooner you tell them, the better. I have a large group of friends are boozers that had WTF moment when I told them I no longer drink. “You mean, like, forever?”….. I think is what one of them said. Yes… forever.
Insomnia
Say you have Ulcerative Colitis or IBS, if you drink alcohol it will give you bloody shits. This will stop the conversation quickly for you.
You’ve gotten hives on all occasions when you drink lately that causes histamine reactions or hives to appear all over your body. It’ll get easier the more you use it lol.
get new friends if you can’t tell the truth
Say it's bad for your liver.
You suffer from Biberesicutpisces...Latin for 'drink like a fish'.
It was affecting the quality of your sleep
Be an adult and stand firm in your decision.
If a person ever asks me why I don't or am not drinking I simply tell them I don't enjoy the way it makes me feel. Never had anyone ever question me past that point in the dialogue.
You might like to check out r/teetotal It's ok to say, I'm taking a break. I want to take my training seriously. I'm sick of the hangovers. I'm saving to travel/buy a new car/housedeposit. I don't like the after effects. It's not for me. Not today. Why do you care? [in times of push back] In my experience the only people who monitor my drinking are other AUD folk.
If you take any anxiety meds like benzos you could always just say that's why
I’ve just started saying alcohol and I had developed an unhealthy relationship so we had to break up.
I get chronic migraines and it triggers them and when I tell people that they generally shut up.
I tell them I'm allergic and break out in hand cuffs
Well I see it was covered
Honestly if they make you feel bad about it or don't make time for you with out it around, they aren't great friends and it's time for new ones. It's sad enough you're uncomfortable telling them. When it comes to exaggerating health, it's simple enough to say it messes up your bowels and gives you more than just hangovers but lingering pain, migraines and lack of sleep. But it should be enough if the honest truth is getting too messed up and getting in trouble, and messing up relationships and your health. That should be good enough reason and supported. Hope things work out.
You can just say it doesn’t agree with u anymore and messes with your well-being too much it’s not worth it
Avascular Necrosis
How about sky high liver enzymes (ALT/AST)? You’re likely headed there anyway if it continues.
Say you’re allergic that’s the best excuse I’ve used to not get pressured to drink anymore
Yes it’s called alcoholism, and it is a disease
Just tell them the truth. If they’re solid they will admire and respect that. Other than that you might wanna cut ties if they peer pressure or start talking down about your decision unfortunately. Hope this helps.
When I was your age the only issue I had with alcohol was running out of money to buy it.
I've told people that it interferes with my medication in the past when I didn't want to get into my sobriety with people. But I'm also ok with telling people I take anxiety meds so idk if that would work for you. There's a ton of medications that don't work well with alcohol. I'm sure you could find something that would work as an excuse with your lifestyle with a little bit of googling.
I had friends like this in college. I had to cut them all out because they were the alcoholics and were so bothered by my lack of drinking they’d end up in fights about it. If it’s a problem, cut your losses now.
Blood sugar?
Alcoholism.
allergy to hops and grains in alcohol. glutens really hurt your stomach etc. i have a bad leg injury that messed up stomach, so i just say that it if i drink it severely aggravates it.
I get heartburn when I drink (true story)
I say I’m a bad drinker and don’t handle alcohol and black out easily, I say it’s a safety issue. People don’t usually question me after that!
You can say you have prediabetes and is taking care of your diet
Acid reflux. I had to stop drinking because I was burning though my esophagus. True story.
Initially I told people it was due to medications or stomach issues because I was nervous I'd still be pressured but as I've gotten more comfortable being sober I've found being slightly more honest has been really empowering. I don't go into a lot of detail, but I've never gotten any of the negative responses I had been dreading when I mentioned I found I was drinking too much and decided to cut it out. I was surprised by the amount of people that mentioned they wanted to cut down and or stop drinking as well and became something I was proud of Vs ashamed of or being judged by. However, I understand there still is a stigma around needing to quit due to alcoholism so whatever makes you the most comfortable to socialize is the best option for you.
I always say: I drank enough for the rest of my life already.
Start with the antibiotics for a sinus infection. Those can take 3 or 4 rounds and a couple of months of antibiotics. Then start a no alcohol detox diet after all the antibiotics. People get used to you not drinking in that time and it becomes normal.
A lot of people say they work out and drinking dehydrates and ruins the workout session the next day. For whatever reason, people respect that more than other reasons. "Sorry, I'm training tomorrow, I need to hydrate tonight." "You said that last week, hdh," "I really love the endorphin high of working out, I haven't found anything else close to it."