How To Tell People You Don’t Drink in 3 Ways

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If you seek to live a sober life, you already know that you will face some uncomfortable social situations. Drinking alcohol is a prominent part of so many events in our culture; weddings, parties, family gatherings, beach trips, ball games, and most anytime people gather together may include sharing alcoholic beverages. Your pursuit of sobriety faces its most significant challenges in these settings, where the pressure to conform can be intense.  That is why we put together this article on how to tell people you don’t drink. 

If you or a loved one need a safe place to help you maintain the sober life you have worked so hard to achieve, The Sanctuary Recovery Foundation may be right for you. Contact us today and discover how our sober living environment can support your goals of sobriety and a fulfilling life.

Embrace The Trend

One reason you may feel the pressure to drink in some settings is the desire to fit in with most people around you. Your desire to avoid the feelings of loneliness and isolation from people you’ve shared good times within the past may be strong. However, when you don’t drink alcohol, you are following a growing trend. Whole Foods Market even named their alcohol-free drinks as one of its top ten food trends for 2020.

The trend toward total alcohol abstinence includes all age groups, but especially the millennials. Interestingly, the leading global market research company, Nielsen Global Solutions, found that half of Americans don’t drink alcohol because of health reasons. Recent scientific research substantiates this decision due to findings such as those of the International Agency for Research on Cancer. It found that people who drink alcohol are at significantly higher risk for cancer.

Other reasons for not drinking include having an unpleasant experience with alcohol in the past and the desire to maintain a good reputation. Try to resist the feeling that you will be viewed as abnormal and experience loneliness when you decline to drink. When you choose abstinence to accomplish your goal of reclaiming a life of sobriety, you are not alone. So, remember you are part of a growing number of people choosing health over alcohol!

Develop a Strategy

Developing new and healthy habits are crucial to recovery and a sober life. Sometimes you know in advance that you will likely need to explain not drinking and can make ample preparations. Other times occur spontaneously, and you get caught off guard. You can benefit by deciding on a strategy for various situations. Some things to consider as you develop your strategy include:

  • Keep it simple. You might want to go into more detail with close friends and family, but maybe not. Most people, even those close to you, would prefer a simple answer.
  • Practice your response. Professional golfers take thousands of practice swings before the actual high-pressure golf tournament begins. Find a good friend and practice some of your responses.
  • Remember, it’s your life. You don’t have to explain why you don’t do anything. You give answers as a courtesy to others.
  • Change how you view yourself. Once you view yourself as someone seeking maximum health and fitness, you view abstaining from alcohol as just one part of your fitness plan.

Polite Responses to Tell People You Don’t Drink

You want to respond to other’s inquiries about why you might not be drinking truthfully, confidently, and politely. Without offending others and losing friends, you can confidently remain true to yourself with responses such as these:

  • It’s personal. Most people will not pursue any further explanation and will respect this as the limit of how much you want to talk about this at the time.
  • I don’t drink anymore due to health reasons. Spend just a few minutes researching the health consequences of drinking alcohol. You will find enough scientific studies to answer anyone in any social setting. 
  • I had a problem with drinking, and now I’m sober. Sometimes the truth of your experience with alcohol helps build your confidence and may help others. Most people appreciate this level of frankness and respect your choice not to drink without further explanation.

There are many other ways you can tell people you don’t drink. At The Sanctuary Recovery Foundation, we have others who are eager to support your sober life. We can help you learn proven ways to cope with the challenging circumstances you face, including telling others why you don’t drink.

To learn more about The Sanctuary Recovery Foundation, contact us to discover we can help you meet all your goals for a sober and rewarding life.