r/stopdrinking 1d ago

I recently watched someone tell someone so confidently "i don't drink" and changed the topic, and it was really inspiring. I have seen so many posts on this board about "how do i tell people i don't drink" and i too sometimes fumble over words when ppl ask me why i am not drinking and I say

something like "i am taking a break" etc. When in reality, I know I am not taking a break (or i shouldn't be).

Watching this woman just shut down any conversation about drinking with a very confident "I don't drink" with no hesitation, was just so beautiful and empowering, I am going to move forward with this technique.

Truly, you don't owe anyone any explanation, in all honesty its sort of rude to ask someone why they are not drinking. Its actually such a personal question- maybe you are pregnant, an alcoholic, have a family member who is an alcoholic, are taking a certain medication, etc. A million reasons why someone could not drink that make the question insensitive.

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u/ReasonableTiger4945 1d ago

Remember you don't owe anyone an explanation but if you feel pressed to answer as to why you don't drink, put your palm on your upper stomach, just below the breast bone and say, "Alcohol upsets my system." Smile, and then change the subject.

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u/[deleted] 1d ago

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u/ReasonableTiger4945 1d ago

Isn't it the truth, though? Doesn't alcohol fuck with the system you have in place to remain functional?