How to Say No to Alcohol
It may be hard to say no when someone offers you a drink at a party. You may feel obligated to accept the drink because you do not want to be rude or stick out if you are the only one at the party who is not drinking. By saying no to a drink, you will feel confident about yourself that you have control over a substance that is tempting for others to have despite the negative consequences it may bring.
Say You Are Driving
If you got to a party or a social gathering by driving yourself, you do not want to risk feel tipsy while behind the wheel. If a host offers you a drink, let them know that you need to be in good health to drive yourself home. You can also volunteer to be a designated driver to a friend who is going with you to this social gathering so that you do not have to feel pressured to drink and can just enjoy time with your friends without alcohol. If the host is still pressuring you to drink despite you telling them about your responsibilities as a designated driving, it shows that they do not care about your safety and are not worth talking to. Even if the host tells you that you will be safe as long as you stay under the limit, you will still be impaired and it is not worth endangering your life.
Say You Just Finished a Drink
If the host or a friend offers you to have another drink after you have just finished your first, let them know that you already had one drink and you do not want one anymore. This will show that you do not want to be a compulsive drinker and that you do not want to overdo it. Others may be inspired to follow suit if you show that you want to be in control of your alcohol consumption. It may be possible that you will have a friend further persuade you to drink more by telling you that if you had one drink, you can have another. The truth is that all that friend is proving is that they are a compulsive and pushy drinker themselves and who you should not be like. Not everyone wants to have another drink after they have just had one as everyone knows how much their body can handle. Sometimes, one drink can hit you like a ton of bricks. If you tell someone you will feel sick if you have another, they should respect your judgment and not push.
Say You Have Had Enough for Tonight
If you want to be in control of your drinking and set a limit based on your blood alcohol concentration, then tell the host or friend that you have had enough for tonight. If you keep this up each time you are with your friends, they will start to understand what your limit is and not bother you about it. If you are trying to quit drinking, medical professionals tell you not to quit cold turkey or you will experience serious withdrawal symptoms. Let your friends know that you are at a certain limit as you are continuing to cut back until it is safe to stop drinking alcohol completely. You have a right to control your limit and it should not hurt others to stand by this responsible decision.
Say You Want a Clear Head
Drinking tends to give you groggy thoughts if done in excess. Alcohol can take hours to be removed from your system which will make you still be intoxicated the next morning. Let your host or friend know that you do not want to drink because you want to keep a clear head. You can let them know that you have to work early tomorrow and want to be in good health by the time you wake up. There is also nothing wrong with telling them that you do not want to experience the unpleasantness of a hangover. This is a great way of letting others know that you refuse to let alcohol control your day to day life. If you are a student, let them know that you cannot drink too much today because you have a test tomorrow morning that you want to be in the right mindframe to take or that you plan on having a cram session the next morning.
Say You Are Taking Medication That Cannot Be Mixed with Alcohol
A host or a friend will not pressure you to drink if you let them know you are taking medication that can be conflicted with alcohol. The combination of over-the-counter medication and alcohol can have a deadly effect. Alcohol can also mask the effects that the medication is supposed to give you. For example, if you drink alcohol and take antidepressants, the antidepressants will not help with your anxiety or depression which will make you feel even more depressed or anxious.
Say You Do Not Drink
To put it simply, let your friend or host know that you do not drink. It is possible that you may be demanded an explanation, but that does not mean that you have to give one. By having the courage to refuse a drink from someone, you have a better chance of being healthy and enjoying yourself without worrying about the after effects.
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