17 years old and don't drink alcohol

thank you. i'm just scared that i won't and i also don't want to spend the whole time masking

Hi :-),

I think my post will help you immensely.  

I'm 45 and stopped drinking/smoking/trying drugs when I was 20 because it was causing my anxiety to reach horrendous levels.  My friends at the time did try to convince me to try a little drink but I explained that I am allergic to it.  It's more about other people being embarrassed that you'll remember how inebriated they were.  I arranged to meet up with friends in other ways that suited me and went to the occasional night out if there was music involved so I could dance.  I once lost my temper with someone who kept asking why I didn't drink so I told him it made me want to kill myself.  I hoped that the discussion would end there but then he proceeded to tell me that he felt like that too but didn't have the guts to give it up.  I made my excuses and left asap as it was all too much for me to deal with.

Rant away as it's better to get it out, besides, your buddies should be supportive of who you are and what you need support with.  Health is more important and if they can't support you in that then I'd seek other friends who are understanding of you.

Best of luck and thanks for sharing.

H :-)

You can still drink socially without having alcohol, plenty do - and more so than in recent decades.

I would recommend looking into university societies if they’re still allowed to exist in these times! You’ll find people who share a common interest with you so you can make friends without it always revolving around drinking. My aunt doesn’t drink as she reacts to even small amounts of alcohol quite badly it really doesn’t agree with her at all 

I think being teetotal is increasingly a normal thing to do, and from what I see from from outside this is especially the case for your generation. Lots of people don't drink at universities nowadays and part of that is down to economic reasons. As others have said stand firm and do what you want to do. Just say something vague if questioned like you have a medical issue which means you feel sick. They'll soon lose interest once they realise it isn't some emotional or superiority thing.

I also have emetophobia and therefore do not want to drink alcohol. I also understand your concerns about feeling out of control, but never feel pressured to do something you are not comfortable with. People at university do seem to associate drinking with socialising but you can socialise in other ways. My sister is at university and she has found a group of friends who accept that she doesn’t drink alcohol.

Kind of seems normal for some on the spectrum not to like alcohol. Proydepends of what end of it your it on it or could just personal who knows. Not everyone enjoys it. He'll I wish I didn't have to depend on it as much as I do to help coach me through socialising. Count it as a blessing.

One should not do what one does not like. You can't be forced into it, well you could but that would be abuse.

It's all down to dirty water.

In times when water was not sanitary our culture killed bugs by brewing fortified drinks. It is embedded in our psyche to accept the worlds most destructive drug ~ alcohol ~ as a national and international intoxication.

Many people don't drink alcohol. It's OK.