Learn to say“ No thank you”
Avoid your old drinking haunts. But at some point you will end up in a situation, such as at a work party or wedding, where you’ ll come under pressure to drink. Remember that alcohol is alcohol no matter how it is presented. A glass of beer or wine contains as much alcohol as a measure of spirits. An important skill for you to develop before this happens is the art of refusing alcoholic drinks. There is a growing acceptance of people deciding not to drink because of health, especially when reducing, or keeping down, their weight. Alcohol is fattening. We all know people who try to force drink on others – even when their offers have been refused several times. Under this kind of pressure, it can take a lot more courage to say“ No”, and stick to your decision. To become a nondrinker, you’ ll find it necessary to learn new answers to the question“ What will you have to drink?”. Some examples of what you could say are:
“ No thanks, I’ m under doctor’ s orders not to drink.”
“ No thanks, but I’ d really like a juice.”“ Nothing thank you. I don’ t drink alcohol.”“ No, keeping an eye on the weight.”
Practise saying“ No”. Ask someone you trust to take on the role of a‘ friend’ trying to persuade you to have a drink. Your job is to find the right message to give to refuse the drink, politely but firmly.
The next step might be to practise ordering safe drinks such as the popular lemon, lime and soda that bar staff are very used to serving, or non-alcoholic cocktails, mineral water, or a cup of tea or coffee. It might be a bit awkward when you first start, but the exercise will prove its worth the next time you are under pressure to drink alcohol. You’ ll find yourself able to refuse a drink or order non-alcoholic drinks with confidence. Why not make a list of non-alcoholic drinks that you enjoy?
Out of the frying pan
While the aim is to help you to stop drinking alcohol, there are other substances in daily use that also affect your wellbeing, such as cigarettes, tea and coffee. The nicotine in tobacco products, and the caffeine in tea and coffee also act as stimulants. Don’ t drink too much tea or coffee and don’ t use smoking as a way to calm yourself down, or you’ ll begin to feel edgy or anxious. This in turn might increase your urge to drink alcohol in the hope that it will help you to relax.