I’ve found I have to unplan what I’d normally plan. And for months I avoided situations where I knew there would be drinking, especially if the only activity was drinking. Basically I have to take a step back before I do something social and think ‘will there be drinking, how much, will it get to the point where drinking is the only thing everybody is doing?’ if so I can’t go, or I need to leave early. And lying to people is OK just say you have to go out with your parents that night….an Uncle is in town…..I have to work tomorrow….

Today there was a party at work for a guy who was leaving. I knew there would be drinking. I planned on showing up late, after the drinkers had gone through their ritual of picking out and comparing their drinks, I brought a soda from downstairs with me, stayed for a half hour and left, mostly because people were talking about alcoholic beverages. I went back downstairs, worked for an half hour and went home and the normal end of day time.

It’s tricky at first, basically I couldn’t trust my instincts for a while, and still my initial reaction was to go up there on time and participate in the alcohol drinking. But now I stop and say….OK, how can I get through this, be polite and not drink alcohol….and my mind comes up with another way to deal with the situation.