How to escape people trying to make you drink at the end of the year parties | Well being

The message, McGann said, was a "quick seasonal demand": "I choose not to drink alcohol, but I know many people who can not drink because of their addiction., In the same message he called a hint. "If someone politely refuses an alcoholic beverage, do not insist."

Christmas is getting ready again, a quick seasonal demand I do not want Drinking alcohol, but there are a lot of people – it's a tough season for them. "McGann says he's heard many people talk about the" anguish "they suffer when they are invited to do so .. invited to drink at Christmas. "If you do not drink, for health reasons or addiction, then imagine how hard it is to be in a hurry."

L & # 39; actor is 55 years old and stopped drinking 18 years ago, after being trained to create a charity circuit. "I grew up in the North, d years this culture of beer, where you sat at the pub to have a full bladder. Now (without drinking), I do not have a hangover and I like to be the driver once, "he says.

McGann said he was angry and outraged if someone tried to push him to drink. "The alcohol is too rooted in our culture. Recently, I was in a place where the waiter put me a glbad of wine in my hand before I even greeted him. "" And if I was an alcoholic convalescing? "

Writer Matt Haig, 43, who described his fight against depression in the bestselling book Reasons to Stay Alive, describes himself as partially sober – that is, as someone who does not feel comfortable with his life. one who sometimes does not drink.

"I like to drink, but if I drink too much, it can cause anxiety and depression. Sometimes, to avoid temptation, it's easier not to go out, "he says." Even if the others do not grow, you feel a silent pressure. "

To avoid" temptation, "Haig exchanges Alcoholic beverages for drinks like Bloody Mary, in a non-alcoholic version.It also says that it's better to go to a restaurant than in a bar or pub.And that the exercise also helps But this is not all.

It is necessary, he adds, to tell those who try to make you drink: "I do not drink." "I say that I become a dangerously unmanageable person if I drink. "

" It's about not feeling guilty and not doing things out of obligation, "he says.

Catherine Gray, author of Unexpected Joy be sober, remember that when she drank, she was the one who insisted the most to do the same.

"If someone did not drink, I did not want that person Ane be present. "But the problem was with me and not with her, it's the people who drink more than they call you for fun, they want an accomplice. "

Gray is 38 years old and has stopped drinking for five years." I could not control it and I hardly knew anyone who could.

Now, when people try to encourage you to drink, try to play sports. "Nobody wants to hear about health risks, I tell them I can be unpredictable, awkward, I'm joking about it, I never apologize (when I say I do not drink not)."

Although alcohol is deeply rooted in society, related cultural changes have been identified.

Recent data from a study from the University of London have shown that almost a third of young people do not drink.

Still, people with mental health issues, in particular, still have alcohol problems.

Jennifer Griffin, psychotherapist and general manager of Turn2me – a charitable site connecting young people with mental health issues and giving them space to share their experiences and get support – says a big many of those who help them find difficult social occasions surrounding them with the drink.

"Alcohol is linked to anxiety and depression, but socialization is the means by which young people must develop a bond with their peers." They choose not to socialize because they will be exposed to alcohol, they can become isolated and feel lonely, "she says.

Griffin also notes that a common habit in bars, for each member of the group to buy a drinks tour, can also be a problem. "It's hard to resist."

She suggests to define in advance a strategy for such cases and to prioritize their own needs.

As the risk to health increases, it is more and more common to stop drinking or reducing alcohol consumption. Everyone agrees on this point.