Lighthouse Treatment CenterLighthouse Treatment Center


Covid-19 Coronavirus Advisory
Lighthouse facilities will remain open.
Click here to read our safety policy.
Questions? Call For Help Now (855) 934-1100
  • About Us
    • View Facility
    • Meet the Team
    • Client Testimonials
    • Yelp & Google Reviews
    • Educational Scholarships
    • Join Alumni
    • Press & Media
  • Treatment Programs
    • Drug Rehab +
      • Cognitive (CBT)
      • Dialectical (DBT)
      • Rational Emotive (REBT)
      • EMDR & Trauma
    • Alcohol Rehab
    • Couples Rehab
    • For Family +
      • Family Program
      • Interventions
    • Veterans Program
    • Dual Diagnosis +
    • Trauma Program
    • Aftercare Program
  • Our Detox
    • Alcohol
    • Heroin
    • Methamphetamine
    • Cocaine
    • Benzodiazepine
  • Why Lighthouse
    • Our Proven Programs
    • Our Experienced Team
    • Our Facility
  • Admissions
    • Treatment Options
    • Coming To Lighthouse
    • Verify Insurance
    • Financing Option
    • Coronavirus Safety Procedures
  • Learn About
    • Drug Facts
    • Detox & Withdrawal
    • Addiction Treatment
    • Substance Abuse
    • Relapse Prevention
    • Alcohol Addiction
    • Opioid Addiction
    • Life in Recovery
    • Parent Resources
    • Love and Relationships
    • Vaping Awareness
    • Events & Activities
  • Contact Us

How To Drink Less In Social Situations: 7 Sneaky Ways That Work

September 22, 2020 - Alcohol Addiction, Relapse Prevention - 0 Comments

If you’re trying to drink less alcohol or trying to quit altogether, getting invited to a social event can wreak havoc to your well-laid plans. How do you avoid drinking when everyone else is? This can be difficult especially if you’ve experienced being forced into drinking more than you can handle in the past. So, if saying “no” does not work for you, are there other things you can do so you’ll be able to drink less when attending a social gathering?

One of the most obvious methods is to stick to non-alcoholic beverages. But how do you stop people from offering you a drink or worse, forcing you to take a shot? Is there a way to do this without looking stuck-up and uptight? Here are some suggestions that you could try out.

1. Nurse a single drink the entire time

Alcohol Addiction RecoveryIf you’re okay with drinking alcohol but you just don’t want to overindulge, one good trick is to stick to one beverage the entire time. Instead of drinking, try sipping slowly to make it last. When you do this, you’ll have a drink in your hand the entire time lowering the chances of people offering you another drink.

2. Don’t volunteer the info that you’re not drinking

People attend social events to have fun, do business, or network. They are not there to track how many beers or shots you’re going to have. Most of the time, they don’t even really care if you’re drinking or not. However, if you volunteer the information by saying “I don’t drink”, “I’m not drinking”, or “Just one beer”, then this will only bring more attention to yourself. Even if they did not really care a few seconds ago, giving out this declaration without anybody asking will make people ask more questions and some may even convince you to drink more.

Even if you’re not drinking, it’s better to have a non-alcoholic drink in your hand. But instead of sticking to a water bottle, go for colorful cocktails or sparkling water and let people assume that it’s alcohol. Don’t worry, nobody is going to sniff your drink or taste it.

3. Offer to order the drinks from the bar every time

If you’re with a group, you could offer to order the drinks from the bar. This might be inconvenient but it saves you from announcing to everyone that you’re having club soda and not vodka. If this is not possible, come extra early and order your non-alcoholic drink beforehand and follow the first tip of sticking to that drink the entire night.

4. Be the life of the party

A lot of times, people will force you to drink to make you loosen up and have fun. They don’t want to drink with someone who’s stiff and miserable. If you’re not drinking, avoid sulking in a corner because that will only make people notice. Be a part of what’s going on…network, have engaging conversations, dance! If you’re having the time of your life, some people will just assume that you’re drinking too.

5. Order food

Alcohol Addiction RecoveryA great way to avoid drinking alcohol is by eating. When your mouth is otherwise engaged with food, you can’t obviously drink as much. If you’re in a bar, order a burger instead of a beer and try to eat as slowly as you can to avoid drinking. If you’re in a wedding or a networking event, park yourself near the canapé station to munch on something instead of plucking out champagne flutes.

6. Laugh it off when you get called out

When people call you out for not drinking, the natural reaction is to be uncomfortable and become defensive. A lot of times, this could ruin the mood or make people want to force you to drink more. What you could do next time is just to laugh it off. You don’t need to say anything else – just laugh like it’s no big deal and change the topic to something more interesting.

7. Have a ready excuse that will make people back off

What if you’re put on the spot and you don’t have a choice but say that you’re not planning on drinking alcohol? This usually happens when you’re in a bar or restaurant with friends and the waiter takes everyone’s orders. Or maybe when your boss starts ordering shots for everyone.

What can you say to ward off people trying to get you to drink? The sad reality is that some people don’t back off when you say that you’re not drinking. Here are some excuses that you could try out.

“I need to drive home”

“I’m babysitting my sister’s kid in the morning”

“I’m training for a marathon”

“I’m on a juice cleanse”

“I’m on this no-carb diet”

“I’m allergic”

“I have an upset stomach”

“I’m on antibiotics”

“I have a blood test tomorrow”

Keep in mind, however, that you don’t have to explain to anyone if you don’t want to drink. If you already gave an excuse and people are still pushing, it’s not your obligation to give them a full story about your life choices.

If you or a loved one is struggling with alcohol abuse, help is available.

Contact Lighthouse Treatment Center today.

Contact Lighthouse Treatment Center

Contact Us at 855-934-1100 Today! You can also reach us by filling out the contact form below.

  • Thank you for your interest in Lighthouse Treatment Center. We are here to help. One of our experienced representatives will contact you soon!

We Accept Insurance

  • BlueCrossAssociation
  • aetna
  • Triwest-logo1
  • beacon
  • ameri-health
  • core-source
  • valueoptions
  • multiplan
  • meritain-health

Don’t see your provider? Contact us to confirm coverage.

3 Easy Options to Get Started or Learn More

You Call Us

call lighthouse treatment center staff

We are here to answer your questions. Learn about detox, treatment, costs, or anything else. Give us a call now.

(855) 934-1100

We Call You

  • Complete this secure form to receive a fast response from our support team

  • This field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged.

Verify Your Insurance

Quickly confirm your coverage using our fast & easy verification system. We accept most insurances (and financing).

Verify My Insurance

  • psychology-today-2
  • dhcs
  • main_logo
  • carf-international-logo-1
  • tpas

Treatment Programs

  • Medical Detox
  • Drug Rehabilitation
  • Alcohol Rehabilitation
  • Dual Diagnosis
  • Family & Intervention
  • Outpatient & Aftercare
  • View Facility
  • Meet Our Staff
  • Admissions

Call For Help Now

(855) 934-1100

Over 20,000 People Have Received Our Addiction Treatment. Why Can’t You?

Follow Our Story

  • Home
  • Detoxification
  • Drug Rehab
  • Alcohol Rehab
  • Opiates
  • Detach with Love
  • Privacy Policy
  • Protected Health Information
  • Financing
  • Blog
  • About
  • Contact
Lighthouse Treatment Center
1310 W Pearl St Anaheim, CA 92801
(866) 811-3656

© Copyright 2020 Lighthouse Treatment Center | All Rights Reserved

Our website uses cookies. Learn more.