Does anyone want a drink?

By: Young Person

I'd have to say it depends

Since I turned 18 last year I love heading off to the pub with my friends to have a couple of drinks. I was the youngest in my group of friends, so I had what seemed like the longest wait until I turned 18. Unfortunately, I have to be a little bit more careful about how much I drink, and even when I drink, than some of my friends do.

I have friends who go to the pub to relax, kick back and knock back a couple of drinks... it doesn't quite work that way for me. You see, if I'm already a bit stressed out, or feeling a bit down, even just a beer or two seems to make things a bit overwhelming. Not exactly sure why, just how my body handles the alcohol I guess.

A couple of shocking nights crying alone in my room at 3 in the morning, feeling like I'm losing the plot, has taught me that I need to be a bit more careful about how I choose to relax.

I can still drink alcohol if I'm feeling pretty good but, I've had to learn to say no to having a drink when I go to the pub if I'm not feeling 100% or just stop after one drink so that things don't get out of hand. I have to admit, that's not always the easiest thing to do. How do you say no to that gorgeous guy at the bar that offers to buy you a drink? Or to one of your friends who says you should just loosen up and have another one?

I have to try to remember that I can have a fun night out without getting drunk or even drinking at all. There's always going out and just dancing at a club, or just hanging out and chatting to some friends or going to the movies. These things sure beat sitting around feeling miserable after a few drinks. So when someone asks "Does anyone want a drink" I stop and think about how I'm feeling before I answer.

Need some questions answered about alcohol and how it effects you? Check out some of our fact sheets and stories for more info...

Low-risk drinking (Fact sheet)

Managing peer pressure to drink(Fact sheet)

Having Fun Without Drinking (Story)