Mason Delacroix
There are many reasons why someone may want to avoid drinking alcohol on a night out. Whether it's to improve your health, save money, or avoid the risk of drinking and driving, there are several strategies you can use to achieve this. It's important to note that if you feel unable to stop drinking despite your attempts to curb your consumption, it may be best to seek professional help. However, if you're looking to cut back, some strategies include planning ahead and setting a drink limit, suggesting alcohol-free activities, eating a proper meal before drinking, and opting for non-alcoholic drinks.
Characteristics of avoiding alcohol on a night out
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Plan ahead | Think about how many drinks you intend to have and keep this number in mind to help you stick to it |
| Eat a proper meal | Drinking on an empty stomach can lead to intoxication and increased risk of harm |
| Choose non-alcoholic drinks | Opt for water, soft drinks, or alcohol-free beers, wines, and spirits |
| Try different activities | Suggest alternate activities that don't involve drinking, such as cinema, bowling, escape rooms, or outdoor sports |
| Identify triggers | Understand external triggers like people and places, and internal triggers like emotions or physical sensations that tempt you to drink |
| Manage cravings | Recognize, avoid, and cope with cravings using techniques like challenging thoughts, accepting urges as temporary, and seeking professional support |
| Set goals and rewards | Remind yourself of your reasons for reducing alcohol consumption and reward yourself for reaching targets |
| Practice refusal skills | Prepare and practice responses to decline drinks, such as stating health reasons or cutting down on costs |
| Avoid drinking games | Drinking games can make it difficult to gauge alcohol consumption |
| Safety precautions | Never accept or leave unattended drinks, and ensure a designated driver is sober |
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What You'll Learn
Plan ahead and decide how many drinks you want to have
Planning ahead and deciding how many drinks you want to have before a night out is a great way to ensure you stick to your goal. Firstly, it's important to be realistic about how many drinks you can have. If you are going out with a group of friends, the pace of drinking will likely be set by the fastest drinker, so be mindful of this and opt for a non-alcoholic drink or sit out a round if you need to.
You can also decide on a set number of drinks and keep track of them as you go. If you reach your limit, switch to water, a soft drink, or an alcohol-free beer. Before you go out, eat a proper meal. Drinking on an empty stomach can lead to faster intoxication, so eating beforehand can help slow this down.
If you are drinking at a bar or pub, be mindful of the size of your drinks. A pint of beer, for example, contains more alcohol than a bottle. For wine, ask how many milliliters are in the house measure, and remember that small quarter bottles usually contain two standard drinks.
If you are drinking at home before going out, be aware that this can lead to drinking more throughout the night. It is also a good idea to keep little to no alcohol at home to reduce temptation.
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Choose non-alcoholic drinks
Choosing non-alcoholic drinks is a great way to avoid alcohol on a night out. There are several options available, such as alcohol-free beers, wines, and spirits, which can be a simple replacement for your usual drink. If you want to try something different, there are also many interesting soft drinks on offer, like blood orange bitters or botanical sodas. Planning ahead can make it easier to stick to non-alcoholic drinks. Deciding on an alternative drink before going out can help you avoid any stumbling blocks. You can also inform your friends or family about your decision, which can give you the motivation to stick to your choice.
Another strategy is to alternate between alcoholic and non-alcoholic drinks to slow your alcohol consumption. You can also opt for smaller sizes or low-alcohol versions of your usual drink. For example, instead of a pint, you could order a bottle of beer or a small glass of wine.
If you're concerned about peer pressure, it's important to remember that you don't owe anyone an explanation for your choice to avoid alcohol. You can prepare a response beforehand if you're worried about being pressured into drinking. For example, you could say you're cutting down on costs or that you don't fancy drinking that night. Most people will respect your decision if you stand firm.
Finally, if you're looking for a completely alcohol-free night out, consider choosing activities that don't revolve around drinking. Some ideas include going to the cinema, visiting late-night food markets, playing bowling or mini-golf, or trying out an escape room. These options can provide a fun and engaging night out without the focus on alcohol.
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Pick non-drinking activities
Picking non-drinking activities can be a great way to avoid alcohol on a night out. Here are some ideas to get you started:
Plan Alcohol-Free Nights Out
If you usually go to the pub or a bar, try something different like a trip to the cinema, late-night food markets, theatre, or bowling. For something more active, consider renting roller skates and hitting the park or trying nighttime golfing. If you're looking for a free night out, book audience tickets for a TV show or attend a free exhibition or open mic night.
Choose Non-Alcoholic Drinks
When out with friends, opt for non-alcoholic drinks like soda water with lime, alcohol-free beers, wines, or spirits. These days, there are plenty of interesting soft drink options available, such as blood orange bitters or botanical sodas.
Socialize Without Alcohol
Socializing with friends doesn't always have to involve alcohol. Host a game night with board games or Nintendo, or organize a potluck dinner with a theme. You can also suggest alternate activities to your friends, such as a dance class, bowling, or a trip to an escape room.
Solo Sober Activities
Spending time alone can be just as enjoyable. Create a vision board or a modern mixtape, or indulge in some late-night comedy on YouTube. You can also organize your digital life by decluttering your email inbox or photo albums.
Manage Urges and Cravings
If you're trying to avoid alcohol, it's normal to experience urges or cravings. These can be triggered by external factors like people or places, or internal factors like emotions or physical sensations. To manage these urges, try challenging the thought behind the urge, accepting it as temporary, or reminding yourself of your reasons for avoiding alcohol.
Remember, there are numerous ways to enjoy a night out without alcohol, and it's all about finding what works best for you.
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Recognise, avoid and cope with urges
Recognise: The first step is to recognise that you have an urge. Urges or cravings for alcohol can be triggered by external factors such as people, places, things, or times of day that offer drinking opportunities or remind you of drinking. Internal triggers can be more puzzling, as the urge to drink can seemingly come out of nowhere. However, it may be set off by a fleeting thought, a positive emotion, a negative emotion, or a physical sensation.
Avoid: To avoid urges, it is recommended to keep little to no alcohol at home. Socially, it is best to avoid activities that involve drinking. You can suggest alternate activities to your friends, such as a trip to the cinema, a late-night food market, theatre, bowling, or an escape room. If you do find yourself in a drinking environment, it is advised to keep a non-alcoholic drink in your hand at all times.
Coping strategies: If you experience an urge, remind yourself of your reasons for making a change. You can challenge the thought that drives the urge by analysing the error in it and replacing it. For example, you can tell yourself, "One could hurt, as I've seen 'just one' lead to lots more. I am sticking with my choice not to drink." Another strategy is to accept the urge as normal and temporary and ride it out. You can plan your escape in advance and leave the tempting situation quickly and gracefully.
It is important to note that urges to drink are short-lived, predictable, and controllable. If you feel that you need additional support, it is recommended to seek professional help or counselling.
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Tell your friends about your decision to avoid alcohol
Telling your friends about your decision to avoid alcohol can be a great way to hold yourself accountable and gain support. It is normal and common to have urges or cravings for alcohol, especially when you are out with friends. Here are some ways to tell your friends about your decision:
Be honest and direct
It is important to be honest and direct with your friends about your decision to avoid alcohol. Explain your reasons for choosing to abstain and ask for their support. Your friends will be more likely to help you if they are aware of your decision and your motivations. Honesty is the best policy, and your true friends will respect your choice.
Suggest alternative activities
If nights out with your friends usually involve drinking, try suggesting some alternative activities that don't revolve around alcohol. This could be a trip to the cinema, a late-night food market, theatre, bowling, an escape room, gaming, or a virtual reality experience. If you like being active, suggest renting roller skates or a round of night-time golf. There are plenty of options for alcohol-free fun that will allow you to socialise without the pressure to drink.
Prepare responses to peer pressure
Not everyone will be supportive of your decision, and you may encounter peer pressure to 'just have one'. Think about how you will deal with this type of pressure beforehand and be ready with a response. You might say you're doing it for health reasons, to cut down on costs, or that you simply don't feel like drinking tonight. If you stand firm, most people will respect your decision. Remember that urges to drink are short-lived and controllable.
Find a friend with similar goals
Consider finding a friend who is also trying to reduce their alcohol consumption. This way, you can support each other and hold each other accountable. It can be much easier to avoid alcohol when you have someone else going through the same thing.
Seek professional help if needed
If you feel that you need additional support, don't hesitate to reach out for professional help. This could be in the form of counselling or therapy, or by contacting organisations such as Al-Anon Family Groups or Family Drug Support. Remember, there is no shame in asking for help, and it can make a big difference in achieving your goals.
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Frequently asked questions
There are many ways to avoid drinking alcohol on a night out. Firstly, you could try a drink-free activity such as bowling, the cinema, or a late-night food market. You could also try an alcohol-free drink such as a soft drink or alcohol-free beer. Before you go out, it can be helpful to prepare and practice responses to people offering you alcoholic drinks.
It is normal to experience urges or cravings for alcohol. To manage these, you can try to identify and challenge the thoughts that are driving the urge, or accept that the urge is temporary and ride it out. You can also remind yourself of your reasons for not drinking alcohol.
If you want to avoid drinking alcohol in the long term, it is important to have a support network in place. Tell your friends and family about your decision so that they can support you. You could also try to find a friend who has similar goals to you, so that you can support each other. It is also a good idea to speak to a doctor, who can help you manage any withdrawal symptoms and refer you to treatment if necessary.
