If I become a non alcaholic, will people bug me about it all the time?

Question

I'm only 14, but It has completley ruined my dad. I know that children of alcaholics are more likley to become one, so I'm deciding to steer clear.

Yes, I know there'll be pressure. I'm not stupid.... but will they really hound on me for it?

Answer 1

Good for you!

The best thing you can do is be aware that as you get older (college aged) you are going to want to go to places that offer the beverages you're trying to stay clear of. As well, you'll probably have a lot of friends who will give you a bunch of "stick-in-the-mud" comments about not drinking.

You MUST stand your ground; if they hassle you, tell them straight out that you don't want to turn out like your father did. Alcoholism is not something to be taken lightly, and I commend you on the fact that you've recognized the damage it can do and the fact that you are wanting something better for yourself and your future.

You could also contact AlAnon for resources; I'm sure there are groups out there for teens just like you. Keep up the good work!!

Answer 2

You are just 14 yrs. old and yet you are aware, wise, focused, and determined enough to make a conscious decision that will affect you and others in a positive way for many years to come. I don't even know you, yet I am proud of you. I can only hope that my own 15 yr. old daughter stays determined to do the same thing. I wish that someone had given me the tools and the knowledge about staying sober when I was your age, that's when I started drinking. I quit 5-1/2 yrs. ago, and my life has changed in so many ways, I could write a small novel about it. I won't bore you with specifics, but I can tell you, from my 30 yrs. of experience, that there is nothing GOOD that comes from drinking, but there is a whole lotta BAD. Whether you drink a little or a lot, whether you are an alcoholic or not, if you go out and drink, the BEST that can happen is that NOTHING happens. By this, I mean no wrecking your car, no hangover, no spending a lot of money, no injuring someone or yourself, no making a fool of yourself, no puking on the sidewalk, no getting pulled over by the police, etc.
You can have all this "nothing" without drinking a drop. You probably already know what bad things that drinking, and drinking to excess, can do. I'd like someone to tell me one GOOD thing it does! Our parents are powerful examples to us, and sometimes those examples aren't positive. But you are taking a negative example and learning a powerful lesson from it! I often tell my daughter that I am her example of what NOT to do!
Yes, you will have to endure different types of questions, opinions, probably some teasing, and at times, even ridicule. Especially at your age, when the desire to fit in can become overwhelming, and peer pressure can be cruel. Even at my age I still find myself explaining to some people why I am not drinking at a social gathering. I've learned that it's easiest for me to handle it with straight-forwardness and a little humor. "I quit" or "I don't drink" is what I say up front, so that they know I'm not just taking a break from it for the evening. Otherwise, people like to think they can talk you into it. ("Oh, c'mon. Just have ONE. I'll buy. You HAVE to have a drink on New Years Eve! It's bad luck to not toast the bride and groom. Not even on your birthday? Gosh, how boring"!) Then sometimes I say that I'm allergic, when I drink I break out in stupid. Or that I make Sybil look like Mother Theresa. Sometimes I say that I can't drink because I've recently had my liver removed (dumb people will say, "Ohhhh" and nod their heads slowly at that one). Or I say, "You don't have enough health insurance OR bail money for me to take a drink". You get the idea.
And it's possible that a few of your friends and classmates will say that you think you are better than they are, because you think drinking is bad, and since they are doing it, you must feel that they are beneath you. That's just how some people think. The important thing to remember is, at the end of the day, YOU are the one who will be on top! Trust me, their BEST day of drinking will still be worse than your most miserable day sober! And the bottom line is, you won't ever have to feel guilty or remorseful or embarrassed or ashamed for the rest of your life or for 1 minute because of some irreversible tragedy or event that was caused by you being under the influence. Anything that happens to you in your life that doesn't go your way
will be just fate, or happenstance, karma, God's will, destiny, whatever you want to call it.
Good luck and good health to you always, I hope your strength and your maturity continue to guide you, and have peace in the knowledge that you have made a path for yourself that may not be the one others will travel, but wish they had.

Answer 3

Having a close relative that is an alchoholic means you are predisposed, meaning you have a much greater chance of becomeing an alchiholic than some others. Some people with alchoholism in their family have a gene that makes them less amune (sp?) to addiction. All it takes is one drink and your hooked. Stay away from the booze! Dont give into peer pressure, and like was mentioned ealier, your friends should respect your decision. Hope this helps.

Answer 4

You sound like you are thinking positive, there is nothing wrong with choosing not to drink, especially if you do have alcoholism that runs in your family and if you have experienced the negative effects of alcohol. If you do have people harass you for not drinking then they are not your true friends, especially if they know your circumstances and the still can't except it. I actually could not drink for years cause of epilepsy and all the meds I was on I choose not to drink for my own health cause it would have been dangerous and would have increased my seizure activity. So best of luck and you are choosing what is right for you that is all you have to remember.

Answer 5

Are you asking if you will have peer pressure to drink? I'm sure it will come about sometime, especially in high school and college. If you stand your ground and let people know your reasons why, they should respect your decision. Then they have a great friend they can count on for a designated driver too!

Answer 6

same here, being the daughter of an alcoholic, I don't touch the stuff. I knw the effects. Yes, people will bother you, pressure you, and bug you. You just have to be strong and stick to what you believe. It's none of their business why you dont drink and if they can't seem to see that then thats their problem.

Answer 7

I think the best thing to do is to teach yourself responsibility. Enjoying a moderate amount of alcohol does NOT mean you are an alcoholic. Moderation is key to everything. When you are older you can make your own choices of course. No one should be able to make you drink if you don't want to. But alcohol use is not necessarily abuse.

Answer 8

I think that a couple of drinks now and then would not be too bad! But if you do decided to steer clear when you get older, you could always drink non-alch. drinks. My fav, ginger ale with cherry or lime juice

Answer 9

your personal choices are just that- yours. what others think of that choice is their problem. i have dealt with alcoholics in the past and they are horrible, hateful ppl who tend to think only of their drinking- while not giving a dam about their families. lives are destroyed by alcoholics, and i commend you for choosing so early in your life to avoid a problem that could cause alot of problems for you later on in life.

drink soda if you go to parties, calling yourself the designated driver and ppl will not bug you one bit. they may even ask you for a ride- if not, offer one to them- the life you save may be your own.

susan

Answer 10

Absolutely not, people will just not hang out with you at all unless you have really big ra-raas and/or a shaven minge.
There are much better things than alcohol anyway like skunk,eccy,whiz or rohys. Just because your dad is a loser is not something to worry about you are probably going to be one anyway.