I'm a Party Person Who Can't Drink Alcohol...and it's Awesome!

[Travelingmouse]

partying sober

So I have an intolerance of alcohol and even a little bit of alcohol in my food can make me feel sick like I was poisoned. People feel sorry for me when they hear this, but it's been such a blessing! There are so many benefits! People seem to think that if you want to be a fun party person, you have to drink and drink a lot. Otherwise you're just the quiet type who stays at home or hangs out in cafes on the weekends. It doesn't have to be that way. My intolerance for alcohol has not affected my ability to have a great social life, meet new people and have fun.

In college I started to go to parties in the dorms with foreign students and I went several times a week. When I say partying, I mean just being silly, singing together, dancing and jumping up and down to music and just generally having tons of fun. I didn't drink alcohol, do drugs or smoke anything, but I had the time of my life! I learned to get "high" off of just connecting with fun people and dancing to music. And I was really silly and danced like crazy, more than the drunk people. Doing all this completely sober has helped me build my confidence because I had to learn how to get comfortable just being myself, without the aid of alcohol or drugs to lose my inhibitions. You might think you can't do this, that I was just especially outgoing or something, but no, I was very shy and socially awkward at first. I made plenty of mistakes, people thought I was weird at times, but I learned from these experiences and I kept going into social situations sober until I got comfortable. Doing this over a few years helped me feel so much more confident in myself. Even today, I can still just walk onto the dance floor and dance all night while just drinking a bottle of water. I can walk into a party where I hardly know anyone and just start talking to people.

Another benefit of not drinking alcohol is that I never felt like crap the next day and I remembered everything. Once I was listening to some English students talk about what a great weekend they had had, drinking until they threw up and passed out. They talked about how they didn't remember much and how hungover they were, that their heads hurt and they were nauseous. And they were talking about how great all this was. How is that a great time? I don't understand!

Lastly, I made friends who were healthy for me and were secure in themselves. They never pressured me to drink or do anything I didn't want. They were super cool, one was a DJ and another was the party organizer for example. People who revolved their social lives around drugs and alcohol, didn't connect to me so I naturally made friends who knew how to party responsibly. Actually the people who were always drinking or smoking pot, didn't seem to know what to do with themselves while sober in social situations. It was kind of sad.

So I truly feel blessed that I can't drink alcohol. The worst part of it so far, is that I can't eat tiramisu (yeah I couldn't drive and started hyperventilating and shaking after eating half a slice of tiramisu with rum in it). I'm not saying that drinking or using any other mind altering substances makes you a bad person, just that you DON'T NEED these to enjoy life.

[DinaM]

Awesome! I don't drink either... it has nothing to do with intolerance ion my case, or with principles... I just think it tastes awful. I've never had an alcoholic drink I didn't hate, and I'm not going to spend a lot of time forcing myself to try drinks I can't stand on the off-chance that I might find one I like.

I'm not a big party girl, but I do like social gatherings, and I'm usually the chattiest and one there, even if I'm the only one who doesn't drink.

I've been fortunate enough to mostly have friends who understood and accepted that I wasn't interested in drinking. There was this one guy who kept telling me to just TRY it, until I took him aside and said, calmly but firmly, "look, I respect the fact that you do drink alcohol... please accept the fact that I do not." To his credit, he never bothered me about it again.

[Darvodo217]

Drinking to try different drinks, is a great way to go about it!

[DinaM]

Not if you hate the taste of each and every drink you try.

[Travelingmouse]

Yeah, aside from my intolerance for it, I think alcoholic drinks taste awful. People would normally not drink something they think tastes awful, but there is so much pressure to drink alcohol to be "cool" that people do it. That's why I'm writing this- to tell people you really don't have to drink it.

[DinaM]

Damn straight!

[pooper89]

Yeah I don’t often drink much, rum has made me feel ill in the past and tequila tends to give bad hangovers. I don’t get why people tend to drink until they vomit, that’s gross, have some self control. And yes it’s possible to have self control while inebriated, people just choose not to

[Travelingmouse]

I don't know. I think it sneaks up on people, especially young people who are new to drinking. Also there is a lot of social pressure to drink a lot in some scenes. People feel like they have to drink a lot to fit in. That's why I'm writing this-to let people know they don't have to.

[Levin]

I'm actually the same as you. I can have such a good time while only drinking very little. I use the fact that I'm driving pretty much as an excuse not to drink. Though I am indeed driving. I too get a high from courageously talking to new people, connecting with people and dancing like a daft bugger :)

I don't really like how drinking makes me feel. If I'm insecure, it makes me more insecure. Or I recognise I'm using it to mask my insecurities around people, which repels me from it.

Though I probably at least need a sip of something to loosen me up a little. I'm way too uptight generally and I don't like that kind of atmosphere instinctively. :)

[Travelingmouse]

That's awesome. I too dance like a daft bugger (can you say that for women?). Again, I'm not saying it's bad if people truly like drinking at parties, just saying that they don't have to.

[Levin]

You can say it as a woman, but not as an American ;) It would just sound wrong...
Actually, it's more for men too I suppose...

And indeed, to each their own. Though I go to a lot of meetups, and I see a lot of younger people drink like crazy because they say they're nervous. Always ends up as a disaster.

[bamesjond0069]

Did you go to the doctor to get tested? It sounds more like a mental issue than a physical one. And if it is physical, there are probably other serious issues regarding it, you may have a life threatening problem with your liver. Please go get checked out if you haven't.

Regarding not having to drink, that is good. I don't always drink a lot, I recently was sober partying the other night and it was fine, although I got tired from not being drunk. :( Its good to be able to meet people and relax even if sober.

[Travelingmouse]

I don't think it's mental. I once drank some of what I thought was plain orange juice. Then I started to feel weird and only then realized that someone had poured vodka into it. Also my dad has the same problem so I think I got it from him. I'm Asian and some Asians lack an enzyme to break down alcohol so it stays in its toxic form in the body. Thanks for the concern though. I might ask the doctor anyway since I seem to be getting more sensitive over time.

[Other_Tommy_Wiseau]

being drunk isn't that great. i drink more than i ever did in college, but i don't do it that often (maybe 2x a month at most)... and even then, i don't drink a lot. i think drinking is a placebo, from what i've experienced. it doesn't make me act different at all. downed an entire bottle of jack at a boat party with my coworkers and felt nothing the next day while the rest were hungover as shit. there's no upside, really. it mostly tastes bad and it's expensive.

also, you can have tiramisu without rum

[Kenni]

... i never made or heard of tiramisu with rum😂

[Other_Tommy_Wiseau]

@Kenni cool?

[Kenni]

Not cool

[jenxxl]

i am also like that, but unlike your friends, mine are nuts. i get to be their mum and designated bodyguards 2 nights a week. the bonus is i get to remember all the crap they pulled and laugh at them. i used to be so insecure about my 'light weight' since people usually made fun of me, but now i wear it like an armor. i don't need alcohol to move, all i need is good music

[Travelingmouse]

Yeah, that's exactly how I feel! Good music is the best "drug" ever! I actually can get euphoric just from dancing to great songs. Your friends are lucky to have you there. I'm glad you wear it like armor now, the fact that you're a lightweight. Don't let anyone make you feel bad about that.

[dreamstar72]

Cool same here. This might sound a little strange, it is not I can't drink alcohol it because I hate the taste of any type of of alcohol. Even if it is used in food I still can taste it and hate it. I have nothing against people who drink it I even have freinds who drink.

[Travelingmouse]

I hate the taste too tbh. Even if I didn't have this intolerance I don't think I would drink. It's like kerosene or rotten grapes in case of wine. I started gagging at the dinner table when my aunt insisted that I taste some red wine.

[aa180]

I honestly never understood why alcohol appeals to so many people. They say it doesn't taste great, it kills brain cells, can make you vomit, and you've pointed out the hangover effect it has on people where they don't even remember what they did the night they supposedly had a lot of fun. So it's really weird that such a substance is still mass-consumed by the population.

[coralee]

Plenty of people like the taste of alcohol. Most of the people who say they don't are young and are just drinking to get drunk. Wine is delicious, I drink whiskey straight because I enjoy the taste. Beer drinkers tend to like the taste as they have a low alcohol percentage and if they were just doing it to get drunk there are way more effective ways. As for not remembering unless someone has been drugged they do remember a good portion of the night. Their memory might by hazzy or they might have forgotten certain events but they remember enough to know they had fun.

[aa180]

@coralee Well I still don't get why people don't just drink a refreshing nonintoxicating beverage that tastes even better than alcohol and doesn't blur or wipe out any portions of your memory at all.

[coralee]

Probably because alcohol doesn't have to blur or wipe out your memory. People who do suffer from memory blanks are usually younger people who are just getting to know their alcohol tolerance. If drinking isn't your game that is absolutely fine but acting like you blackout from a glass or two of wine is ridiculous. People can and do enjoy alcohol without going overboard.

[aa180]

Well then if it can be used just like any other beverage I don't get why it gets so much more emphasis and is glorified and treated like it's a fundamental and integral part of any good night out. People talk about it as if it's a must have and that you're severely missing out if you don't consume it, when in reality any non-alcoholic substitute will do just as good a job at making your night memorable and fun. I'm not saying not to consume alcohol, I'm simply drawing out the skewed attitudes that people tend to have on this subject.

[Darvodo217]

@coralee 100%

[coralee]

I'm not saying it can be used like other non-alcoholic beverage. You do realize that there is a difference between a slight buzz and a full on blackout drunk, right? People can both like the taste and enjoy the feeling alcohol gives them. Alcohol is like anything else it can be enjoyed in moderation.

[Travelingmouse]

Yeah I don't understand the appeal of drinking alcohol to an excess either, but it seems to be expected in so many parties. People at parties have tried to pressure me to drink alcohol even when I say I can't and I find that really annoying. I would say to them, "How would you feel if you told me you hated or couldn't tolerate milk and I just kept pushing a glass of milk in your face?"

[aa180]

@Travelingmouse yeah that's definitely disrespectful of them to not be able to take no for an answer, especially when it's for health reasons

[ThisAndThat]

Same here. After over dosing at age 15 I can't take a buzz. A blessing in disguise I suppose due to the way I would drink, I didn't just drink, I would down hard whisky like it was soda and drink myself sober. But after I over dosed I couldn't even take gas at the dentist office.

[Reggieray]

Let me guess - you're the really chipper person in the office while the rest are trying to suck down their second cup of coffee to become halfway functional.

[Travelingmouse]

Haha. I'm actually not a morning person at all, but coffee makes me really hyper sometimes. I seem to be sensitive to everything.

[MlleCake]

I had to stop drinking alcohol when I was very young, and all of my adult life has been sober. I have a great life and a lot of fun. And no one ever gives me shit for it.

[Travelingmouse]

I'm glad you have a great life and never get shit for it. I have had a few people give me shit for it, but I just ignored them.

[Waffles731]

i.pinimg.com/.../...e52dfce1934d8826cfb41efa9e.jpg

[JimRSmith]

You're absolutely right that you don't NEED it.

I like the way you did this Take without sounding sanctimonous or preachy, too.

[Travelingmouse]

Aw, thanks. I appreciate that.

[Logorithim]

I wasn't much a drinker, either, when I did draink alcohol, but that was actually to my advantage since I knew not to drink much, if at all.

[Travelingmouse]

I'm glad you knew your limit. I've seen a lot of younger folk get into messy situations with alcohol. Thanks for reading.

[Logorithim]

I quickly got to be known as the guy who would get you home safely. I was really skinny (still am), so I knew I couldn't hold much alcohol.

[Lance1965]

I am a drinker and I have no problem with non-drinkers but how can you stand being around drunk people when you are not drunk yourself. I find drunk people very annoying if I am not drunk myself.

[Travelingmouse]

I don't like being around obnoxious drunks, but otherwise it's fine. I actually get "drunk" from the euphoria I reach when dancing.

[skateranon123]

Hey I'm a quiet one that hangs out at cafes on weekends nothing wrong with that. I don't really like to party I've been to some and I can't stand drunk people 😅

[Travelingmouse]

That's totally fine! I didn't mean to disparage quiet people. Many of my friends are quiet and we hang out in cafes together too. I just meant that people don't need to assume that I can ONLY be quiet since I can't drink.

[cruelwinter]

i'm the same way! i LOVE having fun without alcohol; you remember so much more and it makes for better memories

[Anonymous]

Awesome! I wish others could see the same way! Yes, many that don't drink don't go out much. I'm one of them. But hey, if you are able to party without alcohol, that's a point for all of us non drinkers!

[Tomblebee]

Sometimes I think this kinda thing would be good just to mandate it and make it more socilly acceptable not to do things..

[Rosyyy]

I don't drink at all, and I dont smoke, which is good, as no one in my family does either of those

[Travelingmouse]

That's great. I unfortunately have some members of the family who drink a bit too much.

[Anonymous]

I don't think tiramisu is supposed to have that much alcohol in it.
Either way, you can just make it at home and leave it out. The important part is the strong coffee, imho.

[Travelingmouse]

I can feel the alcohol in a piece of liquor filled chocolate so I'm super sensitive.

[Opinion Owner]

Some of those bonbons are quite alcoholic, haha.
But well, since you're intolerant to it, it figures that even a small amount may be too much.
No need to force yourself^^

[Iron_Man]

That sounds great that's exactly how I do things I'm a people person I like to party but no drugs and no alcohol and I don't smoke :-)

[Waffles731]

Damn, I would drink with you

[Iron_Man]

Water, fruit punch or soda is good

[Waffles731]

There is a brand of Ginger Ale they sell at the store.
Jamaican style or something but they make it with real sugar, not that high fructose corn syrup.
Omg it is AMAZING

[Waffles731]

I found it online
sodapopstop.com/.../...maican-style-ginger-ale.png
If you like soda, and you ever see that. Try it. Its what i prefer to drink If I am treating myself and I want to stay sober, say like if I'm doing a late into the night gaming session
That or Doctor Pepper

[Travelingmouse]

It's nice to be able to have fun without depending on substances, isn't it?

[Iron_Man]

Sounds Good

[monkeynutts]

Cool, it's good you don't use recreational drugs. They are very bad for everyone else too. I am curious about your ancestry, if genetics makes you intolerant of alcohol.

[Travelingmouse]

I'm Asian, specifically Chinese. I think I got this from my dad's side.

[monkeynutts]

Actually it's very common, you are just hyper sensitive, generally speaking allergic reactions to alcohol result in a reddening of the face, not much else. But Chinese do brew whiskey, since the thirteenth century. But common folk would probably not have consumed it. So Chinese people have high rates of allergic reactions to alcohol.

[lilaqua]

Try drugs instead. You'll feel better than alcohol ever will, they're cheaper and less dangerous.