Hello to all. I am brand new to this forum and have been high raw for about 5 years now and getting better and better at increasing my raw intake. An issue I'm struggling with that I was hoping to receive wisdom from fellow raw foodists on is alcohol. I am currently a social drinker but I am extremely sensitive to alcohol. Even if I have only one drink, I will have quite a severe hangover the next day. I will feel lethargic, sick, and even depressed. I want to give up alcohol altogether, however, I am having a difficult time doing so, mainly because of the cultural pressure. On the occasions where I have gone out and did not drink, I got strange looks from people and questioned about it and was made to feel like I am a "weirdo" for not drinking. The cultural pressure I feel is enormous - whether it's friends, family or work colleagues -- everything seems to revolve around alcohol. I even had someone say to me, "I don't trust people who don't drink." How can I resist drinking in the many, many situations where I am surrounded by people drinking, and not succumb to the pressure? How can I stand strong as the only "weirdo" (haha) in the whole group who isn't drinking? Maybe it's a stupid thing to be struggling with, however, I really have a hard time with this in a culture that is obsessed with alcohol and people who are connoisseurs of every type of microbrew beer, for example. I'm having difficulty extracting myself from that world and feeling like a lone wolf. Any guidance and support anyone can give would be greatly appreciated! Thanks so much!

I don't drink anymore and don't feel like I owe anyone an explanation. If asked I just tell people that I used to drink but I retired. What's wrong with what you told us - you basically have an allergic reaction. Not everyone is meant to drink - I know my life is much better without it. It would seem that nowadays people realize that alcohol can be a problem for some folks. Just go for it - do what's best for you. Remember people feel threatened by someone who takes control of their life. It isn't your problem.

Depends on the vision you have for your life. Do you have a goal to not drink alcohol but still visit and have fun with the same friends or do you want to extricate yourself out of that realm and into something new?

I think that you are only seeing this particular group as being what most people typically encounter for their recreational hours. I don't think that's the case. There are many other groups of people that do many different things.

Raw foods, raw pot-lucks, raw festivals and the people that frequent them.
Groups that hang together to do things like sports, hiking, etc.

Find some things you like to do outside your usual group that doesn't involve drinking alcohol and that way you spend less time with your drinking buddies.

Love,
Prism

i say think about the brain cells and read the articles that show heroin and cocain are not as bad as alohol

or even think about how it is a state regulated drug and how much money the state makes off you.

for me it was a bad kidney that prevented me from drinking

life vs lifelessness

Prism has a good point. When you hang around with drinkers, it seems like the whole world is constantly drinking - this is not true! When I stopped going to pubs, I realized that a lot of my "friends" were really just folks who were looking for someone to drink with. It kinda hurt when I realized that but there is a whole other world out there to be enjoyed.

In the end i had to avoid most of these social outings i.e the pub, going out clubbing at the weekend, house parties and basically restructure my life completely.

I find social isolation a big problem because the majority of people i grew up with and people i know around here all they do is drink, drugs and party. It can be impossible to avoid if you are a social person, so much so that like i say i now spend the bulk of my time at the gym. Am i happier hmm im not sure i feel socially isolated like i say but am i healthier, most definitley.

I was an alcoholic and had little choice but to give up alcohol as it was ruining my health. Stick with it in the end it isnt so hard, if you are able to go out an enjoy yourself without drink around people who are drinking then just order something that looks like alcohol. Most people are none the wiser in my opinion.

Being around drunk people sober is a nightmare though.

[www.vegankingdom.co.uk]

I can really relate to a struggle giving up alcohol,but not in the social sense.I rarely drank with anyone,or in social settings,or in bars.It was all alone in my house.Just me and that buzz,and no one to distract me from it.

I would say its time to grow a backbone and become who you want to be and let everyone else out of it.If the awful feelings of being around your friends and not drinking are too much to handle, I would say its time for a whole new group of friends.Perhaps you stay in your group so you have an "excuse" to drink.
Seems to me the BIG question to ask is....do YOU want to drink? Do YOU like hangovers?

There are ALOT of people who dont drink.
Become a role model .
Maybe alot of your friends are thinking the same thing.....
Maybe they want to stop but do it anyway because "everyone else is doing it".

Vinny

Ps..the more raw foods you eat,the more repulsive alcohol will be.



Edited 2 time(s). Last edit at 02/07/2012 03:34PM by eaglefly.

The longer you stick to your decisions, the more confident you will become, and eventually, you won't even think about it.

I'm always a fan of diffusing situations with humor.

Or, you can fake it. Your new name for "orange juice" could be "Screwdriver."

Smoke pot instead, and actually be happy. Pot *without* alcohol= health and bliss.

omega-3 Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Smoke pot instead, and actually be happy. Pot
> *without* alcohol= health and bliss.


Trading one addiction for another is a bandaid solution aka no real solution at all. Pot is not a remedy for good health either, it's on fire, that's not so wonderful for lungs to be inhaling.

I cant believe omega-3.
What an awful thing to say.
I bet you were high as you posted that.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 02/07/2012 11:12PM by eaglefly.

Blueturtle: You, my friend, are changing. Raising your vibration, so to speak. So even those with whom you share your DNA may not be the people you should spend too much time with. Raw foods is the catalyst for your ascension. I am not saying that if a person become high-raw then they are saintly, but I do feel that everything we do which is purifying attract people into our life, while also repelling those not at the same level.

If the people in your circle are so obsessed with drinking to the point they try to bring you down to their level, then be a "lone wolf" until you find your new comrades. There's nothing wrong with blazing a new trail.

omega-3 Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Smoke pot instead, and actually be happy. Pot
> *without* alcohol= health and bliss.

So what happens when you run out of your supply? No longer "happy?" LOL

I think it's good to go to bars with your friends and say i'll have juice or tea or whatever... I've had people tell me i'm wierd or say "what's wrong with you?" but if you look at it as an example... probably they don't have the courage of their convictions like you will to stand up and say no i don't want a drink... it's why they put you down... but if you do it... then maybe some where down the road they will too... they'll remember that you did and say well if so and so can do it so can I... of course simply stateing that it makes you sick is fine and most people understand that... and back off... if they don't tell them you'd rather be the last wierdo standing then passed out drunk under the bar... and sick in the morning... or the honorable designated driver is always a good way to go... I know it can be hard... i'm a musician so i used to hang out in bars a lot but not drink... and people get real threatened by it... but be strong... you'll be glad you did.

love laugh and dream

Ya know I've gotten drunk off my keister as a raw vegan and never had one hangover that was anything more than a brief fling with misery from the bed to the breakfast table first thing in the morning. By the time I left the house, everything was copacetic.

Just goes to show you how different people can be.

omega-3 Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Smoke pot instead, and actually be happy. Pot
> *without* alcohol= health and bliss.


I have always loved weed and the idea of using it as a industrial crop, and it is much better imo for you than alcohal. The fact is though it is terrible for your immune system and clearly Blueturtle has a weak immune system. It should only be used occasionly and only by healthy people with NO health issues.

blueturtle, You should take in consideration that you might have Leaky Gut, I had the same kind of hangovers when I had leaky gut. As you can imagine the alcohal is getting directly into your bloodstream and is causing havic to your organs. So if you do want to drink again one day (like having one or two drinks once and a while) then get your health better then decide wheather or not you want to drink. Unfortunately there is no good test for Leaky Gut so you will have to trust that there is something wrong. There could be other things wrong but this is the most likely assuming you dont have any other health issues.

Have you considered an A.A. meeting? Or how about kombucha? It's a nice satisfying healthy drink that might be a nice substitute. Otherwise, I used to order virgin daquiris or ginger ale.

Thank you everyone for your feedback and suggestions (Well, except for the pot smoking suggestion!) What a wonderful community here! I'm going to hold my ground and use humor if anyone questions me about it and respond confidently. I'm not like a lot of other people, unfortunately -- I can't get away with ANY alcohol at all with out suffering mentally, emotionally and physically. Even when I explain to people the health problems I have from alcohol, it doesn't get through to them at all, and they still judge and deem me "weird" or "uncool", etc. It's so ridiculous. Luvyuu, I am also a musician and around a lot of drinking and I get the feeling that people feel threatened by someone who doesn't drink as well. But I completely agree that many people will be inspired by me and even if they feel threatened at first, it could open their mind in time.

Blueturtle, you can't be the only person these folks have ever encountered who doesn't imbibe. What about those who are in "recovery" from alcoholism? There are quite a few people who have had problems with alcohol to the point that they don't drink at all. Is this somehow more understandable than not wanting it to get to that point when that feels like where it may be heading?
I agree that a trip to AA might be a good thing. There you can speak with people who have all found a way to make sobriety work for them, they are sure to have some insight into dealing with friends, family and situations to share with you. You aren't alone in this, you don't have to figure it all out for yourself. There is so much help out there for you... you've got nothing to lose by reaching out.

Great point, coco. I wondered the same thing -- how they don't even consider people who don't drink because they're in recovery. I think they are wrapped up in the whole culture of drinking, where we are conditioned from a young age, mainly through mass media, that drinking is cool and that if you're not doing it, you're not living. Such lies. Alcohol is so destructive to so many lives. I never thought about going to AA meetings. Thanks for the support!

Banana who: "If the people in your circle are so obsessed with drinking to the point they try to bring you down to their level, then be a "lone wolf" until you find your new comrades. There's nothing wrong with blazing a new trail." Great point, thank you.

Kava kava is a good choice of herb if you are looking for an alternative. Really helps with social anxiety too.

I had no choice but to give up booze, the hangovers turned into 3 day comedowns, extreme depression, fatigue, palpitations, feeling like i was going to seizure etc. Was unbearable.

I can't understand why such as strong drug that kills thousands yearly remains legal. The problem for me was that alcohol is everywhere its unavoidable unless you become a hermit and stay indoors forever. Scotland has a big drinking culture and pretty much everyone i know all they do is drink. No one does anything here except drink and drugs every weekend, so much so that im finding it hard to find new friends who do something without alcohol.

Even my friends ive made at the gym and my martial arts classes are all heavy drinkers come the weekend.

[www.vegankingdom.co.uk]

Powerlifer, aren't you American? I can understand the UK--all those pubs. If this is where you've always lived, I have to say that in the USA there are many places to socialize that do not involve alcohol. For instance, on a weekend night there may be coffeehouses which have an open mike or musician scheduled to play and people can socialize, not to mention joining clubs that meet during the day and provide that contact but are more positive. Raw potlucks are another possibililty that a person can find in order to meet likeminded people.

I don't have that need for socializing, I guess. I find it pretty tedious to be around people who I don't vibe with.

Im a UKer Bananawho, and yeah pretty much everything here seems to involve alcohol in one way or another. Even those who lead relatively healthy lifestyles i.e the gym, eating healthy all drink at the weekend. Maybe it is just the age i am at, i don't know any different. I first started drinking heavily aka binge drinking when i was 13 and my health started to decrease from there on. Thats cool RE the US and late night coffeehouses, they do nothing like that here.

Maybe i fell in with the wrong crowd but literally everyone i know this is all they do when it comes to the weekend. Even through the week, most can not have many social visits without a crate of beer being involed or the pub. It can be hard but surely there must be other people out there who don't drink but still socialize in other ways.

[www.vegankingdom.co.uk]

Yep - powerlifer - the sad truth is that the UK is an alcohol fuelled land. It doesn't matter if it's ten pints of lager and throwing up on the pavement or a bottle of malt and wife beating behind closed upperclass doors - or a mixture of the two. It's a sad reflection of society in the UK. Europe does not share this binge drinking society - we export it abroad - to our shame.

(sorry if this is a bit out of context - I haven't read the whole post only Powerlifer's last post)

When I watched All Creatures Great and Small or any other British show that showed their thick malty beers..it made me want a pint too!

In the very olden days they used to make beer that they said was good for anyone wet-nursing..(breastfeeding).

Love,
Prism

powerlifter - thanks for sharing your experience. It's comforting to know I'm not alone in experiencing horrible hangovers from even one drink. The USA is a total drinking culture as well. Pretty much everyone I've ever known drinks -- all the people I've ever worked with, been friends with...it is definitely the vast majority of people that drink regularly. You really are looked at as strange if you don't drink at all. Sure there are people out there who do not drink, and as a matter of fact, a friend of mine just shared that she is also wanting to pretty much permanently give up alcohol since she experiences a hangover also even with only a little bit of alcohol and she used to drink quite a lot. I think that over time, I won't have such insecurity about it. Hopefully I will draw to me more and more people who are like-minded. It's no wonder this is such an alcohol-drenched culture -- look at all the movies and tv shows that we are brainwashed by telling us that binge drinking is so cool and great. Drinking alcohol becomes part of people's identity. I know that it used to be part of mine.