bit of a weird one............

I dont drink very much, if at all. I used to take Metformin (insulin balancing medication) which you couldn't drink on, so I stopped for a few years and just got out of the habit. I don't miss it at all, and in social situations I just drink soft drinks etc. I wasn't a big drinker anyway and hate the "lets go out and get drunk"! mentality. I dont feel I miss out at all, although my circle of friends tend to drink a fair bit and they still make comments like im crazy for not drinking, which can get annoying.

I get "whats the point in coming out if your not gonna drink" it does get to me after a while.

Its just that for some reason I've gone off drinking, I used to drink every weekend with the girls and now its like I don't want to anymore, don't know why.

My friends are not very understanding feel like they are shutting me out a little cos of it.

Yeah I know what you mean, have you tried talking to them about it? you should by no means feel bad for not drinking just because your friends are being weird about it! gah!

Very very ocassionaly i wil have a drink but because its something i rarely do i stick to two or three then stop. i don't find it a problem and i'd much rather enjoy my evening than get wasted and spend the next day suffering. I'm 28 i havn't been into drinking ever although used to go out a lot more, my friends all thought i was dull but i had the same fun as everyone else x

There are a lot of drinks, alcoholic included, that I drink because I like the taste. I've never drank anything that I don't like the taste of just because it was alcoholic. Therefore, if I'm out of an evening and I want to drink Coke I will drink Coke. If I want to drink beer I will drink beer. I also try not to get drunk which means that at a certain part of the night when I start alternating water with an alcoholic drink, or just stop drinking alcohol, I get lots of comments.

So.....I'm kind of half and half because sometimes I don't drink at all when I'm out in a "drinking" situation and I sometimes feel a bit self conscious because EVERYONE will comment on it. People look at you as if you've got two heads when you say you don't want another beer, just a water please. Or "No I'm not pregnant or on painkillers, I just want an apple juice!".

The way I cope with this is to continually reinforce my view that you can leave the house and not drink alcohol and still be a normal person. I have a feeling that not everyone believes me!

Sometimes I want an alcoholic drink and can't have one because I'm on painkillers/driving and in these circumstances I do miss it but only in the way I'd miss cheesy wotsits if I really wanted a packet and the shop didn't have any in, or the way I crave pizza when I can't afford a takeaway!

Sorry, that got all long and rambly.

I'm sorry to hear your friends are being weird with you or shutting you out. Totally what AnnaBanana said!

What Daffy said - I like sweet drinks and cocktails, not really into beer or wine (sometimes do like a Rose though, in the summer). that's another reason why I don't drink often, because they're probably quite fattening!

I very, very rarely drink alcohol. I have no problem with parties, going out, etc. - I just order a soft drink. I've been doing it for so many years my mates are more likely to drop jaws if I order an alcoholic drink! I definitely don't miss out (when we've had a great night, I'm the one who can remember it ?) and it hasn't had an adverse effect on any of my friendships.

I do like a drink but I have lots of friends who don't drink for a wide variety of reasons - religious reasons, medical reasons, recovering alcoholics or just don't fancy it/like it. (how you can't like the taste of a lovely red wine I can't understand, but some people really seem not to!) I think it's deeply immature for anyone to hold it against you if you don't drink, and as for saying there's no point in going out if you aren't drinking, that's too sad for words.

I dont drink as i'm intollerent/allergic. I've never really noticed anything difficult going out with friends who drink, but then my friends have never ponted it out. I've never had one comment about not drinking, so I guess its really you're friends that are the problem!

That is a bit mean saying whats the point going out if your not drinking, drinking is not the only reason to go out, you also go out to have fun, have a chat, socialise etc. They should want you to come out because you're good company, not because of a beverage.

I'm not keen on some drunk people, sometimes they can be soooo annoying.

Hi im another one that cant drink due to severe intolerance. I have never had any probs with close friends, but it gets annoying when new people try and insist that i have a drink then have to explain and inevitably they dont belive me. i love going out though and it has never syopped me having fun.

I haven't drunk alcohol, except a glass of champagne to toast at weddings, since 2001. I had one of those horrendous hang overs where you say you'll never drink again - and haven't.

As for going out, I did find that I didn't enjoy big huge drunken nights out clubbing quite the same anymore. I found some people very irritating, and not particularly nice, when they were drunk. However it did also coincide with moving in with H, several other friends moving in with long term partners so our life styles changed and we went for meals out rather than clubbing.

I did get a bit of hassle at first but now no one bats an eyelid.

I don't drink alcohol at all. As a teenager I discovered that a) I didn't like the taste and b) it makes my neck go very red and itchy with just a sip. I tried lots of different things as a teen to try and find something I liked or something that wouldn't make me itch. Now I just don't even bother.

My friends all know I don't drink and it doesn't bother them or me. I'm always a safe ride home if I've gone somewhere in the car and no-one ever pressurises me to drink ever.I'm often offered a drink if I'm with people I don't know but when I decline I don't ever get funny comments.

I am also the driver of the group. i very rarely drink. dont like the taste and dont see the point. i can have as much fun sober.

i only have one or two friends that see the dont drink phrase as a challange, always saying go on, just one but then on the flip side they also dont mind going to bar to get me a drink. i think they just dont want to drink alone so to speak.

It can be a pain in the arse having a non-drinker, or rather a sober person, in the company if you are intent upon a night of drunken debauchery.

In much the same way as it's intensely iritating being around drunks when you're sober.

I'm epileptic so I rarely drink more than 1 drink, and even then I only have a drink about once a month.

Before being diagnosed last year I was cutting down on drinking because it cost lots, made me feel *** and also I was attacked when I was drunk.

I think your friends are being massively unfair on you and maybe you should get new friends who like your company, not your drinking habits!!