Everyone judges me because I don't drink!?

[P E P S I ♡♡]

I'm always under so much pressure to drink alcohol. I'm 18 (which is the legal drinking age here), and I have never drank (except sips) and I don't ever intend to.

I grew up with an alcoholic father, my grandfather was an alcoholic too, and my younger brother has been in hospital several times after drinking too much, and has been in trouble with the police for stealing alcohol at least twice. All that is enough to put me off alcohol for life tbh.

But I don't get why everyone has to know WHY. I constantly get asked "why don't you drink", and I don't really know what to say because the real reasons are kind of personal. I've just started university and the pressure here is worse than ever. All people talk about is drinking. I swear, EVERYONE drinks, a lot. I get funny looks when I tell people I don't drink. I'm actually pretty reluctant to have to admit it in general.

I actually think it's kind of sad that everyone feels they have to drink. It IS possible to have a good night without drinking, I do it every weekend. I have friends who would literally refuse to go out if they knew there wasn't going to be alcohol involved.

Does anyone agree with me? Or could anyone try to explain why everyone except me needs alcohol to have a good time...?

 

[joseph]

I think the full answer would be quite complex.
Alcohol is addictive.

Also, people are shy and alcohol tends to remove inhibitions (I'm sure you will have heard people say that before)

It also affects your judgement so that you might do things you normally wouldn't. You can then use this as an excuse when you have been an idiot, which again gives people more freedom. It might allow them to take a risk that they normally wouldn't.

Obviously alcohol has a lot of drawbacks, and people that drink know this. A person who does not drink highlights their own dependence and therefore their weakness. They would try to make your lifestyle the same as their own in order to justify or validate it.

You may find that after a few years your friends become a bit more mature and calm down on the drinking. Most people seem to be drunken idiots from about 18 to 23 or so, then they sober up.
Just be yourself and lead by example.