Do you avoid alcohol?

[CielSoraXQR]

I basically avoid anything that I associate with being sick and alcohol was one of the main triggers for my emetophobia. (Thanks a lot, Mother). Therefore as I've grown up and people in my year have gone out and got drunk, I've stayed at home and hid from it all.

So I was wondering what other peoples' attitudes were to alcohol. Do you drink? Do you avoid it like the plague? Are you afraid of people that drink?

[turbokinetic]

I don't drink because I don't like the way it makes me feel. I don't like to feel buzzed. I don't like to do anything that makes me less aware of my own actions.

Maybe 2 or 3 times a year I drink a drink or 2. Usually around the holidays. I've never been "drunk" and certainly never V'd from alcohol.

David

[ButterfliesInHerEyes]

I don't get drunk because I just think that's a stupd thing to do, but I enjoy a glass or two of wine with dinner, have a beer when I feel like it, a mixed drink if I go out, etc. Sure.

The only reason you'd vomit from alcohol is if you're shit-faced drunk. But enjoying a drink or two - whatever your body can comfortably tolerate without making you feel drunk, is fine.

[KaydeeJayde]

I avoid other people who are drinking like the plague. I have a few experiences from my parents where both of them have been that drunk that they've v*ed right in front of me. I don't drink so much myself, either, but when other people are drinking, I hide.

[Rebecca85]

I put 'no' because although I don't drink at the moment, it's because it interacts with my meds, I'm not avoiding it as such. When I was different pills that I could drink with, I did!

[beccabubba]

Ive never drank in my life, ive never ever been drunk and I think this is down to this phobia. If people are really drunk in my car and are a bit out of it, I fear they will be sick so have to keep checking they dont feel ill.

[pretendworld_]

I don't avoid it because my emet didn't really develop until last year. I used to dry heave a lot when drinking but somehow I found it funny. I think I'm one of those emets who is only concerned with illness v*, not self-induced.

[asianeko]

In my opinion I don't avoid alcohol. I do avoid excess drinking. I'll have one or two max, and if I start getting tipsy I stop. There is no need to overdo it, vomit or not.

[paulinek]

Definitely not, i have a drink every day (a glass or two of wine) and i haven't done for ages but in my day i used to go out and get very drunk - and never once got sick from it, even if friends who had less than me did. I used to be terrified of drinking in case it made me sick but i started off slow and built up slowly so I know my limits. It chills me out on an evening and calms me down if i feel panicky.

[StaceySGMW]

Absolutely. Never touched a drop of alcohol.

It's mainly religious reasons but emet does play a part in it

[CielSoraXQR]

Such a wide range of opinions. I honestly expected most to say they'd never touched it, but it's nice to know that some of you don't share the same alcohol fears as me.

[Andrilla]

I had always wondered the percentage of emets who do or don't drink. I personally don't drink, my emetophobia is only one of the factors. The biggest factor is that I just don't feel any interest in drinking.

[Elski]

I have a glass of wine or two most nights - I love it after a long, hard day! Back before I had my daughter, I used to go out most weekends and drink a fair amount of alcohol. It's weird, I don't have the same fear of v* drunk/hungover.

I've got a bit of a hierarchy of v* and v* from being drunk is nowhere near as bad to me as when you have a sv and feel absolutely dreadful. With me, it's more the hangovers that make me feel like I could sometimes v* and don't get me wrong, if I felt I was going to v* with a hangover, I'd get anxious and freak out but nowhere near as much as I would if I had food poisoning or a sv.

[brittleb0nes]

I have drank before and gotten drunk, but the anxiety of vomiting after is too strong so I steer clear. I am afraid to go to parties as well because there's always gonna be at least one person who vomits in front of everyone

[elizam]

I don't avoid it, but I never have more than 1 beer or 2 glasses of wine. I know my limits.

[hairyfairy]

I used to drink quit a bit, but since a bad hangover in 1997, I only drink alchohol 2 or 3 times a year, & never to the extent of being off my face.

[AngelJL84]

I avoid drinking in excess. I drink maybe a couple of drinks and that's it. I don't like to get drunk b/c it does make me fear getting sick. I also try to avoid people who are drinking a lot too because I fear that they will V** in front of me. It has never even happened, but just the "chance" freaks me out!!!

[karissagabel]

I dont drink alcohol at all. It is more though because my Mom and Dad were alcoholics...doesnt really have anything to do with being scared of being s*.

[Jan3_Do3]

I don't avoid drinking. I avoid drinking excessively. I'll have a few, get a little buzzed, then stop. It's not an everyday thing. It's more of a social thing. I don't drink if I am taking medication that will interact with it and I definitely don't drink enough to v*.

[CherBirdie]

I think I'd be able to control myself with alcohol; I'd be able to tell when I've had enough and I should stop. I don't drink because I strongly dislike the taste; it doesn't do anything for me.

[Leo StarGazer]

I don't avoid those who are drinking but I don't drink myself. Besides from alcohol clashing with my meds, I've had one bad experience with it that scared me into never touching the stuff again.

& when I was a kid, my mum would get drunk and V* a few times a week. It was horrible. Then I would go to my dads for the holidays and he would do the same thing.

[scottyd]

I'm 24 and never ever been drunk. Main reason for this is the emetophobia. I don't completely avoid alcohol. I might have a glass of champagne at a function or a glass of wine with dinner, but as soon as I feel a little tipsy I will stop. I have never been full on drunk!

[leeannc28]

I avoid drinking more then a glass or two, but I dont avoid it altogether.

[Amy3006]

Definitely, I am 18 and have never been to a party, or a gathering where people will drink excessively for fear someone else will v*. I myself don't drink for the same reason, and never have done. I am just so scared of getting ill from it that I avoid it like anything, the most I have ever had to drink is half a glass of champagne! Oh and a sip of beer once, The taste itself just makes me feel ill too. But it really ruins my social life since at this age drinking is what everyone is doing so I can't go out to the pub or parties with people - Wish alcohol didn't have any association with v*

[idontfeelreal]

I drink beer socially and hard liquor on a rare occasion. I have never gotten sick from drinking (although I have had some banging hangovers where I came close) and even cleaned up after some friends who had gotten sick. It doesn't bother me. I know my limits when drinking. People who are drunk and throw up may make me a bit squeemish, but since it isn't contagious I don't have much of an issue with it.

[Donnylutz]

I absolutely love alcohol! For me it is the cure (albeit temporary) for my emet. While drinking I have no anxiety at all. While in college I got sick a few times while drinking and it didn't bother me at all. I would actually tell myself "You going to be sick, shouldn't you be freaking out?" Then I'd get sick and actually say, "I'm cured! I just got sick and it was nothing!" Then of course when I woke up in the morning hungover and feeling like crap, I was TERRIFIED that I would be sick again. I'm not sure where phobias exist in the brain, but at least for me, alcohol shuts that off. I've had to cut down quite a bit due to a worry of becoming alcoholic and as I have gotten older the after affects and anxiety have gotten unbearable.

[person54321]

Nah... I figured out I have to drink a LOT to get me sick. Alcoholism is in my family so I don't drink a lot, but a few drinks here and there, why not? Besides as I found out so wonderfully last year, if you do drink enough to get sick you're so ridiculously drunk you don't really notice.

[Cupcake x]

I do drink but not to the point of making myself sick though. Just enough to feel good

[wanted]

I do drink but not to the point of making myself sick though. Just enough to feel good

Me too
And of course, never mix drinks.

[person54321]

And of course, never mix drinks.

That's an old wives tale. It came from the idea that if you mixed drinks you were less likely to know exactly how much alcohol you were ingesting. So long as you're being conscious of how much is going in, it's fine.