alcohol....

[canonguy]

I'm turning 21 in a few weeks and i'm really starting to get pissed off at tho phobia (and my celiac disease.) i just want to enjoy my birthday like a normal person, but I won't be able to drink and my friends and I are going to bars in the city and I know i'll just worry the entire time.

I used to drink a lot in high school before my phobia got back and I'd feel so sick every time, and i didn't care. I just want to go back to that.

[mhartse]

Maybe have a few drinks but accompany them with lots of water? So you can be safe and have fun

[butterfly91]

This phobia just takes over our lives, it's awful and it's horrible when all your friends drink and you can't so I know what your going through. I hope you have a good birthday anyway whatever you end up doing.

[mdgirl1977]

I bartended for years and never drank. to this day the max I can have is one glass of wine and I get buzzed and stop. I like the buzz but not the dizziness. there is no shame in not drinking if you don't want to drink. but if you do want to but don't because of emet, then that is sad. like others said, maybe drink a few but not so much that you are drunk and close to v. you should be able to tell when you are drinking too much . and happy birthday!!

[mhartse]

True what MD girl said My 21st birthday came and went and I didn't drink. Ive had just a few in my life but I don't even like to drink, but I can still go to the bar and have a good time.

[psalm139]

When I turned 21 I didn't go out drinking either. I went out to a country music line dancing bar ( believe or not ha!)with my husband a cpl friends. We had a great time dancing, talking and drinking sodas. There is no rule that you HAVE to drink and get drunk on your 21st birthday. If you do decide to drink just limit yourself to a few. I know this phobia gets in the way of our lives but you can still enjoy your birthday with a few close friends.

[wanted]

You don't have to drink much. I've never vomited after drinking and I had a lot of hangovers (even though I'm emetophobic). I've never been nauseaous either (sometimes the next day I couldn't eat much, but nothing important). I wanted to ask, what do you say your friends, why don't you drink? Because I don't drink now too (I have problems with gastritis so of course now I am afraid to drink alcohol) and my friends think I'm exaggerating. They don't believe me and now rhey think I'm weird.

[NicManri]

I bartended for years and never drank. to this day the max I can have is one glass of wine and I get buzzed and stop. I like the buzz but not the dizziness. there is no shame in not drinking if you don't want to drink. but if you do want to but don't because of emet, then that is sad. like others said, maybe drink a few but not so much that you are drunk and close to v. you should be able to tell when you are drinking too much . and happy birthday!!

I never have more than one drink either and I've never felt pressured from anyone to do otherwise. I didn't drink on my 21st bday, and at that time my emet was almost non existent. I've gone out to bars and clubs with friends, didn't drink and still had a good time.

[canonguy]

i'm worried a lot just about the general environment of bars and clubs and of my friends getting wasted and v* (they are all staying at my apartment that night.) i am going to try to suk it up and have fun but i know that fails often...

[anna81]

Wow I hope you have a nice time, maybe drink enough to have fun but stop before it's enough to make you ill?
You're brave letting drunk friends stay, I wouldn't be able to take the risk!