So for those unfamiliar with the acronym, fear of missing out. I definitely used alcohol as a crutch for socialisation (autism, and when I drink, I don’t feel so autistic). I have been out to a pub / karoake night and successfully not drunk alcohol, twice so far.
When I think about the future and the idea of ‘never drinking alcohol again’ it makes me feel a little sad. I imagine all the fun nights out I used to have, that I won’t have anymore… I imagine sitting around sighing, twiddling my thumbs while everyone has raucous fun.
I don’t feel like these are unreasonable worries, so hoping for some insights to puncture them. My main weapon to fight back is to imagine how I feel the morning after (nauseous, pounding head, sweating) and how that day is wasted; then to remind myself that drinking kicks me into a manic phase, with inevitable week+ of depression to follow.
I used to know a guy called Brian, friend of the family… he was always the life and soul of every party despite being teetotal. Always admired him, maybe that should be my mantra… “WWBD?”
When we are drunk, we are not as much the life of the party as we think we are.
When drunk, I may be less shy and more talkative, but I’m also talking way too much, talking about things I shouldn’t be, and sometimes crossing into inappropriate. Thats all before I start to slur my words and then becoming less intelligible.
Mostly, drunk me, is annoying to mostly sober people. I suspect it’s the same for others.
Yep, reminding myself of how much of an arse I can be when I get really going is definitely a useful tool!