I want to stop/limit drinking but it’s the only way I can spend time with my family
So everyone in my family drinks. I don’t recall anyone having issues, but it’s just a part of the life of our family and especially any birthday celebration or holiday meet-ups. My parents are divorced and they found new partners so we are doubled on birthdays and everything. We’re also doing a trip each year for five days in the nature with my dad’s side of family and family friends and it is all centered about drinking – every evening, and almost always even during the day. Like we do trips, but there’s always alcohol.
I am participating on that because a) it’s the norm in our family, part of the birthday/christmas/visit/family trips ritual and b) i get super overwhelmed and oversocialised super fast if I don’t drink, because we have a big family and everyone speaks loudly and it’s just a lot for me after a short while.
I (26F) am on accutane for a year now (acne), which is pretty heavy on the liver, so that’s one serious reason why I would want to stop or significantly limit my drinking, but I’m also aware it’s just not good for the human body in other aspects either and eventhough I enjoy doing it, I feel like shit afterwards and lose motivation to do things the next day and just waste my time. Oh and alcohol being high in calories is slowing down my journey towards my fitness goals. Also I just find it sad that our family is doing this.
I drink when I go out with friends sometimes too, but somehow I feel a little less bad about that; the reason to drink on those occasions isn’t just to keep some kind of a ritual or numb myself down enough to bear the time together.
I don’t know how to approach this – see my family less, spend time with them in discomfort of overwhelm or just continue doing the same? Anyone having similar experience, similar dilemma?
For context, I’m from central Europe and I guess the culture here just kind of is like this in many families.
TL;DR: in my family we drink on many occasions and i’m concerned about my health but it’s also hard to imagine getting through these family meetings sober because of introversion&overwhelm
!!! i need to say, no one is actively pressuring me to drink, they would respect my choice to not do so, i just feel the pressure of the norm & the need to numb myself to not get overwhelmed with them so fast
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