I don’t drink and it’s none of your business.
That sounds harsh doesn’t it? It’s true though. Non-drinkers are usually faced with a barrage of questions when they turn down a drink. The same situation wouldn’t occur if one was to turn down a cigarette. Alcohol is the only drug you have to justify not taking and it just isn’t fair.
The first question most face is, “Are you an alcoholic?” However tempting it might be to ask that — don’t. It’s rude and once again — none of your business.
There’s a myriad of reasons that one might not drink. Yes, they may struggle with alcohol use disorder or they may abstain for religious reasons, for their health, their safety, due to drug interactions, the rare but true allergies to alcohol, or because they just don’t like the way it makes them feel.
Why would one abstain for health reasons? After all, we all hear about how moderate drinking is good for your health.
New research actually disproves those studies. Science now says that no amount of alcohol is safe. It’s linked to over seven forms of cancer, cardiovascular disease, anemia, fatty liver disease, obesity, dementia, depression and over 60 other disorders.
It seems that moderate drinkers tend to lead healthier lifestyles overall and that might be why they are less likely to develop certain conditions — not because of the alcohol itself.
Making the decision not to drink isn’t easy. We live in a society that glorifies alcohol and is undoubtedly a drinking culture. Making the choice to abstain can make one feel like a social pariah, and being subjected to an interrogation over it doesn’t help.