Wellness Center - Beer Free Zone

What to say if someone is trying to force you to take a drink or play a drinking game.

Whether you decide not to drink at all or to drink responsibly, you may find yourself in a situation where one person or a group of people are trying to get you to drink. Sometimes the people who are pressuring you the most are the people that you’re the closest to.

What follows is a list of things that you can say that will help to stop people from pressuring you. However, if you use one of these ideas and you keep getting pressured; you have to ask yourself “What’s in it for them?” “What does this person gain by getting me drunk?”

Is this an opportunity for them to humiliate you, take your stuff, or to take sexual advantage of you? If they refuse to hear what you’re saying and leave you alone, then you need to immediately leave the situation.

Medical condition
-– “I can’t, my doctor said using alcohol would mess with this condition I have…”

Medication / Allergic reactions
-– “Last time I used that stuff I ended up in the hospital.” -–“I can’t use any alcohol with this medication I’m on.”

Academic
-–“I got a paper that I have to finish up tomorrow.”

Refer to a higher authority
-– “I can’t, they’re starting to do drug checks at my job.”
-– “I’m the designated driver.”
-–“I could lose my housing.”
-– “I could get kicked out of school.”
-– “My parents are picking me up early tomorrow morning.”
-– “I’m on academic probation and if I get out of line I could get kicked out of school.”