Get sober (and I don't just mean not drinking) and you will never have to worry about alcohol again!

I did it through AA and have recovered from alcoholism therefore I don't have this kind of problem but ohmigod was I thinking like that when I was just not drinking!!

europagrl,

Ditto to what serenity84 said. I have nothing to offer in the form of how best to white-knuckle it through a situation like this. For us in AA the alcohol obsession has been lifted right out of us. Other people's behavior doesn't preoccupy our thoughts and feelings. This is the solution we've found:

"And we have ceased fighting anything or anyone - even alcohol. For by this time sanity will have returned. We will seldom be interested in liquor. If tempted, we recoil from it as from a hot flame. We react sanely and normally, and we will find that this has happened automatically. We will see that our new attitude toward liquor has been given us without any thought or effort on our part. It just comes! That is the miracle of it. We are not fighting it, neither are we avoiding temptation. We feel as though we had been placed in a position of neutrality - safe and protected. We have not even sworn off. Instead, the problem has been removed. It does not exist for us. We are neither cocky nor are we afraid. That is our experience. That is how we react so long as we keep in fit spiritual condition."

AA Big Book pp.84-5

I exercise before my friends or family arrive for a visit. I'll run 5 miles if I have to....it just takes that edge off and allows me to relax.

Do you ever pray or meditate europagrl? I think that if you center yourself mentally and spiritually before a stressful event, you really would be surprised how you can regulate your anxiety. Also like jacker said, excercise is great to de-stress. In addition, I always say honesty is the best policy-if I feel stressed and craving I let people know around me (that are appropriate). What a weight you could lift if you tell these people your anxiety, we are all human and can so relate to social anxiety. Be honest and yourself, it wont embarrass you and in fact can be very endearing to people.

thank you everybody...everyone of you have great answer....
Karmickiss.-I m kind of clueless how to meditate.my damn mind is so hyperactive......Praying...I pray sometimes ...I'was baptized couple years ago and I'm just founding my self in religion...I believe in God but it is little new to me.....But Thank you

Beleive it or not, usually when we drink we are trying to medicate some type of emotion that we find hard to deal with. The answer is go through whatever it is and don't drink. It's how we learn to get stronger. each time you face that emotion and deal with it soberly, you gain a little freedom, and it gets easier over time. We tend to want it right now. Alcohol will take care of it almost instantly, but the consequences are often worse to deal with. You already know this. You know, yes, the alcohol will releive the stress, temporary, but you will never overcome the initial emotion that causes the stress in the first place. And like you say, afterwards you have the extra stress of the consequences and emberassing yourself. Good for you. James

Take it 1 minute at a time if you have to. When the time comes. You'll be OK.Don't make yourself stress more by worrying about what hasn't happened yet. I find that if I let it happen and not try to "plan " a visit schedule it goes smoothly. If you need to duck out a minute to take a deep breath go right ahead, but DO NOT buy a bottle because you already drank it if you buy it. Just let it happen. You might surprise yourself that you were worried for nothing.

Thanks guys...I'm gonna do it with out any poison...And jamesross...You are right....I think my drinking is about trying to numb my emotions that I have(anxiety )I been doing that for so long...Now is time to face the little devils....Have Great day ya all
Crazymomm...Yea I always stress my self about everything ....work my nerves to the point of explosion.....thnx....I really appreciate this

drinking to relieve stress can be a very bad idea cause your mind will want to have a tendency to want that relief every time you are stressed now.Being truly sober is amazing, just being is amazing and very different to me but I like it so far. take care.

I guess I white-knuckled it for 22 years.

Oh other thing I've noticed, I think about drinking when I'm happy and have something to look forward to.........like I want to party. Not so often out of stress for me.

Just joking about white-knuckling it. I went to treatment at 27 and stayed sober until I was 49 and I never EVER thought about caving in until that dumbass day I decided to experiment to see if I was truly a drunkl. YUP I was/am.