Pressure to Drink at Social Events

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How to Handle the Pressure to Drink at Social Events (Without Relapsing or Losing Yourself)

Social pressure is real.

Especially when you're sober, sensitive, or still figuring your way forward.

And that pressure can come from the outside ("Come on, just one drink") or from inside ("I don’t want to be the weird one not drinking").

This blog breaks down how to handle both types of pressure—with stories from my own early sobriety, a few client insights, and some ridiculously simple tools that actually work.

The Sobriety Safety Plan:

Here’s the deal: when you're early sober or feeling vulnerable, don’t just show up and hope for the best. Have a plan.

Bookend your day. Call a sober friend before and after the event.

Take sober timeouts. Go to the bathroom, step outside, breathe, regroup.

Know your exit plan. You don’t need to stay the whole night.

Tell at least one person you’re not drinking. Let someone have your back.

Having a plan is power. It gives you back your choice in moments that feel overwhelming.

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Sober Timeouts Save the Day!

One of my early sobriety sponsees used to come over in full-on meltdown mode. I'd send her straight to my little meditation closet. She'd call it her "sober timeout." Minutes later, she’d reemerge calmer, clearer, and back in her body. That tiny pause changed everything.

Don’t underestimate the power of a bathroom break and a breath.

That Time My Boss Spiked My Drink.

At 7 months sober, I was working in Australia and hadn’t told anyone I was sober. Big mistake. My boss literally took bets on when I’d drink, spiked my soda water with vodka, and pushed drinks in my face all night.

I almost gave in.

But I took a bathroom break (hi, sober timeout), prayed like hell, and made it out of that bar without drinking.

The next day, I went to a recovery meeting in Sydney, saw a sign on the podium that said:

S.L.I.P. = Sobriety Losing Its Priority.

That hit me hard.

I realized I wasn’t a victim of my boss or that bar. I had put myself in harm’s way.

And that was empowering. Because if I walked myself into it, I could walk myself out.

Boundaries Can Feel Bad (And That’s Okay)..

When I skipped my roommate’s 30th birthday party—a night of bar hopping I knew would be risky for my sobriety—she was mad.

But I stayed sober.

And we were still friends.

Sometimes people won't understand your boundaries. Let them feel however they feel. Your job is to protect your peace and your progress.

Is This Taking Me Toward a Relapse
or Toward Sobriety?

This is the real question.

It simplifies everything.

Saying yes to the bar when you're feeling off? Probably a relapse step.

Skipping the bar and going to a recovery meeting instead? Sobriety step.

You don't have to be perfect.

Just start noticing. Then choose more sobriety steps than relapse ones.

Quick Recap: What Actually Helps.

Have a plan. Bookend with sober friends. Know your boundaries.

Use sober timeouts. Bathroom. Bedroom. Meditation closet. Take the moment.

Tell someone you're not drinking. Even just one person makes a difference.

Notice your steps. Are they taking you closer to relapse or recovery?

Trust your intuition. The next right action is usually already inside you.

If you’re in the early sobriety jungle, this stuff can feel like survival.

But soon, these tools become second nature.

And you start building a life that feels actually good.

You’re not here to just survive sobriety.

You’re here to thrive in it.

A Powerful Step Forward:

If you’ve ever walked into a party, a work event, or even a casual night out and felt the pressure to drink crash over you like a wave—internally battling anxiety, people pleasing, and the fear of standing out—Liberated in Sober Skin is your lifeline.

This course was built for moments exactly like that. It gives you the tools to calm your nervous system in real time, recover from emotional overwhelm, and stand grounded in your truth even when the world is pushing you to be someone else.

You'll learn how to manage anxiety attacks, release the fear of judgment, and build true confidence that doesn’t depend on a drink in your hand or validation from anyone else. If social events still spike your heart rate or leave you spiraling after, Liberated is the next step to feeling powerful, safe, and unapologetically YOU.

I WANT TO BE LIBERATED