Night Outs!

[ROMEO]

Yesterday I met some old work friends where in the past it got very "messy"

I, due to my past necrotising pancreatic illness, have been advised never to drink again so I was on the non-alcoholic beer complete 0%.

I dislike coke and orange juice and the sugar levels are much higher in those drinks in my opinion.

What I noticed gradually as my friends got more and more inebriated and raucous was my contribution to the evening. I could relate to the jokes and banter but felt I wasn't in that zone where everything is hilarious no matter what.

I'm an extrovert character and you can argue you don't need to drink to have a good time well for me that's just a myth. You just don't get that same buzz that elation when all around you let their inhibitions go. I used to love being part of that feeling and find it so difficult to get that high if you like. My friends obviously understand my condition and said you contribute to the evening as much as anyone but I couldn't help feeling I was trying to over compensate getting involved in the banter.

I obviously had my kit with me checking my levels and injecting where necessary essential on a long night out (4am!)

I don't know if I will entertain the idea of a long night out for awhile now. You may call this a self pitying attitude but it really isn't. From being the soul to the nominated driver is tough to take.

This is not a moan about me not being able to drink but even if I could our condition prevents us doing what we used to do.

Diabetes and all its connotations does get to me sometimes.

How do you guys cope in these situations?

 

[Brunneria]

I may not be on insulin, with your pancreas, but i lost interest in drinking as a social sport around 3/4 of the way through university. I went through various phases, from ‘no thanks’ to ‘nah, I prefer not to’ to ‘designated driver’ to ‘I’ll leave early when they all start laughing at nothing’ to ‘I’ll leave when they get boring and irritating’ to ‘I’ll leave as soon as I can’ to ‘no thanks, I’m happier at home,’

Don’t get me wrong, I like the flavour of several drinks, and I love socialising. But nowadays, I socialise in places like restaurants, cafes, dog walks, trips out with friends and family, at home, on hol. Alcohol is often present, but it isn’t the focus, even in pubs. It’s the company that takes priority.

Having said that, it wasn’t diabetes that caused the change. It was seeing what twerps some people turn into when alcohol lowers their inhibitions I am tempted to suggest that you try meeting up with your friends in different situations and locations, and see how your friendships evolve. Most of mine improved. A few fell away. I was glad about both.

 

[ROMEO]

I may not be on insulin, with your pancreas, but i lost interest in drinking as a social sport around 3/4 of the way through university. I went through various phases, from ‘no thanks’ to ‘nah, I prefer not to’ to ‘designated driver’ to ‘I’ll leave early when they all start laughing at nothing’ to ‘I’ll leave when they get boring and irritating’ to ‘I’ll leave as soon as I can’ to ‘no thanks, I’m happier at home,’

Don’t get me wrong, I like the flavour of several drinks, and I love socialising. But nowadays, I socialise in places like restaurants, cafes, dog walks, trips out with friends and family, at home, on hol. Alcohol is often present, but it isn’t the focus, even in pubs. It’s the company that takes priority.

Having said that, it wasn’t diabetes that caused the change. It was seeing what twerps some people turn into when alcohol lowers their inhibitions I am tempted to suggest that you try meeting up with your friends in different situations and locations, and see how your friendships evolve. Most of mine improved. A few fell away. I was glad about both.

Thanks for your thoughts Brunneria

It's seems you have experienced similar to what I have.

You hit it on the nail when you refer to it getting boring when they laugh at anything and get mildly irritating but from my drinking days suppose I could have got accused of acting similar but not knowing it as everyone around me was in the same place.

I do socialise in the places like restaurants or cafe bars where it's more chilled but I have a different set of friends on those night outs.

I guess when I go out with the "lads" I'm going to have to accept that I will not be in that "hype zone" again. I will probably go out with them again because I wouldn't want to lose them as they are essentially good people.

 

[JTL]

You'll get bored with it all soon and stop going so don't worry about it.

 

[ROMEO]

You'll get bored with it all soon and stop going so don't worry about it.

LOL JTL has that been your experience?

It can be a dilemma because in general these are good people. It's the whole dynamics of a night out and I hate letting them down all the time.

 

[SueJB]

@ROMEO I don't do nights out anymore but I still meet with friends at lunch time and have white wine or a spritzer.

 

[Bec in Brighton]

Yesterday I met some old work friends where in the past it got very "messy"

I, due to my past necrotising pancreatic illness, have been advised never to drink again so I was on the non-alcoholic beer complete 0%.

I dislike coke and orange juice and the sugar levels are much higher in those drinks in my opinion.

What I noticed gradually as my friends got more and more inebriated and raucous was my contribution to the evening. I could relate to the jokes and banter but felt I wasn't in that zone where everything is hilarious no matter what.

I'm an extrovert character and you can argue you don't need to drink to have a good time well for me that's just a myth. You just don't get that same buzz that elation when all around you let their inhibitions go. I used to love being part of that feeling and find it so difficult to get that high if you like. My friends obviously understand my condition and said you contribute to the evening as much as anyone but I couldn't help feeling I was trying to over compensate getting involved in the banter.

I obviously had my kit with me checking my levels and injecting where necessary essential on a long night out (4am!)

I don't know if I will entertain the idea of a long night out for awhile now. You may call this a self pitying attitude but it really isn't. From being the soul to the nominated driver is tough to take.

This is not a moan about me not being able to drink but even if I could our condition prevents us doing what we used to do.

Diabetes and all its connotations does get to me sometimes.

How do you guys cope in these situations?

I think it's a question of zoning in. I used to go clubbing, have a vodka and dance like crazy. The dancing made me feel drunk even if I wasn't. Music can do that. I think its the feeling of being on the outside and that is a self-consciousness that alcohol can help alleviate but maybe there are ways to really focus in on your friends and try and forget about how different you are. Besides you could give them lifts home after! Always a way to make yourself popular. There is another thread on here about being grateful about the diagnosis which I've found helpful this morning. Maybe thinking about how lucky you are to have such great and hilarious mates might help?