This is Annie Grace and you're listening to this naked mind podcast where without

judgment, pain or rules, we explore the role of alcohol in our lives and culture.

I have a question from Millie. So Millie says, hi Annie, not sure if this is where you answer

questions, here's my question. I'm in that awkward phase where everyone around me drinks

and everyone knows that I'm no longer drinking. I can tell they feel awkward drinking

in front of me because their body language is a lack of eye contact and I feel awkward

because I know that it's my not drinking that makes them feel uncomfortable. How do I deal

with this? How do I make them feel comfortable and how long does this last? Thank you so much

for everything you do. Well, Millie, this is a really great question. I think people feel

uncomfortable for a few reasons. First of all, they feel uncomfortable because mainly they think

they're making you uncomfortable by drinking and so what I would do in that case is just be really

honest in that front and you almost have to call out the elephant in the room. I know that when I first

stop drinking people would be like, am I okay to have a drink? Is that going to bother you?

Is it going to affect you? I love something that comedian Jim Gaffigan says. He's like,

he doesn't drink and he says, you know, people wouldn't do the same thing with mayonnaise.

Like, hey, Millie, are you going to be okay if I use some mayonnaise in front of you? Do you want

me to go outside and use my mayonnaise? Is it cool that I'm eating mayonnaise and you're not eating

mayonnaise? That's the truth of it, right? You've made this decision. You've made this choice.

Of course, they can drink in front of you. You wouldn't have made this decision if it was going

to be like you were made of glass and all of the sudden every single person was going to be offending

you by drinking. So, you know, you made this decision for yourself and similar to if somebody becomes

a vegetarian or something, people should, you know, it's okay to eat meat in front of vegetarians and

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