Teen Forums - Teen Chat, Teen Help, Teen Advice & Support

Hi im a 20 year old girl (i know technically not a teen) and I am completely straight edge, I dont drink or smoke and have never done either. My mum was an alcoholic throughout my early teens and we were constantly arguing and fighting and I had to stay with my grandparents for a while so that completely put me off drinking. I dont really talk to my dad but from what i understand he's an alcoholic too, most of my family are or they are drug users, not heavy drugs.
Now that im 20 it seems all my friends are the same they either uses drugs or drink the majority do both, I dont really go out with them because i feel uncomfortable when im in situations when everyone is drinking, I used to just stay at home with my mum and have girls nights in, when she stopped drinking about 3 years ago we became really close but over the last year she has started having a drink every couple of months now every few week and she cant see whats happening and all of a sudden i feel trapped in a world where everyone has to drink. Im just so fed up with everything.

If I'm following this correctly, you're saying that you don't like going out with your friends because they're all drinking, and you're straightedge.
Just because you don't want to drink, or do drugs doesn't mean that you cannot go out and have some fun. You can just explain to them that you don't have any interest in having a drink or becoming intoxicated but would like to hang out instead. If for whatever reason you're uncomfortable or don't want to explain that you're straightedge - why don't you offer to be the Designated Driver for the night out? By being DD any pressure they may be putting on you to do anything will be eliminated, and you could be stopping them all from driving.

Being straightedge is nothing to be ashamed of, and there are many pros attached to it.
By being so - you are a reliable ride and you can save lives by not letting your friends drive while intoxicated.

It's nothing to be fed up, or embarrassed or anything about other than proud
& quite frankly, if your friends don't understand your views on not wanting to do anything and if they pressure you, then they aren't real friends and you can find others who will support your decisions

You don't have to drink or use to hang with people that do...i don't drink myself, and i still hang with people who drink. I just take something without alcohol, and they respect that

Also glad to read you aren't being forced into drinking even though your whole surrounding does so.

Being someone who doesn't drink alcohol isn't a big deal. I'm twenty and I have friends who don't drink. You could just drink something nonalcoholic and go out. Surely your friends will respect your decision, especially considering your past.