[XPQ21]

I suffered from some health problems for several years that luckily I have mostly recovered from. Unfortunately, it seems a lasting side effect of the particular issues I had is an inability to tolerate alcohol - I become very ill for a day or two after consuming any more than one or two beers or mixed drinks.

However, avoiding places where alcohol is served entirely, like bars, clubs, concerts, etc. will severely limit one's "night game" options. But walking around with a Sprite or a non-alcoholic beer, or having to turn down participating in a round of drinks, maybe gives off a "holier-than-thou" vibe.

I admit that I mostly have been avoiding these places because without being able to drink it seems kind of pointless. But yeah, as I said - option limiting.

Any thoughts on how to play it?

[CleanSlate]

Just ask for a slice of lime and put it on your glass of sprite. No one will notice you're not drinking an alcoholic beverage.

[therajraj]

I buy Perriers.

But yes I agree, it's harder to match the energy levels of people in bars drinking when you're sober.

[XPQ21]

(05-05-2015 10:38 AM)CleanSlate Wrote:  

Just ask for a slice of lime and put it on your glass of sprite. No one will notice you're not drinking an alcoholic beverage.

Heh. So simple, it's brilliant.

[XPQ21]

(05-05-2015 10:44 AM)therajraj Wrote:  

I buy Perriers.

But yes I agree, it's harder to match the energy levels of people in bars drinking when you're sober.

Yep. Another thing I've found is that back when I was drinking I could have fun goofing around with other drunk people. Unfortunately, now that I'm sober and maybe getting older, when other people around me are loaded and I'm not I sort of just find the behavior involved irritating.

[General Stalin]

Undoubtedly is going to come up, take it from a life-long non-drinker. Just be transparent about it and say alcohol doesn't sit well with you whatever, or its just not your thing. You can create a conversation about it.

[HenrySprinkler]

I second the lime on a sprite or coke. I've actually done this before. No one says anything and most bartenders will give you those drinks for free on Fri/Sat. Additionally you can simply wait around outside clubs and pick off girls who are leaving them. No one knows that you aren't coming from another club or bar yourself.

If you want something more devious and involved.... Find a few bars that have good ratios and go to the bars early. Make friends with the bartenders and tell them about how you can't drink but don't want to come across as sanctimonious. Give them a 10 spot up front and when youre at the bar hitting on ladies you can say I'll take a bourbon and coke. Bartender passes you a coke (with no bourbon)and doesn't even ask you to pay. Immediate social proof/intrigue plus your drinking problem is solved.

How recently have your health problems resolved.... you may just have to wait it out a while longer before you can tolerate the stuff.

[Doce]

In some places - countries in Europe at least - they offer non alcoholic beers that are of similar colours as their alcoholic counterparts. If available ask for one in a glass cup, no one will know the difference

[jariel]

I think it's great if guys can get off their dependence of liquor when it comes to "night game", this is a great opportunity for you given your illness.

I mostly go to dancing events where there are hardcore dancers, and they tend to not be drinkers, so it's not an issue.

However, at regular clubs, you're there with people who've popped pills, snorted lines of soft, smoked weed, and drank a bottle of Jack, so the experience is quite different when you're sober around a bunch of people who are not.

[Ethan Hunt]

I've experimented with sober game with different non alcoholic drinks.

Obviously non alcohol holiday drinks such as bottled water or energy drinks I found people considered to be a bit suspicious. Whereas a lemonade with added lime or lemonade (or lime cordial) I found no one was suspicious at all.

Water oddly is expensive. There's alcohol that is cheaper than water in bars. Higher end the bar the higher the cost of water. Unless you get tap but I'd rather not.

Energy drinks gave me a buzz and I could be as lively as drunk people on it but it comes with a severe downside. It keeps you awake all night even when you are exhausted from burning off all that energy. Then there's the comedown. 2 cans and the next day I feel as bad as I would on a heavy drinking session. I piss like a fucking giraffe on that stuff and is on par cost wise with water. It's negatives far outweigh the positives for me so I avoid that now.

Lemonade with a lime or a coke with a lemon. No one could tell that it wasn't alcohol. It is often the cheapest drink in the bar and there is no comedown the next day. Also don't piss nearly as often. As the cost is so low if you are unfortunate to be in a bar that does not allow you to take drinks to the smoking area then I don't mind throwing away a glass of lemonade. If it was mixed with alcohol I'd prefer not to do that.

When I go to bars I tend to buy a lemonade and any alcohol that would normally go with it separately. IE drink neat spirits only. If the bar permits taking your drink outside and only sells lower end spirits then I don't mind using a mixer.

I've never experimented with fruit juices. A friend of mines house mate occasionally tags along with us and she always get orange juice with her drinks. Her breath reeks because of it. With a alcohols mixed with high sugar content of the juice I get wasted much faster than if I stick to premium neat spirits. I avoid those for that reason.

Blue labelled bottle beer in the UK tends to be non alcoholic. I've never really seen the point in them. I'm not a fan of the taste of beer and removing the alcohol content seems like a waste of time for me. Oddly though, despite them having zero alcohol you still have to be over 18 in order to purchase them.

There's a few options for you. I think the lemonade with a lime would be best suit as others have suggested.

[XXL]

Go to big dark loud danceclubs.

It's easy to blend in the crowd. Nobody sees who's drinking what. It's mostly about dancefloor/physical game there. If you clearly have fun and enjoy your time there nobody says shit about you not drinking anything. It's kind of weird but you just have to experience it on your own. I used to go to such clubs solo and sober. Nobody could tell anything.

[Saladin]

Learning to go out sober will greatly improve your game and your long term health and productivity. Many of the elite players I know either don't drink at all or drink low amounts. Nowdays I mostly go out sober, with an occasional night of drinking for fun. You can analyze your game far better and be much sharper. Additionally going in dead sober forces you to learn how to unwind without alcohol. Learning how to "warm up" without a drink or two is a skillset of its own which leads to much better emotional control over yourself.

You get used to it by going out sober. First its tough, but eventually you get to a point where you feel comfortable being sober in a club or bar.

Just order waters and drink that. If anyone asks say you already pre-drank and want to pace yourself. People rarely do ask. In fact more people are out sober than you think. Designated drivers, or work tomorrow, or random shit like that.

[Brodiaga]

I don't know about you guys, but I can't stand loud bars when I'm sober. I'd rather stay home and hit up Tinder or something. I know it's not ideal, but at least I feel comfortable.

[CaptainCrazy]

1) Have a fake drink as it's been already suggested in order not to look awkward.
2) 200mg caffeine tablet and have another 200mg split in quarters to add to the first one. Add more if you dare.

30 minutes after taking 200mg caffeine tablet you'll rock that club.

[Pride male]

Smoke some weed before going out!

[civpro]

I am unable to nightgame without booze. I hate approaching, I hate nightclubs, and I hate rejection. Most guys do. So it's only natural to drink up and game. Alcohol is the liquid happiness that turns all of this around.

But if you want to learn how to do it dry, then there's only one true effective way: hang out with experienced RSD guys. They are masters at this, and they've elevated the weird practice it into a comedic art form. They'll justify it by saying it makes for a more "pure" game. This is coping nonsense, but for them it's justification enough. The real benefit is saving money.

[The Beast1]

I'm a fan of ginger ale and bitters. Soda and bitters if I don't want something sweet.

[Fortis]

I can't imagine partying without alcohol. Everyone would Piss me off so much.

[XPQ21]

(05-06-2015 02:06 AM)Pride male Wrote:  

Smoke some weed before going out!

I haven't smoked in years - I never really liked the high it gave me IIRC anyway. Alcohol used to make me feel creative and energetic in moderate quantities. Pot kinda just made want to lie in bed and stare at the ceiling and fuck off.

It's possible it would have the same adverse effects on me as alcohol does now in any event. I'd obviously have to experiment to find out; I don't really know anything about weed. My neighbor smokes this shit all the time that seems to have a fairly pleasant scent - sort of like a citrus/strawberry thing, not at all the awful "skunk" odor that I remember. Maybe I'll ask her if she'll let me try it sometime.

Thanks again to everyone for all the advice in this thread.

[swoosh]

brotha,

I speak from experience, I too had to give up the sauce for health reasons. You may still be in the grieving stages but recognize we are adaptable men. Consider this a transition in your life and use it to your advantage. When I stopped drinking I still went to bars to hang and swoop. Your friends will appreciate you choosing to be around despite not partaking. I also realized how much of a crutch alcohol was to me and how I thought it improved my performance. Not the case. At first I was uncomfortable spitting game sober. Maybe you feel the same, I don't know, however, it provided an opportunity for me to overcome a weakness I recognized. Now I spit game in any situation as my frame of mind is solid and unwavering; My confidence is no longer reliant on booze.

Some other useful tips I would like to share after my struggles in developing N/A game:

- Tighten up that tea game: I have taken many girls out to tea shops or just went to high end drinkeries where they serve tea/coffee (Note: these places must be cozy and preferably dark and swanky, coffee shops are too bright/public/ loud). Just make up stories about where the tea comes from or do real research and remember to sound interesting and learned. It has worked 4/5 times for me in the last 2 months.

-Never apologize to anyone for not drinking.

-Ditch the soda, fuck that sugary shit. Get some club soda in that glass and put a lime up on it. Your pancreas will thank you for not destroying your A1-C. Plus your body can use the extra sodium in the club soda cause I know your going to be sweat'n the way you roll.

-Now that you have all this excess cash because you aren't spending it at the bars, try stocking your fridge with some good N/A shit. I saw it was mentioned earlier, Perrier, Pelligrino, Coconut water, red bull ect....

-be a good host, keep a small amount of booze for guests at your crib. Im not drinking but I make sure everyone else is having a good time too.

Your game will get tighter, you'll still fuck plenty of girls, you can still act like an asshole at the bars cause everyone else will be doing the same. You can also swoop drunk chicks.. and drive home no problem.

I can't think of a better life transition, just find your silver lining and capitalize on it. Have fun, continue to improve, run game, and stay fly.

[swoosh]

I just wanted to add one last thing:

When your struttn around sport'n your mocktail at the bar and a girl and asks you, and they always do (nosey bitches) "whachya drinkin"?, Don't tell them, playfully make them guess and guess and then change the subject. It has become part of my routine and I think it works well in stimulating the woman brain.

[Ingocnito]

(05-05-2015 07:06 PM)Brodiaga Wrote:  

I don't know about you guys, but I can't stand loud bars when I'm sober. I'd rather stay home and hit up Tinder or something. I know it's not ideal, but at least I feel comfortable.

My guess is alcohol dulls the senses including hearing quite a bit. I notice the same thing with loudness. There's also the concept of being "noise drunk," where your brain does all it can to shelter your ears from SPLs damage. So you get tired just from fending off the noise.

[Sebastian]

I don't know why this is even an issue. Maybe you have 'they are looking at me because I am drinking a water' in your head?

Who's going to pay attention to what you are holding? even if they do, does it matter?

Are we in junior high? where being able to drink is considered Cool and getting acceptance?

It's all about being in fun conversational mode. If you can loosen up yourself without help of alcohol, that's great. Some people even get creepier as they drink. It's not about having alcohol in your system.

If you are going to the bar to mingle, focus on that. I don't understand about guys who go to the bar to hit on women and they just end up racking bills because they are pussies to approach.

Btw, you don't want to be known as a cheap ass who doesn't buy shit at the bar if you are a regular there. So at least tip the bartender for getting a glass of water.

[BrazilianCocaine]

Even when drinking loud clubs make me tired these days. Focus on day game if you don't drink or pop pills/smoke herb.