I will avoid social situations where people drink

What triggers your urge to drink? If certain people or places make you drink even when you don’t want to, try to avoid them.

Socially, avoid activities involving drinking. If you feel guilty about turning down an invitation, remind yourself that you are not necessarily talking about "forever." When the urges subside or become more manageable, you may decide to ease gradually into some situations you now choose to avoid.

In the meantime, you can stay connected with friends by suggesting alternate activities that don't involve drinking. Instead, try taking a class, joining a church or a civic group, volunteering, or attending events that don’t serve alcohol.

These tips will help you control your drinking:

Stay away from people you normally drink with or places where you would drink.
Plan activities you enjoy that do not involve drinking.
Keep alcohol out of your home.
Follow your plan to handle your urges to drink. Remind yourself why you decided to quit.
Talk with someone you trust when you have the urge to drink.
Create a polite but firm way of refusing a drink when you are offered one.

Change takes place in stages over time. The first stage is being ready to change. You can learn from each of these important stages:

Thinking about the pros and cons of stopping drinking
Making small changes and figuring out how to deal with the hard parts, such as what to do when you’re in a situation where you would normally drink
Stopping drinking
Living an alcohol-free life

Many people go back and forth through the stages of change several times before the change really lasts. Know what you will do if you slip up. Try not to be discouraged.

Talk about your drinking with your health care provider, an alcohol counselor, your family, or your friends. Weigh the pros and cons of quitting with them.

Source: rethinkingdrinking.niaaa.nih.gov/toolsresources/copingwithurgestodrink.asp