Parties - tell me im not a weirdo?!

[Hiccupiscal]

So im mid 30s, dont know if that makes a difference.

Close friends 30th birthday, party with food and music thrown at a house, it was garden party and lovely - music, dancing etc (yes I am aware of covid etc)

I was always a big drinker, the person who mingled, got up and danced.. known for a good time.

Recently I've been cutting down on drinking.. alcohol was becoming a problem and had been for a long time.

Tonight I drove. Brought and drank none alcoholic beers.

....and i struggled. An hour in i wanted to go home. By 3hours I left, I was the first to leave.
In this time the people who got steadier more drunk tried to convince me to drink. Get a taxi. Get up and dance. Take photos for/with them. Loads of shocked comments about my lack of drinking/dancing.. also got called a 'boring bitch'

I was counting down the minutes until an acceptable time to leave. I left a quickly and quietly as I could as I didn't want a fuss (saying goodbye to the hosts of course)

I wasn't looking forward to even going tbh, im more comfortable make up-less and happy at home!

I came home and even DP has given me the 3rd degree about why I'm home "early"..

Honestly- I just rather not be involved in these things. The pressure to consume alcohol was really difficult, and i became less and less tolerant the more people drank, the music is all chart stuff that I dont know anymore...

I was happy to come home, take all the gunk off my face and ive slipped into bed now (with a headache) but after all of it and everyone going on at me, I feel like I'm the one being weird!

Please tell me its normal to feel this way? I just feel so over social gatherings like this one. I am finding them hard work and draining. I would take a night at home watching box sets etc above what I've done tonight.

Does anyone else feel like this? Or do I need to look at myself and get back out there?! I used to be the life and soul of these things, now I just don't want to deal with any of it.

(On the major plus side, besides my headache now.... no hangover tommorow. I know future me will be so thankful)

If you’re a weirdo so am I OP. I’m early 30s but the same I don’t enjoy being drunk and knowing I’m going to be feeling bad for the next or two. Instead I would prefer to be at home with DH & DDog and my non alcoholic ciders & wine. I think I’ve just reached a point where I know drinking too much does not bring me enjoyment and I want to enjoy what I spend my time & money on.

Definitely normal.

I find that without drink I just can’t get into the swing of the social occasion and I get bored and miserable.

I used to get drunk at all social occasions but after having kids I barely drink at all now as it’s not worth the torture of the next day looking after kids when feeling tender.
Plus I live a bit out of the city so can’t bare to pay the taxi fee.

So yes I feel the same.
Last social occasion was with work- they all drank and begged me to but I couldn’t and it was just such an unenjoyable experience I left after 2 hours.

Thanks for replies, annoyingly I found it so hard to sleep last night after the party, for thinking that I had been a 'party pooper', plus my head was banging, and I couldn't stop going over the nights events - I think usually if you get drunk they take on a blurred "that was amazing" quality - even though it wasn't.

I find that without drink I just can’t get into the swing of the social occasion and I get bored and miserable.

Thanks for this reply, im so glad that it isn't just me.

In the case of last night, i also drove as taxis to and from would have cost me upward of £45.

I'm honestly dreading any more invites to anywhere, my friend is desperately going on about getting engaged and she loves big parties. I know as soon as that ring is on her finger, the party invites will come in thick and fast.

Is it extreme to become that friend who says "No" to social gatherings ie. Big parties, piss ups etc?
I'm honestly thinking along the lines of i rather not anymore..

I'm invited to a bottomless brunch end soon, which basically means line your stomach, then drink as much as you can in a small window of time... im just not interested. Thinking of cancelling and taking the person we are going out for, for a nice, normal meal...

Is all the above really unreasonable?

I'm the same and I only turned 30 this year.
Havent drank much since I had my first child 7 years ago.
I avoid going to that type of social situation as much as possible. If I do have to go eg to a wedding or special event, I do try to get involved with the dancing etc but am always one of the first to leave.
No way would I go to the bottomless brunch.
Luckily my dp is as 'weird' as me and we happily sit in together in the evenings watching TV and have a takeaway as a treat before going to bed at 10pm. (I'm sure we sound terribly boring).

It’s not weird to not want to get steaming drunk.
It does sound a bit like you don’t really like your friends very much though. I’ve been to plenty of events where I haven’t drank and still had a good time.