I went out last night with the goal of, just one drink…. I feel stupid thinking I could do that. Here I am now, hungover on a Monday. I feel sick and so disappointed in myself. How do I tell my friends kindly to not invite me out. I obviously don’t have the will power. I really want to not drink. I know that I can’t have a healthy relationship with alcohol. I don’t even like drinking, I hate who I become, I hate how I feel after. I wish I was strong and smarter.
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One drink triggers your physical addiction response.
It’s not that you’re a weak person - you have a disease. You triggered the symptom of your disease that makes it damned near impossible to stop at just one drink.
When I go out now I get myself a soda water with lime or splash of cranberry juice. Sure it’s hard to be around booze and people drinking it but it’s impossible to just have “a drink” and I know it. Sounds like you know it too now & that’s progress! 
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It’s not that you shouldn’t be invited, but set your boundaries and and be sure your friends know what those boundaries are. You are definitely not stupid, week, or a failure. You are alcoholic. We have all made those deals with ourself… just one. That is the addiction tricking you. If you haven’t gotten into a program, look into them. There are several different ones out there. The tools are available to you if you want them.
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Try a meeting. It’s wild how it works if you really want it to work. Good luck
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Hello Kay, Tim is right. Education was a great tool for me. Read Alcohol Explained by William Porter it's easy to read and understand what alcohol does to keep you addicted. Check out Gillian Tietz's website, podcast, and YouTube videos at Sober Powered. She is a recovering alcoholic with a wealth of information and Alcohol. I listen to the podcast in my car.
Best of luck reach out anytime 
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Don’t beat yourself up!
You may need to take a step back and really evaluate the situation. Be honest with yourself and your friends.
If they are your real friends they should respect you as a person for wanting to be sober and not drink.
You may need to start small and enjoy things that don’t involve alcohol and then maybe go out with friends? Idk my two cents I’m here if you need to talk
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Start hanging out with sober people! And if your not sober friends can’t handle you saying hey drinking isn’t for me or doesn’t agree with me… I would love to hang out and do something that doesn’t involve alcohol…Like go on a hike, or bowling, or a yoga class…or insert whatever you like to do… and if they say no or don’t like it then they really aren’t your friends anyway! You deserve better and a big part of recovery is setting boundaries and cutting out any and all negative influences and energies! Remember this feeling and always play the tape through when you’re feeling tempted! Like everyone else said you are not stupid or weak. And willpower has nothing to do with it. You have a disease and your brain has been RE-wired. You are different than some in this way and there is nothing wrong with that. Alcohol is a poison and the devil anyways. Does it make anybody a better person? HECK NO! At least you know that about yourself. Most don’t and/or don’t care.
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Thank you all so much for your encouraging words.
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Been struggling the same way here..
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Sometimes I find that if I just have something in my hand, it calms the craving for alcohol. When everyone else is drinking alcohol, try ordering something else. And keep ordering something else. Always have a glass in your hand that has something other than alcohol in it.
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I don’t have any friends now. You just have to chose: do you want to be alive or have friends?
You can do this. I have faith in you!
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“One drink is too many and a thousand isn’t enough”. When I heard that, I KNEW I had to be done. So true.
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When we stumble and fall we get back up and keep going that’s the key to everything
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I feel this to my core. I'm sorry you're struggling.
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“Lack of power, that was our dilemma”
I have been where your at. It is a miserable place. The AA program has given me a life beyond my wildest dreams. I can only share my experience and say it worked for me. All the best.
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Also on page #24 of the Big Book it tells me that all the stupid s!%# I did while drinking the pain and misery + knowing that booze is no good for me is not enough to keep me from drinking. IF I’m an alcoholic. “Self knowledge was not enough”
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