You seem to doing everything right - The counter to addictions is social connections. Addictions are alienating. They cause you to break social ties as the bra

You seem to doing everything right - The counter to addictions is social connections. Addictions are alienating. They cause you to break social ties as the brain tends to (faultily) prioritise the addictive behaviour over your relations. People who tend towards addictions often don't have a fulfilling social life. (A fulfilling social life includes one or more intimate relations - sexual and platonic - and non-intimate ones with friends and co-workers). The addictions appear, and feel, like a good alternate to the fulfilment that a relationship provide. But as addictions cause alienation, they make the problem worse, and become self-destructive. > I've found that holding a drink also serves as a great way for me to get over my social anxiety. Did you know that Alcohol is not a stress buster but actually increases anxiety in an individual? ( https://www.drugrehab.com/addiction/alcohol/can-alcohol-give-you-anxiety/ https://www.drugrehab.com/addiction/alcohol/can-alcohol-give... ) You cannot ignore anxiety away as it is a normal reaction to any stressful event (mild or high). The best way to tackle anxiety is to acknowledge it and indulge in the behaviour causing the anxiety. Otherwise anxiety fosters avoidance behaviour (e.g. what you called escapism). So forget that it is the drink in hand that is making you relaxed - it is actually the lack of alcohol in your drink that is making you feel "normal". As for what to drink instead - do you really have to drink anything more than one or two glass? Maybe have some chewing gum, or focus on the snack and having fun with your friends instead. Or volunteer to serve the drinks instead. (Also have you told your friends that you are cutting down on alcohol and sugary drinks?) A better - must - thing to focus on is if you are doing daily exercises. It makes you feel good, reduces anxiety, and makes it easier to socialise.