It can sometimes be hard to meet people. It is hard to get out, hard to feel comfortable in strange situations, hard to know what to say. The gut instinct is to, when going out, be quiet and nervous, not say anything for fear of getting laughed at. Or to get a drink, get drunk and let happen what will be. Neither solution is particularly conducive to successfully meeting people. Especially if you are on medication. It is important to stress that if you are on medication, alcohol might be detrimental.

That said, the physical act of holding a drink might be calming. The first thing to try would be a soda. You can drink as much of it as you want, without many ill effects. It also may act as a placebo, where you can feel comfortable having a drink in your hand without needing to have something that might intoxicate you. If you need to have a drink, limit yourself to one.

The second step is to get involved in conversations. Pick someone who looks friendly and try to join in a conversation with them. It might be easier to join in while they are talking with other people. This way, you can find a conversation that you are comfortable in and establish yourself when you are on steady ground. It's nerve-wracking to join a group and conversation, so why try and do it in an area that you know nothing about. Following these steps will get you in the right direction.

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