How did your social life change after stopping drinking?

[LemonLimeWater]

After going from fairly regular drinkers (almost every day) dh and I have pretty much stopped drinking.
I was wondering what other people's experiences were, did your friendships with your drinking buddies just fade away after you stopped drinking, or were you able to find new things to do with them? I like my friends and don't want to stop hanging out with them, but also don't want to spend a lot of time in bars.
Any tips on how to manage this would be great. Thanks

Hello! I completely stopped drinking about four years ago. I was a party girl before and drank socially. Ive had a good experience with my friends! I’ve been incredibly lucky - my friends didn’t really ask any questions and we have adapted what we do together. My friends will happily meet for meals or a walk instead no qualms. It was never a big deal to them me stopping drinking!!! I am pretty sure they don’t really invite me to their big nights out anymore, but that’s fine - I wouldn’t go anyway! Hopefully you have the same experience. And well done on cutting back :D

I usually meet friends for lunch or dinner and we have just one glass of wine or a cocktail which lasts for the course of the meal. I can’t do the drinking all evening type of meet ups anymore

It's fairly common in my circle for people to not drink, maybe they have stopped, are off it for a while, have an early start or are driving, so it's no biggie for me. I have also made some new friends around a hobby where there isn't a drinking culture. I usually suggest nights out involving food or film or theatre or a walk or something now so that drinking is not the main focus.

My partner on the other hand has pretty much been dropped by all of his friends cause he doesn't want to go to pubs anymore, as that's all they do. He has not picked up new friends over the years as I have so they are from his young partying days.

Thanks for the messages. We live abroad in a smallish city and there is a real drinking culture here. I guess we just have to see how it goes.

Social life????