If you have successfully quit drinking

[Shasha17]

What happened to your friendships with people who still drink?

Most of the people I know drink and their social lives / my previous social life were built around alcohol.

I've been living abroad and have totally quit alcohol with no intention of re-starting drinking due to several issues I've realised I have with alcohol.

But I just feel like I'll have no friends left if I go home!

If you have quit alcohol, did you manage to maintain friendships you had before?

When I imagine the rest of my life and consider never drinking alcohol again I feel terrified in the sense that that's how I made ALL my friends and maintained ALL my friendships - I feel like I'm going to be Billy No Mates! My hometown in the UK is a pretty socially-boozy place, with all our town events having alcohol playing a big part. I haven't even dared tell anyone from home that I've quit and it's been a while now.

Is my only option to no longer be friends with my previous friends? 😢

And just so nobody comes along saying "What's your AIBU?" (hate that!): AIBU to think I'm gonna be Billy No Mates or has anyone had successful experiences of maintaining friendships with socially big drinkers?

Drunk people aren't fun when you're sober, you will also get other interests that they won't want to be part of so it doesn't bode well.

You don't need to cut them out but they will likely fall by the wayside. Sorry.

I've done it. Although a lot of my friends have done the same as we have gotten older. We choose to drive to nights out rather than spending a fortune on taxis as we all live out of the towns and cities.

If I do go out with my big drinking friends, then I just drink soda and lime and never get involved in getting "rounds" in.

If your friends are real friends, than 99% of the time they won't care if you are drinking alcohol or juice all night and after a couple of nights out no one notices anyway.

I still go out with friends, I don't mind. I just perhaps leave a little earlier and get up earlier the next day.

What I hate though is the pressure and questioning about not drinking. It annoys me and makes me think how awful it must be for people who are alcoholics etc.

2.5 years dry here. Congratulations! I was really worried about this, but actually my booziest friends have been my biggest supporters. I think a lot of people are actually quite jealous that I’ve been able to stop drinking, and would quite like some of the peace and headspace that I’ve achieved (shit description but true). The people who give you a hard time often have their own alcohol issues. First few nights out will be HARD (maybe volunteer to drive??) but soon it will be new normal.

Congrats again - it’s not easy but for me it’s been very worth it.