Post: #1

What does your social circle look like now? Mostly the same, changed, or non-existant? I have to be honest, I quit drinking 2 years ago and my social circle has taken such a massive hit, i'm not sure it'll ever recover. Just wanted to hear everyone else's experiences.

Post: #2

Social circle annihilated.

Filled the extra time with learning a multitude of subjects and applying the knowledge in order to increase my happiness.

Would do it again.

Would do it a decade sooner if I had another life to live.

Post: #3

All that has happened is that I have lost that daily contact with my drinking friends. In.hindsight they weren't really that close friends in the first place and I still bump into them from time to time and it's still cool.

My real friends are.still there and nothing has changed in that respect.

What has changed is the way in which I socialise. If I go.out with friends we tend to go to restaurants or do something, not just sit in bars.

As you get older you have to make a bigger effort to keep in touch with your friends. That is my current challenge.

Post: #4

Social circle now very different as also quit 2 years ago. I wouldn't say annihilated more evolved. Have replaced old with new. Not that new are also non drinkers they are just different and don't associate a good night with one that is getting stomach pumped.

Still in touch with old social circle but just don't see them as much as my new activities mean we have just drifted apart. They appear stagnant to me now so I really don't miss them a great deal.

Post: #5

Mine didn't change at all but that's because I was still happy to go out partying with mates and be the DD, really the only difference was the lack of hangovers on Sunday morning that generally carried through to Monday!

I've done the non-drinking thing several times and to be honest outside of those couple of days where I'm hungover I don't tend to notice a huge difference overall, pretty sure I'm in the minority there but that's just me.

Exercise is the thing that I notice makes the biggest difference, I feel like a completely different person when I'm doing it regularly and in good shape as opposed to when I'm not (like my previous few months which I'm now having to atone for!).

Post: #6

Quit almost two years ago, circle did not change... but I'm 35+ would not be surprised it can be different for someone in his early twenties!

Post: #7

Quit about three and a half years ago, my social circle has changed somewhat, but not in a huge way. I've seen my drinking friends in a different light (thank god for that) and have no interest in hanging out late at clubs or bars listening to or interacting with drunk people. When I go sometimes it's refreshing and still fun and a reminder of old times minus the hangover and the days spent recovering and I'm thankful for that.
Biggest change I've found - I've reconnected with a few friends who didn't share my ways partying and didn't respect me back then and are now my closest friends. Like honest friends with a real connection built by doing stuff together sober and taking trips without the booze and are now people who I can be honest and open with and who give me an open and honest opinion back...
You can still go and pick up girls at night, I've found though that I appreciate the daytime and my own time and hobbies much more..
Hope this helps

Post: #8

If I did this, I would save possibly $15-20k a year.

I never will though. Drinking only on 1-2 nights per weeek makes sense though.

I have done a sober month here and there and like a previous poster said, I feel no difference whatsoever except in comparison with an actual hangover day from the night before.

Post: #9

(07-04-2018 12:03 AM)nek Wrote:  What does your social circle look like now? Mostly the same, changed, or non-existant? I have to be honest, I quit drinking 2 years ago and my social circle has taken such a massive hit, i'm not sure it'll ever recover. Just wanted to hear everyone else's experiences.

I took a few month break early this year which was probably the longest break I have taken in many years. Kind of had a similar effect I'd say. Now I'm a lot pickier about when I choose to imbibe, what I choose to imbibe, how much to imbibe during a session & how often I choose to imbibe, lol.

Post: #10

(07-04-2018 09:38 AM)jbkunt2 Wrote:  If I did this, I would save possibly $15-20k a year.

Fucks sake, I'm sipping a $2000 Brora 30 year old right now and even I don't spend that much per year on alcohol.

Bar markups are insane.

Post: #11

I was never a huge drinker.
This year I drank twice (both one bottle) due to special events/networking events/family events.

Last time I was drinking before this year was around June, so I went a year without drinking.

I wouldn't say that it really took a huge hit, you just need to find people who don't drink.

Last spring, I always had group of people going out even because I was going out constantly, not because I was drinking. Just get some new friends.

Post: #12

(07-04-2018 09:03 PM)iop890 Wrote:  

(07-04-2018 09:38 AM)jbkunt2 Wrote:  If I did this, I would save possibly $15-20k a year.

Fucks sake, I'm sipping a $2000 Brora 30 year old right now and even I don't spend that much per year on alcohol.

Bar markups are insane.

LOL. At least you're drinking high quality aged stuff. You're right. In a stinking nightclub they are marking up a regular ass mainstream bottle that you can get for $30 at the local liquor store.

Post: #13

I don't have anything against drinking and it's not like I won't have a drink, but at the same time I don't enjoy or feel the need to go out and get shit faced 4 nights a week either, I just feel like I've kind of outgrown that and in the grand scheme of things think about how much of your life you waste staying out all night and sleepign away the next day or feeling like shit the next day.

The people who you've "lost" by not going out drinking and partying, if you and them aren't on the same level in terms of the stuff you enjoy doing then it's really not much of a loss anyways. Also if there were any true friendshhips and not just passing acquantances you won't lose touch with those people you'll still grab lunch or go fishing or get in a workout together. I guess my point is your worrying about losing people who you either dont have something in common with or who were never really true friends anyways.

I dont feel the need to never drink again, I may go out every 2 or 3 months and party it up and get shit faced but its not somethign I do on a regular basis

Post: #14

Have not had a drink in over 7 years. Am 31 now. Used to party heavily and drink a lot mainly because it took a lot of liquor for me to even get drunk. Naturally high tolerance makes one imbibe more than preferred. Quit cold turkey and my social circle quit me in return. Live in a new city in a different state now and slowly have built a social circle of solid friends along with family on my girls side that I can spend time with and can count on unlike the "Friends" from the party days. While they do drink and party here and there they do not get too crazy and are much more tolerable than unstable young drinkers. I'm usually the sober driver and always the sober one at these or any gatherings.

Tolerating people who drink has become an endeavor in itself because they will find you boring since you are talking normal and not all amped up the way they get when drinking. I'm no bore and this does give me a chance to work on my wit and parroting cool shit I learn or read about. Keeps my life interesting.

Post: #15

Almost stopped drinking 4 months ago, had 5 beers one night. I simply have one one friend left who was in my "drinking circle", we was maybe 20-25 people who would meet up in holidays and such. But Im moving soon, so its no big problem for me.

Post: #16

Started a gradual process of quitting some 7 years ago. Now I'm drinking maybe once every 6 months.

My social circle changed totally, however I attribute this to several location changes. My old high school friends still get together to get wasted and I've to say I'm happy not to be part of this.

No regrets, I had great times drinking, but becoming a better person and develop skills is certainly easier while being sober