Originally Posted by
ATime4Change 
I want to stop. I am scarred to stop. It is my social life. I am not naieve enough to think I could still go and visit my friends and drink soft drinks. I have wondered if I could revert to my original ways and only go on Fridays. I doubt that would work either.
Whenever I go one who day without beer, which I do once in awhile, I always wake up cold and soaking wet. It doesn't happen when I drink.
Hi and welcome to this great site.
We all know how you are feeling here. The thought of stopping drinking is very scarey and you are right, just drinking on Fridays will not work. Many of us have tried to control our drinking and just found it impossible, long term. You have passed a point of no return. You can no longer go back to those good days when drinking was a social fun thing to do without any consequences.
The cold sweats, when you go without beer for a day, are a sign that your body and is physically dependant on alcohol to survive. This is why you end up drinking again as the craving is so overpowering.
The fact you are experiencing these symptoms when you go without for a day could mean that you need medical help to detox, if you decide to quit. Please talk to your doctor about this and be honest about your drinking and withdrawal symptoms. Trying to quit without medication could cause serious harm to your health.....some people even die. I'm not saying that to be dramatic....just because it is an actual risk.
As to your friends and social life, one of the great things about AA is that not only to they offer a solution to help you stay sober they also give you new social opportunities. You will make new friends there, do different things socially which don't revolve around alcohol. Everyone there is in the same situation so we all help each other.
That's not to say you have to get rid of your old friends as once you are sober for a good time you may find you are able to be around them without getting the urge to drink.
Please keep in touch.