Hello Rudie!
Welcome to SR - you will find a lot of support/information here.
You may want to check out some books related to sobriety for a start, or if you are into the idea of a meeting (AA) I'm sure they have one in your area.
I don't know how much you are drinking but if you are a daily drinker you may want to watch for withdrawal symptoms and seek medical attention if needed - alcohol withdrawal can be dangerous.
My family and former group of friends sound a lot like yours - I found it helpful to take a good hard look at my interests and start there (walking, reading, squash etc...)