Welcome kitty! Glad you're here. I think we all know what it feels like to think "how am I going to be social without alcohol?" I know I had the same fears, even though most of my drinking was done alone.
All I can say is you're not going to do yourself any favors by going out with drinking friends - especially at first. Try to take it a day at a time and just focus on your recovery for now.
I found that after a period of time I could be around friends and family even when alcohol was present. So it does get better. But for now, if you want to get sober, it's going to mean a few sacrifices.
Another thing I noticed when I did start going out again is that most people don't drink like I did. Infact, there were only a few who did (and I'd bet they have problems themselves).
Hang in there!
