Originally Posted by
FreeOwl 
In my experience 'the middle way' was a convenient illusion I created despite the significant and growing evidence it didn't exist for me.
Going out to bars and other events involving drinking as the epicenter without drinking eventually became tiring in sobriety. While I have a lot of friends who still do that, there's nothing in it for me. I began to see the conversations repetitive and kind of boring. I began to see it all as the same experience over and over again.
It has impacted my social life, sure. But over time I am building up a new social life. And the rest of my life, the parts that used to be impaired by te consequences of alcohol use - have improved.
I don't think a 'social life' based on sitting around in loud dark bars and having the same old conversations over and over and over again while pouring poison into my body is worth the impact on my health, emotions, finances, future, mind and other sober life experiences I could be having in a richer, deeper mode of living.
For me, I came to see that the years.... The decades I spent chasing the 'middle way' were sadly filled with a lot of time and experiment and LIFE wasted.
Hi Freeowl, it's a good point you make about the illusive middle way. I think being honest it doesn't truly exist. You either drink and end up neglecting everything else to a greater or lesser extent, or stop drinking, and stop neglecting.
I suppose the reality is that the life adjustments that i will have to make to go sober will take some time and effort.
Ultimately I would like to be able to go out in the evening and be an energetic and fun person without alcohol but I just fear that I won't appear interesting to people and maybe too uptight if I am not drinking alcohol..(sad I know)