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Old 05-24-2016, 04:40 AM
  # 9 (permalink)  
Ken33xx
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Join Date: Jun 2014
Posts: 2,775
Originally Posted by sdi9285 View Post
Sobriety feels so good, but unfortunately drinking is so glorified that being a sober person makes you "boring." It's sad. Being surrounded by people who think drinking is the only thing to do, the only way to have fun, makes it so much harder. I don't mean just my customers at work. My family and friends (especially as a 24 year old...) are the kind of people that all events have to revolve around alcohol to be fun. That's really been pounded into my mind since a very young age. It's definitely a mindset I need to change.

I have a lot I want to do with my life that drinking will only hinder. I experience so much more clarity and enjoyment in everyday activities in my sobriety, but being around my friends and family makes it so difficult to remember that.

I'm not sure how to maintain that mindset through my recovery when I'm constantly being told how much fun everyone had last night or how excited they are to go to camp this weekend to drink beer around the campfire and play drinking games. I find it almost impossible to not drink when I'm surrounded by people that are and are having a good time (outside of work, that is). I feel like I'm missing out. Any ideas or help out there for this kind of thing? I'm sure I'm not the only one experiencing it.
Although I was starting to have problems with my drinking by the age of 24 I idea of quitting never entered my mind. Almost everything non-work related involved drinking.

I look at it two ways: . One I wish I had gotten sober at a younger age (stopped at 35.) On the other hand I have no illusions I might be able to drink without problems returning.

It`s tough. When I first joined AA I was under the impression everyone was at least 30 when they stopped drinking. When one fellow told me he got sober at 19 I didn`t know what to make of it.

However my experience at the age of 24 is the problems associated with drinking never stopped. They only got worse.

As far as my friends who still drink today? I still see them from time to time but take away the booze and we really have little in common. And those who drink heavily are still having problems.

Good luck
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