Onewithwings

I lost 'friends'. Thing is, they were never real friends. They were drinking buddies. Big difference.

oakleaf82

I am worried about losing some friends. I haven't yet, but there is another couple my H and I hang out with (a lot, since becoming neighbors). But pretty much all we do together is drink. I figure, like others have said, they weren't real friends if I can't find anything else to base our friendship off of.

stugotz

I lost drinkings partners, not friends....

Chloe03

I'm losing "friends" left and right. In a couple more months, my life might be a one woman show! I keep reminding myself not to isolate. But I find that sober....I just don't like any of my friends! Maybe they feel the same about the sober version of me!

Been thinking about going to AA or something similar to meet other like minded people. Truly wish I didn't need the additional support but I do!

freespirit78

I can totally relate to this! I don't really care for my "friends" anymore. I am really wanting to make new friends with similiar interests.

gofish1331

I lost mt best friend, my wife. Unfortunatly She was also my best drinking buddy.

mercurial me

I just cut my best friend loose because we were "toxic twins." It was rough but I'll be stronger for it and hopefully he'll be better off too.

ImReadyToQuit

The question should be how many friends have YOU lost due to your drinking.

goldengirl3

Please have respect people.

yeahgr8

Yep i lost drinking buddies...not friends...in sobriety i have learned there is a BIG difference!

endlesspatience

My best friend was really understanding about it. We've been out a lot of times over the past few months and I have only drunk on one occassion. Even when I've been cranky or peculiar, he's cut me a lot of slack because he can see I'm striving for sobriety. Likewise with my parents. And I still get on okay with the colleagues I work with - in fact much better than before. I do lunchtime walks rather than after work drinks and that seems a great way to go forward for me.

I would like to deepen my relationships with other AA members but I have a small group of friends who will socialise with me and HUNDREDS AND HUNDREDS of people who will be friendly to me any time I walk into an AA meeting. I can't say that about bars!

LeeK

Most of my friends were (some still are) the rowdy party type, and that coupled with being young and living in an area where kids live to get drunk, I've definitely lost a few buddies to giving up drinking. It was never an outright "you aren't my friend and want nothing to do with you now" kinda thing, but when most of what we did together was get hammered, we tend not to do much at all now.

Supercrew

I wouldn't say I lost any friends over the my periods of sobriety, we just lost opportunities to get hammered together, so we spent less time together. Most drinkers when they get together for any reason to celebrate to mourn to play to relax or just to watch ballgame will drink. When you become the sober one of the group sitting in a crowded bar for 6-10 hours isn't that fun. Recreational activities like golf or cards or bowling or even softball doesn't end when the game is over for drinkers, its over when the booze is gone or the place closes, it's a waste of time for a non drinker. I hate to say I have reaquainted myself with some friends I lost touch with recently because I relapsed, but I can honestly say I wasn't missing anything but wasting time and hurting my health and wellbeing.

thisisme

Alcoholcs travel in packs, it dilutes the responsibility and send a "this is normal" message. I left the pack. I left no friend behind. I left a life behind.

littlefish

A true friend will think your sobriety is fantastic. A drinking buddy won't. An invitation to a breakfast or lunch with no bar will quickly show you the difference between your friends and drinking buds!

puddles

I'm actually ready to say goodbye to most of my drinking buddies. Really it feels like that for the most part those people were part of a lifestyle I no longer embrace. The relationships feel hollow and unsatisfying. It seems that over the years my drinking has both harmed my friendships with healthier people and prevented me from making new friends. I'm actually hoping that one of the outcomes of my sobriety will be a few new healthy relationships. How I am going to do this...I have no idea

TheSunAlsoRises

I lost my then girlfriend, as well as some non drinkers who were sick to death of me, (I defiantly deserved that)... I dunno most people were real supportive. Those that didn't want to hang or stay in touch, well thats not my fault today. Also I have had a few people from that life approach me to talk about quitting etc... you'll discover what a true friend is in sobriety... loosing a few people is a small price to pay... trust me

it sucks at the time but its worth it,
Much love,

Clayton

AmericanGirl

Like others say, I lost some "drinking buddies" who weren't genuine friends, and that was weird at first but ultimately a relief. I think it's an oversimplification, though, to divide everything into "real friend" or "drinking buddy" (at least for me). A lot of my friendships are evolving now that i'm in recovery. I'm not the same person I was. Friendships evolve naturally, I think, and even more if one person is going through a lot of changes. Anyway, golden, I sympathize that it can be a difficult transition. Overall, though, I have faith that in time my new life will get more solid footing

myheadhurts

I didn't lose friends so much as removed everyone and everything that was not good for me from my life the day I stopped drink and drugs.

Haven't looked back, regardless of how bad I feel.

UniqueNewYork

I don't really care about any bar buddies I might have lost. You'd be surprised how easy it is to make new friends when you can sit up straight and look people in the eye, you don't look like hell, your hands aren't shaking, your voice isn't deflated, your mind isn't racing a mile a minute, everything you think isn't negative...