Roadhunter

I am lucky that all of my friends have, at one time or another, decided to be sober for a time. So, if I say I don't want a beer when they offer one, they don't ask a second time. If anyone KNOWS you are trying to stay sober and says something like "come on, just have one", you might want to reconsider how much of a friend they really are.

LaDita

As crazy as it sounds, I think that is a good idea. If these are people who you're relationship primarily revolved around going out and drinking, then I think that is especially a good idea.
Use this time to focus on yourself and try to find people who are supportive of your decision to stop and stick close to those, SR is a really great place for that. Eventually you will be ready to tell them, in your own way, but I also understand the position you're in right now.
I think it's alot harder for young people whose social life revolved around going out and drinking to have an easier transition into staying sober because there are alot more complex issues involved. Peer pressure, the pressure to 'keep up appearances', etc. For many the battle was being embarrassed and hiding the fact that they have a drinking problem. For others, like me (and you, I'm assuming) is being embarrassed and ashamed that they are trying to stay sober. Because in my social circle anyway, being sober is neither considered 'cool' nor 'fun'.
Ridiculous, but true.

Here's how it went for me:

Two years ago I went to a short term rehab clinic after waking up with the shakes and knowing I needed to stop. When I was there I did not tell anyone but my family and others who I knew would not judge. When I got out, I wrote a blog on my Myspace telling my friends what happened and where I was now; "I have a drinking problem, I went to the hospital for it and I have to stay sober".
You'd think maybe one of them wouldn't call me to ask me if I wanted to go out right?
No, for a couple, it just blew right over their heads and I still received text msgs saying "Hey, let's go out! Free drinks!"
(I know these people read my blogs because they reads and comments on every single one of them, so I can't see how a whopper like that one would have just blown right past them.)

And so at one point I started giving in to these invites, not saying anything and acting as though I was just the same fun drinking pal as I always was and as if nothing (i.e. my rehab stay) had ever happened. And so I'd drink, get drunk and black out as usual and then going to an A.A. meeting the next day full of shame and remorse.
I was leading a double life. It was horrible and felt very fraudulent.
I'm not blaming my friends for my relapsing, but it certainly helped and this is why I recommend to steer clear of them as much as possible during this time.

I hate to say this, and I hope that this isn't the case for you, but after I made the decision to stay sober, I realized that I really didn't have very many real friends to begin with while I was drinking.

ToABetterMe

I look forward to reading others posts, because I dont have anyone around me that chooses not to drink drink now. Seriously every freind & family member besides my parents a regular drinkers. I like that I am working 3-4 nights a week until late, so we don't have people over to drinks & games.

sezegg

Im going through this same thing at the moment, my friend sent me a text just yesterday seeing if i wanted to go for a drink, knowing that I cant. Ive just decided that my current friends are now my old friends.

But the sad thing is that part of me would love to have gone out for a drink with her like the old days, but i just know that i cant do it anymore.