Friends and such...
 

I already anticipate losing some friends over quitting. I know some people just aren't gonna wanna hang with a sober guy, or won't call me to do anything else but drink. These friends I am fully prepared to never see. Here's what I'm kinda worried about: a friend and my GF have already mentioned that I'm "less fun" when I "don't drink". This was always one of my biggest fears when I considered quitting because people are used to being around me drunk... The problem with my friend's comment is that they dont know (or remember) me when I "don't drink" because I havn't been sober for more than a few days in years! They caught me on a 3 day sober stint while my emotions were comparable to my menopausal aunt and now I'm "not fun anymore".

I don't know how many times I have heard "quitting? dude just have a few..." I think some people look at the inability to only have 1 or 2 as personal weakness and they would rather I leave or leave themselves to avoid tempting me. The thing is, it's not that I can't have 1 or 2... I am just not in the least bit interested in that. Alcohol is for one thing to me... getting shmammered. Nothing less. I havn't had 1 beer in years. I have found it too dangerous to indulge that habit anymore, so no thanks, none for me. But gimme a few weeks to level out before you say I'm not fun anymore...

Have you told them that? Maybe you should just explain it to them like you explained it to us. Most people will be receptive, but if they aren't, then maybe it's best you find that out now.

I think most of us are 'less fun' for a while...it's pretty hard going...and it can be hard for people who don't know what we're going through to understand that.

But yeah...that rough patch doesn't last Malan...there's no answers back the way we came... and you will look back and think 'that was worth it' :)

Let people think or say what they like - you know the real deal :)

A lot of my friends (real friends not drinking bros) didn't really understand - but they were concerned for me, they knew being sober was important to me, and they supported that.

Your friends - your true friends - will do that too, I'm sure :)

D