Cait777

Hello all! I've been looking at this thread for about a year. I have a little over 60 days sober now. Before that I had 4 months but had a slip. Regardless I'm feeling waaaay better than I did when I was drinking and right after quitting.
I'm wondering, how do you guys feel about being able to connect with the "normal" people. After what I went through these past couple years I sometimes feel like I different species than non alcoholics/addicts. That might sound stupid but it's really kind of hard for me to connect with people who just "don't get it". Has anyone else experience this?

Have a good night everyone

Raider

The only time I have a hard time with people who just don't get it, is when I desperately need to talk to someone who "gets it". Otherwise we are all just people. My opinion.

Mountainmanbob

well when new in sobriety (this time around)
I mostly hung out with ones in recovery for a long time
not only but mostly
my best friend from back in 5th grade is a normie
even though he has an occasional drink
he has never drank around me since I stopped drinking

with some time under our belts
they all pretty much seem the same

people are people
most have some issues
one of mine is that I'm in recovery and don't drink

my wife is a normie and I thank God for that
she has learned a lot about the Program through osmosis
helps her with some of her things of life that come up

my Sponsor hangs out almost entirely with ones in Recovery only
I see this as a character defect

MM

Dee74

I think 60 days is still really early Cait. Like I just said to someone else - give it time.

My focus on alcohol - either not drinking or drinking - has it's proper perspective now I think....the only time I ever think of 'Alkies' and 'Normies' is on SR...otherwise they're all just people to me now

D

ImperfectlyMe

Like Dee suggested give it time. Right now your brain is saturated with alcoholic thinking. When your in early recovery it's hard to get out of your head. Truly there are no normies everyone has issues. Ours are just not as widely embraced.

UnixBer

I've found that these "normies" who don't drink at all to be most fascinating people. Previously blind to all this. Then the "normies" who drink, and possibly every weekend are becoming an object of entertainment and pity that they don't know what they're doing. I guess it's that hint of pride that comes with sobriety... need to be careful anyway not to get overconfident.

Joe Nerv

I for the most part surrounded myself with AA people my first year. A little into my second year I took my first college course. I clearly remember a girl starting to talk to me when I was early one day. The class started and she said she'd talk to me after class. I obsessed on that the entire time we were there, and bolted out the door the second the bell rang. I was about as socially ******** as they come. Time and willingness turned that around big time. I wound up getting involved in my college theater, acting, directed a show.... I now teach in a highschool. A lot changed. So much so I'm today even happily married to a "normie" .

I don't believe any of that would have taken place without AA and the 12 steps. Quite certain, actually.

wiscsober

Thanks Cait777...good OP...

I found out I was fairly normal after dropping the
"I'm unique and nobody understands me" front.

NewGirlFriday

I understand. I have Thanksgiving coming up, two parties, two families, some heavy drinkers. I see them as a ticking bomb, my brothers especially. However, there are some "normies" there that can have one or two glasses and that's all. Even they will be shocked to see I don't take a glass of anything. I'm not looking to shock them, only to stay my course and get healthy. My husband is a normie and I love it, too. What's crazy is he said he'd be fine if the world rid itself of alcohol. He can drink but never will get drunk because he says it only makes him sleepy and unproductive. I love this about him, but it's the one thing that I don't understand about him. I feel that way he does about alcohol, about cupcakes and pies. Our common thread, we both can't live without chocolate. I've been eating a bit of chocolate.