Alcoholism Support Group
Alcoholism is the continued consumption of alcoholic beverages, even when it is negatively affecting your health, work, relationships and life. If you think alcohol is causing you to lose control, it's time to seek help. Our group is a safe place to vent, check in, get back up if you fall, and reach sobriety.
Hello, I am 24 years old and I am coming to my 6 month sobriety date. The problem is I feel isolated because I am sober. Most people my age want to go to the bars and drink and I feel like I have to cut out anything social form my life. Meeting new people becomes difficult because the first place to meet is usually a bar or "out for drinks" I almost feel like I am wasting my youth by being sober..sounds silly but i feel like I am ruining meeting potential new friends
On top of this I am a traveling nurse, which means I move every 13 weeks. Experiencing different places and meeting new people is really hard to stay sober. But drinking cannot be a part of my life...
I guess im trying to reach out to other "young" people who are sober? anyone out there? I feel so alone and really am struggling to stay sober.
On top of this I am a traveling nurse, which means I move every 13 weeks. Experiencing different places and meeting new people is really hard to stay sober. But drinking cannot be a part of my life...
I guess im trying to reach out to other "young" people who are sober? anyone out there? I feel so alone and really am struggling to stay sober.
By moving every 13 weeks maybe a good thing, you could probably careless what these 'new people' think. Stick with being sober, you are already on 6 months. I am not in your shoes, but there must be an outlet for you to meet people who don't drink. I do remember when I was 24, there were folks that didn't drink, it really didn't bother me that they weren't,. I just was concerned about me drinking.
I hope my post helped.
I do not qualify for the young tag in terms of age at least but I do feel about 24 so maybe I can gate-crash this thread.
My experience has been that for many years I struggled to socialise without alcohol. I also tend to deal with life by evaluating facts and making decisions that are focused very much on the matter in hand and am not always good at what people refer to as small talk. However, I now find socialising to be very easy and enjoyable and feel at ease in many different environments without the false courage that comes from alcohol use. What you do is not my business but what has worked for me is that I have come to have greater confidence and self-belief as the result of dealing with alcoholism through AA.
Although the bar scene is a common meeting place it is by no means the only way that you can meet new people. There are all sorts of physical and mental activities and courses that you can partake in. Maybe the best approach would be to do things and go to places that you find interesting and you will automatically come to meet other people. The bar and club scene is not really a natural environment anyway and at least the people that you meet in other places are likely to be sober and for real.
Going out for drinks does not have to include alcohol there are plenty of coffee shops and other venues. Be aware that your mind may be trying to convince you that you need to drink and if that is the case you will find all sorts of seemingly genuine reasons for drinking. Being a travelling nurse and experiencing new places can be turned into a positive as it gives you many opportunities that other people do not have.
Its been a while since I was 24 but that is my two cents worth.
One of my sponsees got sober at 18. There are many in their 20's in my home group and at our local young persons meeting particularly since we are in a college town.
If you are in AA go to a young persons group. if not, don't worry.....the first year is all new and fresh and raw..and it gets easier and things fall into place. I've found that to be true of me in my early 40's and of friends 20 years younger!
Ironically when I was your age I was not much of a drinker -- I would sometimes have one drink, but I usually drank Sprite or Ginger Ale when I'd go out with friends. I was never given a hard time about not drinking and I think if you tell people you don't drink they should be okay with that.
Rich
Life can be so much richer than an alcohol-based social life. Your situation is different from mine because you move frequently and have to try and find new friends frequently....I understand that's probably a hard adjustment to make....but you're better off not drinking, and I promise you, the older we get, the more people we meet who are "so over" drinking.