Friends

I quit drinking at age 20 about 4 years ago. I was a junior in college living in a fraternity when I finally made the decision to stop. When your own fraternity brothers are considering kicking you off of your lease the following year because your drinking is out of control, that is saying something.

I found a serious girlfriend months later and we were together for two years. During that time, I spent literally all of my time with her because my friends were all still obsessed with partying, hitting the bars, throwing keggers at our house, etc. I thought it best to avoid those types of situations. I quickly found that I no longer related to my friends at all. We had nothing in common and they never called anymore because well...I guess I was boring since I no longer drank.

Needless to say, those relationships eroded and it was just me and my girlfriend. Relationships don't last forever though, and she broke up with me about two years back now. Since then, each day consists of going to work, coming home, watching some tv, and going to bed. I have no friends anymore. I figured that AA might be a good place to meet people. Tried it out and it wasn't for me. I just never really connected with anyone there.

I've thought about calling up my old friends, but it's been a long time and their behavior hasn't changed. I see their Snapchat stories of getting wasted at the bars every weekend. For the longest time, it didn't bother me. I was ok with it because I was sober and that's what mattered. I don't miss the drinking at all. As a matter of fact, the thought of it disgusts me now, but I do miss having friends and a social life, though it has become apparent to me that those "friendships" were nothing but glorified drinking buddies. Given my young age, I just feel alone. I don't know anyone close to my age that doesn't drink, and I can't seem to find anyone interested in doing something that doesn't involve drinking.

I feel like my decision to "do the right thing" has only isolated me and now it's really starting to eat at me. I feel more alone now than ever and I just don't know where to turn. Has anyone else experienced this?