21–30 of 208 posts
I didn't really drink at your age and that's what I did for fun.
I don’t like to drink because it becomes boring. I do it for social reasons but I find I don’t enjoy myself with people who do it a lot.
If you are actually alcoholic, go get professional help. It’s a serious disease. If you use the term colloquially as a synonym for “drink too often” then just take a break from going out with that circle of friends to break the habit.
We play video games.
In a social setting outside your house this isn't possible. When I hear people ask about fun without alcohol it isn't that just drinking is fun for them but makes whatever they engage in during/after fun or more fun.
It sucks to say, but people who need to drink to have fun will always drag you along that path. It doesn't matter if it's a night on the town, or a board game night, they will always want booze around. Also, they will probably pressure you to drink, because that's what gives them permission to.
So find new people who don't drink. Do the normal things you would do, but without alcohol. It's still fun.
Meeting the people is the hard part I think. For that you probably need to find activities and events where booze won't be around. Find things you like to do sober, then find groups of people doing those things. Join game jams, or board game nights or take a martial arts class or a salsa dancing class or something.
1) STOP DRINKING IT 2) Get new friends (seriously). If you continue to associate with the same friends, you'll have the same problem and point of view. 3) Let yourself go through the withdrawal of the "fun" 4) Get on with life, figure out what you consider without including alcohol.
Possible step 5: integrate old friends one by one into your new circle, saving them from alcoholism
EDIT: I should have said "most recovery programs" rather than specifying 12 step. Please ignore the 12 step part and realize that I'm advising staying away from the people who are part of the OP's problem.
1) STOP DRINKING IT 2) Get new friends (seriously). If you continue to associate with the same friends, you'll have the same problem and point of view. 3) Let yourself go through the withdrawal of the "fun" 4) Get on with life, figure out what you consider without including alcohol.
I’m currently doing a dry January and I still go out with my friends. There’s plenty of tasty non-alcoholic beverages.
I do social dance, this is an effective "replacement" for alcohol but certainly once you get good typically some subset of places that offer a venue to social dancing dohave alochol and it's considered impolite to not meet soft minimum requirements but the consumption dynamic there is not quite the same.