How does giving up booze affect your social life?

When I gave up drinking booze, I effectively gave up that simple text invite that I'd sometimes ping out to mates.

Fancy a pint?

The pub is a neutral ground where you can meet up and unload nonsense waffle, but the conversation is beside the point, really.

It's the opportunity for connection that is important.

The pub also happens to be full of drunk people and beer.

Not ideal when you are going alcohol free.

Social Sacrifice

Giving up alcohol completely has come with some sacrifices.

Meeting up regularly in the pub is one of them.

That is not to say I have ever ruled it out completely or told any friends not to invite me to the pub.

When you are the sober mate, though, you are just less likely to get invited to those sorts of meet-ups.

I guess if I were going to change something about my journey, I might have made my rules more explicit to my social circle.

I am more than happy to go to the pub still. I can happily sit in that environment and drink a Pepsi Max or alcohol-free Guinness.

If you tell people what you are comfortable with, it leaves them in no doubt as to your preferences.

Of course, you may not feel able to sit in a pub and not drink. In which case, stay well clear and communicate that to your friends.

True friends will respect that.

Changing Your Environment

A full lifestyle change is going to affect the places you go and the people you see.

I have embraced it, and I'm not afraid to come out of my comfort zone to a large extent.

I am more often found in a park rather than a pub nowadays. I have recently walked up Snowdon, and as a family, we have adventured around the Midlands, taking in Country parks and heritage sites.

Find Your New People and Places

Parkrun is a great place to exercise with like-minded people. I would recommend it to anybody and everybody. Even if you aren't the type of person to spark up a conversation with randoms, you can still feel part of something bigger by participating in the weekly 5k.

I've completed multiple 10k events and a half-marathon, and most recently a 30km run.

I have found each and every one of these events to feel warm and welcoming, if you can find a friend to complete them with, even better. If you go solo, though, you will still fill up your social cup somewhat.

You also need to join clubs and sports teams; doing this will give you opportunities to go to training sessions and socialise, as well as keep fit.

You can do things you never thought possible. I joined a flag football team, having never played the sport before in my life.

It was one of the best decisions I made, because although these things are nerve-racking at first (no one wants to look silly). You soon realise that everyone has to be a beginner at some point, and people in these local clubs need people like you to thrive and survive.

So you will be welcomed.

Embrace the Change

So, yes, stopping drinking will affect your social life in my experience.

You are going to be less likely to be invited on a night out.

You are going to have to find new places to spend your time.

These are all exciting opportunities, though, and the friends you make through joining clubs and teams persist a lot better than with the bloke you did 4 tequilas with that time in Benidorm.