How to Build a Social Life Once You've Quit Drinking

So you've quit drinking, and you are feeling much better. No more hangovers and no more fuzzy nights. You are sleeping more peacefully and feel better about yourself.

There's only one problem. Your social life revolved around drinking and hanging with friends who drank. And they are not really calling you anymore, as they no longer consider you one of them.

What are you to do? Below are a few tips on how to build a social life once you've quit drinking.

* Join a social group that revolves around one of your interests

Now that you are not drinking, you have time for all kinds of hobbies and interests. Instead of sitting on a bar stool on Sunday afternoon, you can enjoy exploring a new hiking trail. Or you may have rediscovered your love of literature.

One of the best ways to meet new people is to join a social group that revolves around something that interests you. There are so many kinds of groups: running, reading, film critiquing, wine tasting and Bible studying.

Use the Internet to explore some options in your area. You can try web sites like yelp.com or meetup.com to find new interests as well as folks who share them.

* Volunteer

One of the best things you can do for others -- and yourself -- is to volunteer. Giving of yourself is a way to make a difference, and you will get so much out of it. You will also expose yourself to a network of new people, and you may just find a friend or two.

* Join a church

Churches offer a place where like-minded people can worship and share a spiritual journey. And they also offer classes and mission options, all of which can help you on a spiritual and social level. When joining a church, be patient and give the members some time to get to know you and vice versa. You will likely build far stronger friendships than you have previously had.

* Connect with old friends

Were you one of the folks who kept drinking, while your older friends were getting married and having kids? If so, you may have lost touch with some of these friends. But it's not too late to re-establish a connection. And your friends may find you far more pleasant to be around than when you were hitting the bottle.

* Get out of the house

Finally, make sure you get out of your house on a frequent basis. Even if you are unsure how to spend your Saturday night, you are doing yourself no favors by hiding in the house.

Resolve to try some new things and to see what happens. Consider each outing as a mini-adventure. Some things will be more interesting than others. As long as you are making efforts, you will eventually have a thriving social life again. And it will be much more satisfying when you are sober and can remember all that it entails.