Sober for five years, alone

Never able to assemble a friendship base, I lost a lot of family. Sober five years last Sunday.

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Congrats on 5 years. :tada:

We all know how you feel. I just don't understand why it's hard to find friends who don't drink. Or friends who drink and is willing not to drink around friends who don't drink.

Loneliness isn't fun at all. Connect here and you'll find friends.

Why did you lose family?

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The older I get the harder it is to find new friends. Its like the joke where everything talks about Jesus and all his miracles. But the one they don't talk about is a guy in his thirties having 12 friends.

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5 years is huge, great job!! I am sorry to hear about family. I know when I first started to struggle I was super abandoned by family, They just avoided me instead of talking/ showing concern. You have friends here!

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Congrats on 5 years! We all need support and community, what do you think has kept you from making those connections so far?

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Congrats :tada:

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You're not alone in being alone Steven. I have not one single person upon whom I could call any time of the day or night (but I'm sure if I spent more time on apps like this and attending those peculiar 12 step groups I hate to love but do anyway that's change). I don't know who would miss me if I passed on. Not that I want to or am planning on it. I have to say that as a person who's been 5150d for suicidal ideation more than once or twice. See what a load of fun I am? It's no wonder I don't have friends. I kid I kid. Sort of. I often do think it's me and get down on myself like that but when I manage to look at things as objectively as I can, I see that I'm no more or less likable than the next guy or gal. And, regardless of what the dmv, the irs, and the local law enforcement think of me, I'm a valuable human being outside of my addiction and the sometimes....ok, often, poor choices I make behind those things. I still am gods kid and I have just as much a divine right to breathe in the space my body inhabits on this earth. And so goes the intricate, sometimes moving, often amusing relationship I get to have with myself. And you know what? I really don't mean this arrogantly but I'm delighted to announce that despite my frailties and foilbles, I'm everything I was ever looking for in a friend (or lover or husband or fill in the blank). If given the choice, I would give up this lesson in favor of not being alone so much. But, I gotta make the best with what I have to work with right? And I'm not so bad. Not bad at all it turns out. Just human.

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Congrats!

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I don’t know how/where to connect, I do try. I’ve been in my apartment for years with little or no contact with people.

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I don’t know where to go to talk to people, I see people at the supermarket, restaurants. I started talking to my mother again and I have one other friend.

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I’m near Denver

Steven, do you talk to more than two people on a regular basis; please include children, family members, partners etc)

I don’t have anyone to talk to, I don’t know where to talk to people. Where do I go?

I have maybe 5 friends I talk to regularly. I have a lot of acquaintances I talk to as well but people I would consider close...I have 5 I trust. A lot of my issue with people in general is I am awkward around others. I mask it with humor. If it wasn't for my church I would have 1 person I talk to regularly.

Thanks Bree, that has been my experience as well.

I feel you there, that’s good information; thank you for sharing that. I feel blessed to have the friendships I have and aware the standard for functional mental health is around 5-6 people.

“ I am still gods kid” love that, thank you

90% of my friends are in AA. Going to meetings at least once a day will ensure you are in the right place to get connected with others in sobriety. I went to 89 meetings the first 90 days of sobriety. I got into service work right away, making coffee, emptying ashtrays, then after a year, I was granted positions of responsibility like secretary, treasurer, coordinator for special events, and sponsorship. I stay active every day. I've made hundreds of friends over the last 32 years. Get in the lifeboat of AA ! It works, but getting "into action" is key.

Jeremiah, congratulations on 5 years !!!! I don't know how you did it without the support of fellow AAs. I could not have done it on my own. Our literature says, "You are not alone." One you start connecting, it gets easier. Hang in there and tell your truth at meetings and people will flick to help you. Get phone numbers ! I usually talk to at least 2-5 AA people every day.

... flock ... woops ! :sweat_smile: