I spent my mid to late 20's drinking quite a lot. I had coworkers that I drank with all the time to excess. It got to a point where alcohol was an absolute requ

I spent my mid to late 20's drinking quite a lot. I had coworkers that I drank with all the time to excess. It got to a point where alcohol was an absolute requirement for almost all social situations. I distinctly remember a situation where we were out drinking at a bar and an acquaintance of one of the drinkers joined us. They refrained from drinking and socialized with us sober. After they left, I remember remarking to my friends how "people who don't drink make me nervous". Almost instantly I realized how bizarre that statement was and how much it said about the point I had reached with drinking. It's always stuck with me. After a number of incidents and wakeup calls, I reduced my drinking considerably over time. I still drink, but I drink a lot less. And one way I've defined success in controlling that drinking is that it is no longer an "absolute requirement". I'm happy to be around people who aren't drinking, and happy to not be drinking myself. There's empowerment to going to a social event, making the decision not to drink and being perfectly content with that decision! I've also learned to be happy feeling healthy. I never felt good when I was drinking. My body wasn't happy with me. I love now being able to go home after a social engagement and wake up the following day feeling refreshed because I didn't have 5+ pints the night before. The point I hope to make with this, is that in your current state it seems like there is no fun without alcohol. But nothing could be further from the truth. You are trapped in a mental model driven by your alcohol habits and if you give it a chance, you will notice that you can be happy and fulfilled without drinking.