Rob's story

[alcoholfree]

Two and a half years ago years ago I was a down and out alcoholic and my life was a mess. I had been alcohol-dependent for over 25 years, but still found it difficult to accept that I had a severe problem. I tried on a regular basis to stop drinking alcohol but all time I failed, I just could not conceive of a life without it. I also tried controlling my drinking, but that didn’t work either.

I would start each day with a can of strong cider and I’d proceed to drink for the rest of the day. I would regularly drive my car while under the influence of alcohol, putting not only myself but other people in danger. I’m embarrassed and nauseated to acknowledge it now, but I would often wake up in the morning after a hard nights drinking, not only with a hangover but in a pool of my own urine.

I was a serial cheater and put myself in peril of catching venereal diseases and giving them to my partner. I often had blackouts and woke up in strange places with no recall of how I got there. I would forever do things that I regretted while under the charm of alcohol and yet in spite of all this I continued to drink. I at last decided that enough was enough after an unsuccessful suicide attempt and I haven’t had a drop since.

I finally gave up drinking after an unsuccessful suicide attempt, that was over two years ago and I have never drunk since. I tried AA but alas it didn't work well for me and wasn't a pleasant experience. I'm a believer in empowerment and my beliefs served only to alienate me with AA. I started using self help methods to overcome my addiction and they worked very well for me.

I can't say that the past two years have been easy as I had to resolve self-esteem and confidence issues. I think it takes a while to undo all of the damage alcohol does to you.

Today I have gained the respect of my friends and family, I am running a successful business from home and my life could not be much better.

Thanks for giving me the opportunity to share my story.

Rob