Welcome Michael! When I was your age I was clueless as to what lay ahead. Drinking took me down a road I could never have imagined. What started out as a pleasant break from everyday life became a necessity. I was ok in my 20's, but by my 30's I had built up such a tolerance it was terrifying. In my 40's I needed it to live, and couldn't get throught the day without it. In the end, this disease tried to kill me, and that's what finally made me stop. I wanted to salvage what remained of my life. You never have to go through the hell many of us have put ourselves through. Congratulations on your new life.