Hi Dave
Welcome to SR and thanks so much for your bravery in posting...
You have helped me today... reminded me of what it used to be like for me...
When i drank i was usually on top of the world... could chat to folk... i could never really speak to folk when i was sober... drinking i thought helped me with that...
The only problem was when i was coming off the drink.. the hangovers were bad...
Eventually i pretty much became a blackout drinker... even started happening after my 2nd pint and then the next morning the anxiety attacks became crippling... the only way i could get through them and get on wth my day was by taking another drink..
I made the decision not to live like that anymore... i stopped drink... it was really hard at first... still is some days now as my head likes to tell me i can drink... but i cant...
An amazing thing happened to me last night... from a person who couldnt talk to people while sober... i sat in front of 20 people and spoke last night... NEVER would i thought i could do that... but i can... thats just one of the gifts sobriety has given me..
Please stick around... read, post... join the community here... you are not alone in this.. we do understand
Welcome and take care
louis