Hi Beardo,
Yes I feel that was the "real me". The alcohol helped give me confidence at the time where there shouldn't have been confidence. Confidence needed to be learned and worked for at that age, and instead I found it instantly in a 6 pack of beer. My body and my mind were my temple at that time, and I was pure yet curious and on top of my game with a very bright future. I traded that all to chase the drink from party to party and eventually learned to rely on alcohol to make me feel strong and confident and successful. It became the ultimate goal for me. It was really the only thing I looked forward to in life for 27 years.
By taking away the major obsession of my life it has opened up the doors to real goals and a life where I am always happy instead of just thinking I was happy when I was drinking.
I'm not sure if that makes sense to anyone, but I never really felt content or enthusiastic in life for the last 27 years unless I was drinking. Now I feel content and enthusiastic all of the time. I thought alcohol was my fountain of youth, but come to find out alcohol was my kryptonite.