Originally Posted by
Cow 
Well, my "one particular thing" was not just "little bit" of problem. It comprise 30 year of black out, illegal activity, mental illness, career meltdown crazytown. So that why I say it depend and require investigation.
Total understand you point. I not think hasing been alcoholic is lifelong albatross. Is for everyone to decide what they needs to reveal to new people in they life. For me, I always tell anybody getting close about my past cuz was such HUGE part of my identity for so long that I personal feel is fraudulent no to tell them.
I guess maybe the difference for me is that I didn't have symptoms as severe as the ones you mentioned. I never blacked out, never got arrested (not even for DUI), never lost a job over drinking... I always stayed under the radar. I understand your points. It just seems to perpetuate this feeling of hopelessness and being...unlovable, because of past mistakes. In my opinion, that in and of itself lends itself to the temptation to use again.