Its a very gradual downward slope. You dont know you are trending downward until years later you look up and think to yourself "What have I done?".
Drank very very little in high school. Then once college hit, my freshman year I drank 5 nights a week usually. Then after freshman year didnt drink again until my junoir year. Then it was gradual- only on weekends and it stayed that way until I stopped again around the age of 22. I didnt pick up another drink until I was about 26/27. Then again it started as just a few here and there on the weekends.
But before I knew it, I was drinking every night which lasted probably about 2-2 1/2 years until mid 2014. I basically realized what I was doing on that I most likely had a problem. I just started to not feel as well, was always tired, irritated, in a bad mood, and drinking when I got home didnt put me in a better mood. I was upset all the time, and was just not enjoying life. Then one day I had probably 7 drinks before noon, and had another 10 or so the rest of the day. After that binge I knew I could not continue. I was sober for 5-6 weeks, then relapsed, was sober again for about 5 weeks, relapsed, then was sober for 8 weeks and just recently relapsed.
Now I back to being sober (day 3).
So I never got arrested, didnt lose my house, family, job etc. But I did lose my sense of feeling good without a substance, I lost my sanity, I lost my natural desire to be happy, I lost a lot in an emotional way. I lost an overall sense of wellbeing and was replaced with unhappiness, stress, and anxiety.
I made huge strides this last time around, and was very very pleased with my progress and was pleased with the way my life was going. Then in one night, I remembered what is was like to be in a loathing pit of horror. But as many said it doesnt have to happen again. It could all end. Its my choice and one I have to make.