My perspective is I didn't lose anything. I had a great time as a drunk, until it started to get bad.
I work with so many younger folks that are having a great life. They have a job, get drunk all the time, do things with their family. It is like having your cake and eating it too.
I though that I pulled this off for decades, but it slowly caught up to me. I was taking risks all the time with my life and my health. The mental damage is what got to me. I was a physical mess, but mentally I couldn't take it. I was a mess for years, but the addiction blinds us.
The addiction blinds.
Some folks quit for other reasons (e.g. dwi, domestic problems). Quitting this way is super hard because mentally/physically they have faculty left. I couldn't quit until the anguish of quitting was so horrible that I knew I could never drink again.
Prayers for those folks and me if I ever get the insanity to think I can try booze again.
Getting clean hurt so bad and I believe that is why so few make it out. It is like being in a jail cell of gloom. I found that exercise helps the most. Others do AA, SMART, Dr's help, SR, projects, etc etc. or a combo.
It is not really a sober life, it is life without booze alteration. Drinking is a learned behavior. It can be unlearned.
it take years to normalize and the crave will always be there. But, with analysis it can be defeated.
Keeping active in an addiction counseling type of community (e.g. AA, SR) is a big deal. The addiction morphs and we can forget.
The drunk me was fun. The clean me is amazing.
I needed SR and the internet to help me get free.
Thanks.