ForestRunner

If you've read my profile you know I am a lawyer and let's just say I'm in court a lot, I read a lot of conviction documents, and a lot of police reports. This week, and today in particular, was pretty revealing. I read one police report where a girl gave her friend a fatal dose of heroin. The defendant and her sister were there and witnessed the death, and the sister called 911. By the time the police arrived, the defendant had left the house. The police found her at her dealer's buying more dope. She had just killed someone with dope and she was buying more dope. Also had a case this week where a man was driving drunk and got in an accident with another car. While that charge was pending, he drunk drove again (with a .26 BAC), got in another accident, killed a 34 year-old mother of two. Third case was two men at a child's birthday party who got smashed and one decided to shoot the other guy in the chest. He died. I deal with a lot of heavy stuff at my work and in the past I drank wine forget about it. Now I just have to deal, but the stories are a constant reminder of the danger drug abuse and alcoholism presents.

afloatsober

You are right, the consequences can be dire. Before i moved from my hometown i drank daily with a friend. I realised i was alcoholic and kept trying to stop. He was in denial and drank in ignorance.I relocated and one day got a call from another friend with news
My old friend had got into a fight with another alcoholic with whom he was sharing a flat. With one stab wound to the heart, allegedly in blackout, he stabbed and killed his flatmate after a day when both had been drinking heavily together.
Subsequently arrested and convicted of murder, he now is serving a life sentence as a consequence of his drinking.
I think of both of these people often and as an example of just one of the many ways this illness can destroy lives and people.
In the end it takes everything and gives nothing back.
Sober today by the Grace Of God.
Gary

Mentium

A reminder of the high drama that alcohol and addiction can create in addition to the lives of low key unremarkable misery many of us led while actively alcoholic.

Mags1

Hi ForestRunner I wonder if booze will ever have the stigma cigarettes have nowadays. In our country I believe there are too many politicians who drink so until people's outlooks change or we stand up and are counted this will keep happening.

Years ago a neighbour, young mother had gone horse riding on a Sunday morning only to be hit and killed by a drink driver, who was waiting for his court hearing for drink driving. He will be out of prison, now, whilst those children lost their mum, unnecessarily.
We read every day of the crimes, fatalities caused by drinking.

And they put it in a fancy bottle like its perfume or good for you.

afloatsober

Indeed, my friends life was one of remarkable misery up until the point it changed. I suspect his life in prison is now pretty depressing .

least

Just reading the posts on here is all the motivation I need to stay sober. It reminds me of what my life used to be like - and it wasn't pretty.

IOAA2

Yes, too many of us are sucked in by the glossy marketing of alcoholic beverages totally glossing over the horrendous results of misuse. I recall that well over than 230,000 deaths a year result from alcohol and drugs in this country, probably more if the doctors were honest about the cause of death. Also about 80% of those in our prison are there as a result of the use of alcohol or drugs. This is some serious sh*t.

BE WELL

Tang

It does make one wonder how alcohol affects different people in different ways. One thing is for sure, I know many moral caring people who throw all logic aside after a few drinks and happily get behind the wheel gambling with their life and others.

ForestRunner

Me, too.