Are you the type of person who drinks in excess, on a daily basis? Do you think that drinking every day is normal? If you think it's normal, why is it that most of your friends only drink once in awhile? Did you ever drink so much that you Blacked out, meaning that you can't remember what you did the night before, nor where you were? If you are a woman, did you have sex the night before? Did you think to have the man wear a condom, or you just don't remember? Do you wake up in the morning thirsty for your first drink of booze, a line of Cocaine, instead of Water, Milk, or Coffee?
If you answered yes to two or more of the above questions, you could have a drinking and or a drug problem. Worse yet, if you don't do something about it, eventually it will kill you.
Since there is no way I can ever know the ages of the people who read what I write, I can tell you from personal experience, that drinking and drugging in excess, will only bring trouble into your life, in many, many ways. It's not so much the fact that you drink or use drugs, the problem is that you can't control the amount of booze or drugs, you put into your body on a daily basis. Day in, day out, and maybe even week in, and week out. Depending on how much you drink or use drugs.
My name is Paul and I'm an Alcoholic. I've been sober for over 13 years, but that being said, I did some really foolish things when I drank, and worse yet, I had my first drink at 7 years of age. Sounds young to be drinking, but I was brought up in that type of atmosphere, so it was only normal that I too would end up drinking. Like many people who will read this article I was in denial for a very long time.
If you drink or use drugs, and you know deep in your heart that you are no longer in control, there is help out there for you, in more ways than one. However, while that help exists there are two things that you must do in order to beat your habit. One thing that you have to do is accept the fact that you do have a problem, and that you want to do something about it. The second thing you have to do, is accept the fact that you are powerless over your drug of choice, be it booze or drugs.
I'm not going to suggest to anyone, anywhere, where you can find help, if you need it. If you want help bad enough, you will find it on your own, and in a way this is good therapy for you, as opening a Telephone book to find some place that can help you over come your problem, is a good first step in your road to recovery.
You might think that all is lost, that you can't recover from your problem but I assure you, you can, but you have to admit to yourself, that you do have a problem, and if you don't admit that you have a problem to yourself, don't bother looking for an organization to help you, as it won't work. You might sober up for a few days, to a few weeks, but the first sign of stress and you'll be right back out in the bars or the streets, looking for your drug of choice. I know this for a fact, as I went through the denial part of life as well, and I'm not the only person who has had a drinking or drug related problem to go through this.
You may say to yourself, why do I want to sober up? I love this lifestyle, and if you do love it, then don't bother trying to get out of it. Stay drunk or stoned, till you realize that you are being left behind, not only by your friends and family, but even the people you choose to drink or drug with, they don't want any part of you, anymore. You are now in a special place that not many people get to go to, it's called rock bottom, you can't sink any lower than that.
If you seem to be laying in a bottomless pit of self pity, and you can't seem to get straight no matter how much you try, now is the time to reach out for help. Go to a Priest, a Policeman, and if you have the strength open a Telephone Book, there are plenty of places that offer help to people like you. Those very same people once helped me, when I was ready to accept their help.
Special Note:
If you are a Wife, Husband, Child of a person who drinks, or uses drugs, there is help for you too, and believe me you do need this help, even though you may think that you don't. The name of the place is Al-Anon. In Al-Anon you don't learn how to help your loved one, you learn to help yourself live with this person. No person in this world can stop a drunk from drinking, or a druggie from using drugs, they have to want it for themselves, and if they aren't ready to admit that they have a problem, you have to put it in your head, that no matter what, you can't help that person. If you love them to death no matter that they drink and or use drugs, then Al-Anon is the place you should be, as you will find many people there who can help you over-come the pain of living with someone with a substance abuse problem, again, be it drugs or booze.
I've met people who have been sober in excess of Thirty years and more, but they didn't get straight or sober without going to meetings on a regular basis, nor did they get straight denying that they had a problem. Not for one moment am I saying that you have to fall down on your knee's and ask your God for help, not at all, as God can't really help you unless you want to be helped. If you drink in excess, do please take this Article to heart, and do something about your problem and become a far better person for helping yourself to be that better person.
Good luck.
