A Story from Down Under
My name is Lisa, I'm 21 years old, and I'm a recovering alcoholic. I started drinking when I was 13 years old. I always felt different from other people, and never really fit into the crowd. I started drinking on weekends and socailising with kids from school. Alcohol at first took away all my fear, the fear of being rejected, the shyness, it made me feel apart of the crowd, I was hooked from the very first bottle.
By the time I was 18, drinking had became essential for me, it was my saviour; I was dependent on it in all socail situations and I began to go out by myself and drink at clubs. Drinking took all my problems away while under the influence, but in reality it made them worse. I lived to party, my life evolved around my drinking; drinking came first Everything alcohol gave me, it eventually took away.
My fears grew, my confidence lost, I couldn't talk to people without a drink, I had three DUIs, black eyes, woke up in hospitals, blackouts and I was drinking every night at age 21. I came into AA, and I was dead. I was a shell of a human with no spirit, I trembled with fear, I did not know who I was, I couldn't hold a conversation even with friends, all i knew was I needed help because I had become so dependant on alcohol I couldn't live without it, but I couldn't live with it.
I am now 4 months sober, but I'm doing great. I canlook at people in the eye, hold a conversation, even start a conversation, I am finding out who I am, the girl I was trying to cover up all these years. I have no desire to drink and that's a miracle for me, I still think of drinking but I have so much support around me through AA that I can get through the hard times, and the hard times these days are nothing compared to the bad times drinking. I am a positive happy girl today and I have a life, I can be who-ever I want to be, I am not controlled anymore by alcohol and negative emotions and fear. My life is managable. If you are new to recovery stick with it, it seems hard and over whelming at first, but once you keep holding on and get some time up and some work it will pay off and it really is worth it!
You don't have to suffer anymore or be alone. You deserve to be you and to be happy! Lisa B from Australia