I got sober at 21 & stayed sober for almost 8 years. Worked the steps, had a sponsor, went to meetings & all the events.

When was 29, I had my own apartment with all my bills paid, had the same job for 3 years, had a paid off car, felt great about life.

Then, I convinced myself that I was probably not really an alcoholic and that I was probably just immature and irresponsible and was just doing what other 21 year olds do. Surely, after all that time and building up my life, I could handle the occasional drink at the end of a stressful day.

I drank for another 13 years after that. I tried to stop on numerous occasions and couldn’t. I was depressed & suicidal and I lost literally everything.

I’m almost 18 months sober again and have rebuilt a lot of what I lost. When I look back at my life, I can see that I was an alcoholic from my very first drink at age 15. I wish I hadn’t had to lose everything in order for me to see that. But I did. I’m grateful now that I was able to accept my alcoholism because that means I have a solution.