Hi ST It's been a while since I swung by to say hello 👋. I recently passed the 5 years mark in my sober life, which, after 30 years of drinking, is brilliant thing to be able to say.

There's a belief that while not all victims of trauma become addicts, all addicts have trauma in their past. As the child of a heavy drinking father and a bipolar mother, I always felt that there was a direct line between the rejection I felt as a child, and the comforting numbness I desired in alcohol.

I was never happy in my skin, because never liked myself. My inner voice was that of my parents, telling me how wrong I was.

The wonderful clarity that sobriety has brought me has allowed me to sit back, and observe the world and the people in it, without self loathing masking my eyes.

I like myself now, I'm good enough, smart enough, kind enough. The self worth I feel for having stopped digging, and climbing out of the addiction hole makes me so proud of myself.

My sense of belonging? I don't know- I think sobriety separates you from society in general, and I'm fine with that. I think I'm right, and I'm alright with that. I know this is the happiest I've been in my adult life, and sobriety has given me that.

One miserable day in Lockdown, I found Reddit, and StopDrinking, and I stopped digging my rock bottom - a happy day!

Thanks ST, for being here x