I stopped drinking in September 2011 after being in detox for a week. I’d always liked a drink and I’d say I’d had a drink problem for ten years and tried to cut down many times before, but stress always had me back to my old ways. The 18 months before I stopped were the hardest I’ve had to deal with, where drink’s concerned, I went from 4-5 pints of Strongbow a night to 7-8 pints and maybe every other night half a bottle of wine.
In the April of 2011 my son told a counsellor we’d gone to see that he was concerned for me because of my drinking. I’d had enough of drinking by then but carried on out of habit and to help me cope with stress. I went to see my doctor who put me in touch with The Alcohol Project who then put me in touch with Baker Street. They told me I could go into detox and with me having 3 kids it’d be the best way to do it, but there was a long wait. In the run up to going into detox I stopped caring about anything my house was a mess and I had no energy and was always tired and I looked a mess I didn’t take care of myself. In a year and a half I’d gained 4 stone, but I didn’t care.
After coming out of detox I felt better, and over time things looked different. I realised I can cope with stress without a drink. Life seems brighter but believe me it’s not easy. There’ve been a lot of hard days and to deal with them without a drink has been a challenge but I’m managing.
It’s going to be a long hard road but I’ll get there with help and support from family, mates and Dawn and Richard at The Alcohol project who are always there if I need them. I’m now taking care of my house and for the first time in ten years I am trying to turn it into a home. I am also looking after myself I’ve lost 4 ½ stone in a year and take pride in the way I look now.
On the anniversary of being sober I’ve had a tattoo done which reads “forget me not” which is to remind me of where I’ve been and how far I’ve come and the date 6.9.11 which is the date I went into detox which to me is the 1st day of the rest of my life.
Published 10th December 2012
