I had been surrounded by alcohol my entire life. At the age of 14, I had already began drinking hard liquor. Having high school friends when I was in middle school made it easy to get peer-pressured into drinking. I also lived above a bar/restaurant where my mother worked for 20-something years, so I was exposed to alcohol and alcoholics growing up. When I was 18, my father (who was an alcoholic) passed away. That's when I hit rock bottom; Depression. I started drinking on a daily basis. I had established friendships with my co-workers at the time who were older (of course), and I would give them money to buy alcohol for me. From 18 to 23, the addiction got real. I had gotten alcohol poisoning several times, blacked out, made poor decisions, got into dangerous situations, and really lost myself. On July 4th, 2014, something clicked. I made the decision to quit drinking. Now I am almost three years sober. I can't believe how far I've come, and I don't plan on ever going back to that life.
Jaqueline
Recovery Date: July 4, 2014
Ulster Park, NY