52 yrs old - 21 Days in Rehab...10mos sober, here is my story

White/American-Indian, middle-class married man…seeming good life; Happy marriage (minus my alcoholism), good job, etc. Should be fine.
I’m an alcoholic.
Started drinking in my teens, like all kids really…continued into binge drinking in my 20’s - in my late 20’s/30’s started traveling a lot for work - which turned into drinking during the week; 40’s was traveling internationally…an alcoholics dream - drink at the airport, drink the whole flight, drink after meetings…repeat
Net-net, I drank every single day. Even after the traveling stopped. Got up in the morning, cracked a beer by 7am and drank all day. Still worked (remote mostly), and I don’t “think” my work knew, but hard to say.
Health was terrible, gained a lot of weight - my Liver levels were extremely crazy high…
My mom then died of Liver Disease…get this, non-alcoholic liver disease. She never drank.
It was horrible, horrible to watch her die that way - you don’t want anyone you care about to see you go out like that. Once your liver goes, the rest goes and you just “fade”.

After that I enrolled myself into rehab. I had told my wife “I’m an alcoholic”, which she replied “yes, I know”…2 yrs later after announcing that is when I actually went into rehab. (There was always a “reason” why I couldn’t go - “I’ll go next year etc”.

Entered rehab Oct '22. 21 Days.
It changed my life - in every way.
I am now 10mos sober and happy to be sober. My health is drastically improved (have lost 45lbs since entering rehab, all my liver levels are normal and no cirrohisis (lucky on that one).

What I learned and/or advice.
#1 - you have to WANT to quit. No one can make you or tell you to quit. That was critical. I wanted to quit. I was killing myself every day and watching my mom die really hit home for me.
2. Rehab can help - don’t be afraid of it (I actually wrote a book about it if anyone is interested, a day to day journey). In Rehab, its not the “instructors” or “counselors” that help you - its the other people in there. Truly open stories, no judgement, only support. I still keep in contact with some of them today.
3. You have to have a Higher Power. Mine was God, yours can be whatever you believe - but you have to really belief in it. You have to have Faith that there is something beyond you that can help you.
I still do thank God for every day, and in Rehab I prayed and thanked Him for getting me through each day

The results you can expect being sober (I hadn’t been a real sober person, meaning gone more than say 5 days without drinking in 30 yrs!)…

  1. CLARITY…this one amazed me…alcohol is like a ‘dimmer switch’, when you are truly sober you can actually see the real world with new eyes and especially a clear mind
  2. Health - no brainer, alcohol itself is a poison…this isn’t a reason to do entirely, but its a huge benefit
  3. NO more anxiety ! - do you get anxious a lot? Holy $hit I didn’t know this would go away but its completely gone!
  4. Guilt is gone…I felt guilty every single day. My wife never complained but I could see it in her eyes. I hid how much I drank from her, I would go to different stores to buy alcohol because I thought or assumed “they knew” at the stores when I would check out …" Didnt you just buy an 18pack yesterday?"
  5. Post-drinking “life”/“fun” - I was afraid I couldn’t travel anymore, or do the things I used to…I was wrong - I’ve been to Cabo sober (for the first time ever!) and had a great time, been fishing, played music, gone out with friends…all sober
    Stick with it…my .02 is rehab is the way to go, though thats all I knew. I tried to quit on my own and it went horrible wrong (I had vivid nightmares and night sweats)…

I hope this may help - if you have any questions for me, hit me up directly. I am a happy sober person, truly happy seriouslly. I know the rest of my life will be better now than it would have been.

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Glad it helped you .there was no rehab when i got sober so AA helped me stay sober, but if it keeps you sober long term thats fine , keep us posted on your journey wish you well

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Thanks @Ray_M_C_Laren ! Glad to hear you’re staying sober and AA is working for you !

I will keep you updated on my journey - I started a video blog before I went into rehab and then update it at time intervals, 30, 90, 6mos…then will again at a year. It helps to show my own personal progress but also is hopefully helpful to others - especially the before and after…

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Thank you for sharing your story.
I’m glad you finally found something that worked for you.

Ironically I’ve got a social workers degree and one of the first things we got to learn when I started studying, was that you can’t help anyone who doesn’t want to quit.

It’s horrible to see someone disappear in fron of your eyes like that. My condolences to you and your family. My grandmother died from liver cancer many years ago,so I can relate to that feeling.

Have to disagree with the higher power idea though. I have none, I’m not buying that idea. To want to quit and to believe in yourself, believe that you can make it and help yourself is more important than the idea of a higher power, that’ll help you and get you through.

The idea might be helpful for some, while others (including me) are doing perfectly fine without out it.

Just my opinion, there’s no general rules on how to stay sober. It’s different for everyone.

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Congratulations on your sobriety and thank you for sharing what worked for you and what you believe is key.

I have been working my sobriety/recovery for a few years, I share some of what works for me here …

Respectfully, we all don’t ‘have to’ have a HP. It works for you and many others and that is wonderful. And it isn’t the same for everyone. I don’t have a higher power and I am good with that. :+1:

Thank you again for sharing your experience and what helps you!! I know your share will reach and help many people. :slightly_smiling_face:

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Thanks @MrsOdh , yes the higher power worked for me, but may not work for some.

Completely agree - you can’t help someone that doesn’t want to quit - its probably true for any addiction but very much so for alcohol.

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Thank you for sharing. Your story is my story. It just helps to know there are other people out there who made it through

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@james83 Likewise! Good to hear there are others out there “like us” ! Congrats on your recovery

Great job! Proud of you. If only my Dad WANTED to stop drinking he would still be here…it is a poison

An inspiring recovery story!

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