Hi all,
I still drop by here every now and then to remind me of the world I left behind. It keeps me focused and committed.
I’m now on day 629 and still going strong.
I moved out of the live-in support unit after 13 months, and now, I’m back living with my girlfriend and our 2 year old son. We’re expecting another baby in March next year and I couldn’t be happier.
I’ve also got my driving licence back (that in itself took 7 months of blood tests and mental health checks with the DVLA and my GP).
I fought against HUGE anxiety and worked up the courage to reach out to my old employer with the intention of sincerely apologising to them for falling off the face of the earth, and leaving them in a bind - To my surprise, they actually apologised to ME for not supporting me when they suspected something was wrong. To cut a long story short, they’ve offerered me my old job back, voluntary at first, until I’m ready to start again.
So, my advice is, no matter how lost you feel right now, hang in there and don’t give up. When you’re sober, you pick up on all the little opportunities that you always missed when you were drinking, and the new found confidence that you slowly build will give you the courage to act in a positive, constructive manner, one day at a time.
It’s important that you understand that you are suffering from an illness. It’s an illness that is becoming more and more exposed and most communities, professional or otherwise, have whole departments and/or organisations that are available to everyone, no matter what your background is. Don’t be ashamed or embarrassed. Reach out to someone.
Remember - Keep going, no matter what, and you’ll go from strength to strength. Obviously, you’ll lose ‘friends’, but seriously, it doesn’t matter in the cold light of day. When I think that a few years ago I had lost absolutely everything, and was proper suicidal, it makes me cringe to the pit of my stomach. The absolute destructive power of alcohol is, quite literally, staggering.
I’m sober, I’m free from addiction, and I am loving life.
Do I regret anything? No, I don’t. The hell I experienced has made me stronger than ever.
Will I ever drink again? No, not for all the money in the world. The peace of mind I have now is priceless.
So, anyway, take care of yourselves - Trust me, if I can do it, so can you. It’s a long hard road, but it leads to a life you could have only dreamt of.
ST 
What a turnaround, wow 
Happy for you 
