Alcoholism: What A Sneaky Bastard It Is!
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I have made it a habit since I joined Hub Pages to only write about things I know about and if there is one subject I know intimately it is alcoholism. I am an alcoholic. I have battled this disease since the early 80’s and will continue to battle it for the rest of my life. It has cost me two marriages, two businesses and a mountain of debt, but more than anything it cost me, in the past, my self-esteem. Happily I can report that I have now been sober for over five years and my self-esteem is re-established and I love life, but the steps I had to take to reach this point are steps I will continue to take for the rest of my life if I do not want history to repeat itself.
I do not plan on debating with you the fact that alcoholism is a disease. It is recognized as such by the American Medical Association; however, I do not need the conclusions of doctors worldwide to convince me that alcoholism is a disease; I only have to review my life to realize that fact.
Alcoholism is a progressive disease that happens in stages; the problem is that by the time you reach the dangerous stages you are so far addicted that turning back is a very difficult process. I began as a social drinker; I loved the effects of alcohol; I loved socializing with friends; I loved the self-confidence it gave me and I loved who I became when I drank. Early on I could drink socially, have a couple beers and go days without drinking and not give it a thought. But somewhere down the line that all changed and the day arrived when I could not stop at one or two beers and the thought of going days without a drink was inconceivable.
And still I denied that I had a problem; all I needed to do was adjust my drinking. Drink only beer and leave the hard stuff alone. Drink only on weekends. Drink only with other people and never alone. All attempts at regaining normalcy failed until I began to believe what my dear departed mother believed, that I must be weak of will if I couldn’t control my drinking.
I finally reached the end of my rope (or so it seemed) in 1992 and I entered a treatment facility, and for ten years I remained sober and led a fairly normal life. The drinking had been conquered, my life was back on track, and all was well in my world. Or so it seemed! There is an old saying in Alcoholics Anonymous that if you take the liquor away from a drunk bank robber you are still left with a bank robber, and those words rang so very true with me. I began drinking again in 2002 and struggled on and off until 2006 when I damn near drank myself to death in a hotel room in Anchorage, Alaska. Back into treatment but this time something had changed: I came out of treatment realizing that if I didn’t change who I was I would never survive. In other words, I could take the liquor away from this bank robber but unless I eliminated my character defects I would always be a bank robber.
Today I can look you in the eye and tell you that I am doing very well indeed. It has been five years and so much has changed inside of me. I no longer shudder when I look in the mirror; I give my word and it stands for something. I help others and through helping them I help myself. I have forged a new career and I experience no fear or lack of self-confidence. I love others and I love myself.
Are my concerns about alcohol a thing of the past? That is truly a trick question! I will always have to monitor my spiritual condition if I am to remain sober but I do not fear alcohol. I have a healthy respect for alcohol but I no longer fear it; nor do I fear life as I once did.
My only words of advice for still suffering alcoholics are these: breaking the chains of alcohol addiction requires willingness. It requires a willingness for stop drinking and it requires a willingness to take on hard work and it requires a willingness to change who you are; it is not easy but it is oh so rewarding.
Today I have the love of a most wonderful woman; I have close friends who respect me, support me and trust me. I am self-employed and loving every minute of my writing career. I have dreams and goals and the past, present and future do not frighten me. Perhaps the greatest reward, though, is that today I have my self-respect back and I love myself. To say I am blessed would be a gross understatement.
I should have died five years ago. Instead I am thriving and life is good. Take that you bastard!
For more of my articles on alcoholism see:
http://roxanne459.hubpages.com/hub/How-to-Reverse-Damage-From-Alcohol-Abuse
http://billybuc.hubpages.com/hub/Alcoholism-My-Personal-Story
http://billybuc.hubpages.com/hub/Alcoholism-Inside-The-Mind-of-an-Alcoholic
To view or order my new Kindle book on this subject go to http://www.amazon.com/Loving-Life-as-Alcoholic-ebook/dp/B007V69VXI/ref=sr_1_1?s=digital-text&ie=UTF8&qid=1334766719&sr=1-1
 | Amazon Price: $4.00 List Price: $10.95 |
 | Amazon Price: $8.45 List Price: $12.95 |
 | Amazon Price: $8.17 List Price: $12.99 |
- Alcoholism: A Follow Up About That Sneaky Bastard
Alcoholism almost killed the author of this article. Tendencies and behavior consistent with alcoholism went unnoticed until it was almost too late.
- U.S. Government Agencies - eNotes.com
Encyclopedia of Drugs, Alcohol, and Addictive Behavior - U.S. Government Agencies
Is there alcoholism in your family?
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It has a certain poetic ring to it, doesn't it? Thanks for reading the article, Matt!
Great hub! "Cunning, baffling, and powerful" - that's the phrase I always think of when discussing the consequences that comes from drinking alcoholically. You said it best - willingness is the key. It can lead to the solution.
Thanks for sharing your experience, strength, and hope.
And thank you Kathleen! If the story helps just one person then it was all worth it!
Thanks for sharing your journey! I have traveled down a similar road with a loved one (two years sober now), and know a bit about the challenges that you've overcome. My heart smiles as I read your article! I can hear your happiness and celebrate alongside you!
A counselor once told my family, "Treat sobriety like a rare, Faberge egg - put in in a safe place and take it down occasionally to dust it off and admire it; but whatever you do, don't ever forget about it. It is when it's forgotten that you are vulnerable and your sobriety is at great risk for shattering."
Thanks again for sharing your encouraging story! God Bless!
Absolutely! I love it when I find people who are on the same page as I am. Working together is awesome!
Kathleen and Teacher: thank you so much for your positive input. It means a great deal to me to hear supportive feedback. I have reached a point in my life where I no longer worry about any negatives that people might throw my way but rather the positives that my story might give....again, thank you!
Great Article...Thank you for sharing your story.
You are welcome Mr. Mark and thank you for reading it.
First of all, great hub. Second of all, congratulations!!!I wish for you the best life has to offer for you have won a very hard battle.
Pickles: thank you so much. Let's just say I have taken the last few skirmishes. The day I think I have it beaten is the day I'm in trouble.
Very well done sir, and congratulations. Alcoholism is a sneaky, dirty bastard. In my professional life, I see the ramifications first hand. Family's destroyed, failed businesses, marriages, etc. And it is a disease, if you are able to conquer it then you are strong indeed. God bless, and keep up the fight.
Great for you and very well written. I have alcoholic friends and family members, and have witnessed the hope and happiness they achieve with sobriety. One of my friends is over 40 years sober! I like the idea of taking it down and admiring it, and I am also very impressed with your continued effort over a 15-year period (or longer?) to get and stay sober. Rated up!
Good Hub billybuc. I can't stand smokers and drunkards. I really appreciate your efforts to help people those who are victims of Alcoholism. Sharing this on FB.
Hey Billybuc, you're a walking example that I talk about in my hub- Alcohol's Power vs Human Will, which touches on alcohol dependency and addiction. I had a short battle with it but was able to gain control over my life(taking it back) before too much damage was done. The damage that was done was enough for me to realize it's either give in to the alcohol's power or break free from it. Drinking is a choice, just like anything else we do. It can turn into a disease which damages the body and mind, but one has to give into it first. Great hub! Great success on your five years being sober. Here's to many more years! Congrats! Voted up and shared with followers! :)
Congratulation on your new life! It sounds like it has been one hell of a journey, but you have come out of it a success.
Voted up and awesome, as it is deeply honest, well written, and something that all drinkers should read.
Congratulations on kicking this beast to the curb.
It is a deadly serious disease. I have seen it effects first hand on family members; who are sadly no longer with us. They could not fight it.
I commend you, for returning again to the battle and keeping your soul strong. More power to you.
Michael
thanks billybuc. we just talked about willingness vs. willfulness in group this week and bb pp 60-62.
the hub you write based on your realization has some attractiveness in it.it binds you slowly.Alcholism is big menace for the modern society. Such realization will be eye opener for the people who are addicted to it.
I realized a long time ago how lucky I was being allergic to alcohol and hard drugs. I have several alcoholics in my family and some are also drug addicts. Being around this most of my life I have always been afraid of addiction. I have the right personality for it. Now that I am older I am not afraid, I know I will never fall to it.
My dad was an alcoholic and he stopped cold turkey one day and never took another drink. My dad was afraid of two things - losing my mom and dying. When he was faced with both he chose life and my mom.
I am glad you chose life and love also, you have cause to respect yourself. It is not failure to fall, it is failure to give up. Good luck with your life.
It is always a special treat to meet fellow trudgers on the road to happy destiny. You have written an enormously helpful hub here. How could you not? It's your own experience and no one can question that.
Glad you're here on HP. Keep writing what you know, billybuc. It's service of the most important kinds.
Voted up and awesome.
MM
I was married to an alcoholic for five years. He never recovered. I left him because life with him became impossible. I always prayed he would do what you have done, but he was never able to do so and ruined his life. Congratulations on reaching sobriety. I know how hard it is for you, so I will send my prayers to you for continued success.
Congratulations!!! I am genuinely happy for you and hope that your life keeps on getting better. The fact that you wrote this hubs says a lot and I applaud you for your courage and your regained self-confidence, it is oh so important to believe in ourselves.
First off congratulations and thank you writing such an inspirational story
Thank you all so much; we had a a major snowstorm here in Olympia and we have no power; I will respond to each of you as soon as our power returns....I am deeply moved by your responses.
Congratulations for your success from this deadly disease. I lost an aunt to alcoholism as a young girl. Her tragic death at age 40 steered me away from drugs and alcohol at a young age.
I love to read stories like yours even though it is too late for my son. He died homeless, on the street (literally), alone and estranged from all family and friends last December. I went through the Mother's hell of losing a child, but I also remember the hell of a life he lived in and put me through at times. I am thinking of writing a book about it, but not sure when.
A really uplifting testament of your life summarizing the up's and down's of your experience, and your silver lining of conquering the disease as you define it. I'm glad you love yourself now! Best of luck.
Thank you for your Hub. I wish I had known so much of this 20 years ago when I married a wonderful man from an historically alcoholic family. I had never been around alcoholism, and didn't recognize it early on. I didn't know what to do when it began to worsen and become a problem for us. I know now that ultimately, change had to be his decision, but I wish I had had this information to inform the way that I responded to the situation.
Now, our oldest son is a young teen. I talk with him about his family history (including depression on my side,) because I want him to be aware, and not blindsided. Knowledge and due caution is your great preventive ally in this situation. Denial and ignorance, I have found, will trip you up.
I wish more public health education was aimed at identifying alcoholism. If, perhaps, Middle school, High school, College students, and pregnant women were targeted for alcoholism awareness briefings, perhaps more people would contact Al Anon and Al Ateen (sp?) groups when they see worrisome signs.
Thank you for shedding light on an issue that is so often hidden from the public eye out of shame until the problem is too big to hide any longer. You are a big man to share your vulnerability for the benefit of others. You will never know how many peoples' lives you have changed by sharing this story.
Strength and Peace on your journey.
Well written hub. I have nothing but respect for someone who can do what you have done against all odds. I have known how alcohol can affect someone and it does no-one any good. Good luck to you and your lady. Keep writing! Voted up, useful, interesting and awesome. Brill!
Billy, I too have faced the demons of addiction, but I too came to the end of my rope and found help. Your story is so wonderfully written. Thank you for sharing!
Very good insight here, welcome to hubpages Billy, I hope your experiences here bless you. It is a great place to let out what you feel in writing. I would only add, well done man. Five years is a good stretch, go for five more, 1 day at a time one craving at a time. To thine own self be always true! Only looking back in retrospect, bro. Grace, Mercy and Peace be with you always! Forgive self but never forget. Onward to the Light.
Great hub! Keep up the good work on hubpages and on your life. You hit the nail on the head when you said it takes "willingness." May God continue to bless you. Congratulations on your sobriety.
Oh yes, addiction does sneak up on us. If we saw it coming we would duck. Once we are a victim it takes a lifelong effort break the chain and keep it broken. An honest and refreshing hub on a tough topic. Congratulations on remaining sober. I hope your work here encourages other to get their life back.
Teacher....thank you so much for the comment; I love the reference to the Faberge egg...right on the mark. Believe me when I tell you that I never forget.
Kathleen....thank you so much; it's a lonely journey unless we find others who are on the same path.
cmp...not sure we ever really conquer alcoholism but we can keep in in check; thank you for the encouragement and kind words.
Steph....thank you...it's been a battle and I'll never win that battle but I will stay one step ahead as long as I never forget.
Anamika...love you name...and thank you. Unfortunately the victims are not only those who have the disease but those who love them too. I will continue to open up about me so others can hopefully learn.
Cagsil....thank you so very much! The response to this hub has been remarkable and has touched me deeply. The concept of drinking being a choice is a very important one for alcoholics to grasp and accept, but oh so necessary.
Brett...thank you for your comment and support; it has been one hell of a journey and it is ongoing but the ride is much smoother now.
Molometer....thank you sir! In truth it wasn't the thought of death that finally made me stop but rather the realization that I could not conceive of living that way any longer...I was sick and tired of being sick and tired.
Kim...thank you and keep up the good fight. Life is sooo worth living but we don't see it while we are in active addiction. My prayers are with you.
Nity....I hope it is an eye opener. In my case it took a lot more than a hub to stop me from drinking. I had to suffer to the point where I had no choice but to change my way of life. Always was a slow learner! :)
My Minds Eye 53...thank you for your kind words and for responding to my hub. For years I hesitated to publicly tell my story; I realize now that it needs to be told so others can possibly learn from it.
Mighty Mom....those are high words of praise and I thank you. I have struggled somewhat as a newbie on Hub Pages trying to find my niche; although I don't want alcoholism to be that niche I do think I write best when I write about personal events and influences...thank you so much for your comment.
Timetraveler2...thank you, and I am so sorry that you had to suffer through the daily effects of alcoholism. Unfortunately when we are actively drinking we simply have no other emotions to spare our loved ones; we are too busy feeding the addiction. I appreciate that you shared your experience with me and God bless!
Claudia, I thank you so much for your kind words. I can only echo your words that it is so important to believe in ourselves; in my case it was also so important that I had loved ones who hung in there long enough to see me climb out the other side of the darkness.
ChinaDoll...thank you and you are very welcome. What good are experiences like the one I have lived through if others can't learn from them?
cbpoet...I am impressed that you learned that lesson at such an early age and stuck with it. Unfortunately I learn lessons much, much slower. Thank you for your comment and for reading my hub.
Sally...first off, I am so sorry for the loss of your son. I always remind myself when I drive by the homeless that I am one drink away from joining them on the street. I hope you choose to write that book; I have no doubt that your story needs to be told.
ytsenoh...thank you so much. What a wonderful gift to find out that there is something worth loving in myself. I greatly appreciate you reading my blog and commenting.
beachelf...your comment brought tears to my eyes. Thank you so very much for sharing a part of your story in reply. I can only hope and pray that you are correct and that my hub helps others. God bless you!
annart...that means a lot to me. It has never been easy and I will fight this for the rest of my life, but the rewards are incredible and it is a fight worth fighting.
hazelwood4...no, thank you for sharing your experience, strength and hope. We find strength in the commonalities that we all have; in the end none of us are all that different from each other. God bless you on your journey.
Artin2010...thank you sir! It's been one hell of a ride and it ain't over yet, but now I'm enjoying the ride rather than dreading it. Peace to you as well!
lawdoctorlee...very kind words and I thank you. As you said, willingness is the key and unfortunately many alcoholics think that means a willingness to stop drinking when in fact it means a willingness to change your life and yourself. Thank you for your comment.
Keith...thank you for your words and that is my hope as well. I am tired of the anonymity and the hiding of the truth; if my story can help someone else then let's do it! Thank you for reading my hub!
Okay, since I am new to this I tried to reply to each of you by hitting the reply button at the bottom of your comments. Unfortunately it doesn't show my reply so I don't know if you received it or not. If not I am sorry and please know that your words and encouragement mean a great deal to me.!
Wow, I hit 100 on this hub. I don't know what that means but I like the number more than say, 50. Thanks to all who read it and commented. Writing posts like this is cleansing and cathartic for sure, but the main goal is to share a personal story that just might help others. Hopefully I accomplished that in some small way.
I am writing a hub of my son's alcoholic journey too and have used your hub as a link from the word alcoholism. Take a look if you want.
I lied...I guess I couldn't find your link when I was entering them,,,I wanted to use yours though.
Sally, I'm honored you even considered using it..I look forward to reading your hub about your son.
Thank you for your honest and inspiring article.
carozy, you are welcome and thank you for taking the time to read it.
Congratulations to you billybuc. In three weeks, you have the best hub on hub pages at this very moment! That is quite an accomplishment and you are a very prolific writer. Congratulations!
tammy, thank you...coming from a vet like you I am humbled. I hope my story has helped others.
All I can say is wow! Thank you for taking the time to share the things you went through and how difficult the journey was. I'm so glad you have regained your self-confidence. Thank you for sharing.
GC....thank you for your kind words. The journey was worth it and that is a very happy ending to my story.
Congratulations on your new life. I too lost everything because of my drinking. Two homes, my car and sadly my career. It takes a while for the fog to lift but it's gradually improving for me. I'm beginning to feel again and take pleasure in simple things that I previously took for granted. I never realised how precious life was until I almost lost mine. I'm lucky to be alive and have had more lives than a cat! It's taken me to some dark places. Prison being the worst. Good luck and continue to enjoy your life. You deserve it!
Peanutritious....you are in inspiration to me and your words mean a great deal to me. I have been to many of those dark places; there was a time I had no hope, no prospects, no clue...and now, over five years later, it has all changed for the better....you also deserve what I have found and never forget it.
I am familiar with the four horseman. I hope I never forget lest I have to return. Alcoholics are not bad people, trying to get good - but sick people, trying to get well. We shall never be "cured" but we can live happy, joyous, and free lives as we trudge the road to happy destiny.
ruthclark3....indeed we are and trudging isn't so bad when it takes us where we need to be...thank you for the comment and for reading my hub...best of luck to you and happiness forever.
Thanks for sharing your story. Its inspiring to see everything that you have overcome. Good luck in the future!
sabrani44...thank you so much for reading but more so for your comment...best of luck to you as well.
I loved reading your story Billy. I can't say I know what it's like to be an alcoholic, but I do know what it's like to have a loved one who is. I hope you know that there are people in your life who love you, and who only wish the best for you. Keep working hard, and never give up.
Maria-Arg...thank you so much for taking the time to comment; I know very well how much I am loved...it is one of the gifts of sobriety.
Love it to the moon and back. Great hub and may you always have happiness in life.
Cheryl....there were times when I was drinking that I thought I was on the moon, so thank you very much. I also wish you happiness!
Wonderful Hub! I've myself been drunk for the past 16 years - lost two ladies, an engineering degree, countless jobs, a tooth - everything! Now am picking up leftovers to creat a paper mache of life.
wheps....I wish nothing but the best for you and thank you for reading my hub...stay safe, be happy and love yourself.
Hi billybuc. I'm so pleased to see your hub scoring so high and attracting so many comments! Clearly there is a need for such attraction not promotion!
Wishing you a blessed Saturday and keep up the great hubbing. MM
Mom...those words are greatly appreciated. I wish you a great day and as always, thank you for the support.
Wow! Great story and great hub. As you can see, alcoholism is more common in every age group than you think. I wouldn't say I had an adiction rather a substitute. I used alcohol as lets say "happy juice". A lot of things didn't go the way I wanted them to in my life and I was always angry about it. I had to move from my home in Indiana less than two years before I graduated. I came to find out my parents would have let me stay if I had not been so wreckless in the first place. I got a DUI at the age of seventeen and the drinking got worse. I came close to losing everything. Then I had the craziest idea for happiness and it worked. I met someone here in mississippi that was also from indiana. He invited me to a Tom Petty concert in indiana. So the plan was to sell my truck, go to the concert with my friend, and drive back down to mississippi in my highschool sweetheart's truck. Sounds like a crazy love story doesn't it. I've never had a stronger relationship with my mother than I do now. I am now engaged to my highschool sweety and I don't drink. The only things lurking from my past now is a good hundred extra bucks for insurance every month and minor memory problems. Things worked out for you and they worked out for me. The cure is true happines. You have a wonderful life and I wish you the best.
I love happy endings and it sounds like your story has one...best of luck to you and thank you for reading my hub and the lovely comments.
Thank you for sharing your moving story, you give hope to people who are battling with their demons and alcoholism. Good on you, you finally broke the chains of slavery and found life again. Wishing you many more happy years.
Thank you very much Flint54....not easy at all but oh so worth it...I appreciate you reading it and commenting...may you be blessed in this lifetime
Congratulations, billybuc, on your ongoing victory over this terrible addiction. May God bless you and help you remain sober. Excellent hub, very well written. Voted it awesome and beautiful (ratings I rarely use).
Leah, that means a great deal to me and I'm not just saying that...I write about things that are personal to me and if they help someone else then that is a bonus. Thank you so much for reading and commenting and may you find happiness throughout your life as well.
I read this and I really got the message! I struggle with binge eating and fear. I get that. What you sid in the hub.I am struggling now because I am going backwards in my recovery. Stay strong my friend. Easy does it. Peace be with you.
Abundant....thank you very much for reading; an added bonus for me is that it might have helped you. Take care of yourself and keep moving forward...sometimes little baby steps...but always forward.
Wonderful Hub. You have made life a business. You have achieved success in your quest for a sober life. Your courage is inspiring. Thank you.
dkm27...I greatly appreciate your comments. Thank you so much for that and for taking the time to read my hub.
This touches my heart. You have every right to be proud and to love yourself. I applaud your victory, Billybuc. You've earned the healthy place at which you have arrived. I literally FEEL the happiness in your story.
ha HA! Billybuc kicked your ass, you bastard!! No one likes you anyway!
You crack me up! I'm going to run an errand and then come back and read all of your hubs. Thank you for the vote of confidence and your sense of humor.
What a coincidence! My husband says that all the time! "You crack me up, honey." It might not be the same...I don't know. He's usually not smiling and sometimes it's hard to hear him as he's leaving to go for a ride.........but hey, it's close.
Great hub. My father died at the age of 63 from alcohol related causes. It was a horrible way for such a strong and independent person to go. I am very happy that you have been able to tell the sneaky bastard who's the boss of you!
Express, I will never be the boss, but I do control how much suffering or happiness I want in my life. Today I choose happiness. I am very sorry about your father; it is sad to see that happen. I have seen it all too often. Thank you for reading and commenting.
You have such an inspiring story. It reminds me of my dad's battle with smoking. It took him years before he found the strength to finally quit. I hope your story serves as an inspiration to others who continue to struggle with alcoholism.
Cliff, I really appreciate those words; it has been a battle but life is very good. Thank you for your comment.
Thanks for your honesty. This hub was an eye-opener for me as I had no idea how insidious alcoholism can be.
Giselle, you are very welcome. My sincere hope is that it won't touch your family and you never have to deal with it. I appreciate you taking the time to read and comment.
Voted up and across (this seems to be a theme with your hubs, billybuc!)
Alcoholism runs in families, I happen to know, and it's not just based on environment as some people say. I believe it's definitely a disease, and anyone who wants to argue about it I think just doesn't understand the nature of addictions.
I'm a nicotine addict, now clean. But the urge never goes away, and never will, for the rest of my life. It seems to be built into my brain chemistry or something, probably much like your alcohol addiction. It's a constant battle every day against the urge.
That said, each day without it it gets easier to override the urge to smoke, and I'd imagine it's the same with alcohol.
I've met kids of alcoholics who blame the alcoholic and say they've made the choice to become addicts. For those of you doing that, please note it's not always, if ever, the case. It's an illness and can be overcome, but I don't think anyone consciously chooses to ruin their lives or others' lives by smoking or drinking. It's a horrible compulsion that, often, gains control.
Faceless, you are so right and I appreciate your taking the time to explain your thoughts on the matter. I have found that when I do meet resistance or belligerence it is simply because of ignorance about the nature of addiction. Thank you for your understanding and for taking the time to share you experience.
Awesome hub. My father died due to this disease. It is great that you have been able to come back from the brink and are able to take the reigns to show the bastard who's boss. You have a wealth of love, knowledge, and life experience to share. Excellent and useful share.
Express, I thank you very much. I am truly sorry about your father. I have had far too many friends suffer the same fate. I appreciate you sharing that with me and I hope my words will make a difference in some lives.
From a fellow alcoholic a wonderful and inspiring read.
It is always more powerful to read from someone who has walked the walk.
Thank you once again Lyndre; there is much to be learned from observation. Hopefully you and I do not have to learn so many of these lessons again from practical experience. I much prefer the life I am living now.
Let anyone ever try to tell me that I am late for anything again and I will use this as my only answer. Billy I am having a reality blast reading your work, it's incredible reading all the similarities we share , confirming the true reason I saw that which I love in your work, and such an easy follow "Truth" My story on alcohol in like yours for the books and I know you will , and I am sure as long as I live I will .
Great work billy.
I can go forever writing here , but is take that you bastards to the different alcohols? lol .
Listen they can call it what ever they want it's who feels it knows it . I drank for thirty years and I bet all my friends who of course doubted me. They were going based on what they saw in the past , while I was sure of myself that I was going with me I stopped in 2005 and here we go.
I love the suggestions you gave , and I love the Honesty it soars! If anything will help another it is going to be that same "Honesty"
Anytime you need , I have done it all I here. I was also proud with the alcohol so I laughed and said , you win ! And walked away. There is nothing but truth and a belief in yourself with a strong spiritual sense and an unbreakable belief.
God bless you my brethren you have done well, continued strength, because not only is it wise , you a substance that's wise enough to speak to you personally in t a tone of voice only you can hear! Once you listen and most of us do the only thing that can save you is you.
Bless.
Give God the praise , you made me laugh enough for this entire day day lol.
Sky my friend, what can I say? Walking (and sometimes crawling) the path you and I have walked is certainly a learning experience. Oddly enough I wouldn't trade any of it for without having walked that path I would not be here today, so damn happy and loving life. Bless you my friend and may you find peace today. I'll be walking that path right alongside of you.
Thank you for dropping by and for leaving your comment. HubPages suggests that you don't leave your personal websites when leaving comments. Best of luck to you in your writing.
Another outstanding hub Billybuc! If I were to change anything about this hub it would be the poll. I noticed it doesn't have a place to check if the alcoholism is in the person reading the hub.
The idea that one would read this and have to choose to check this box for themselves if that were the case, could be the moment of realization in my opinion. Whether they would check it or not would be on their mind. I'm curious if there is a reason you did not put that in there?
Again, you had me from the start and I applaud your achievement. Many people beat cancer and that too is a disease. You have beaten this thing, let it stay beaten.
I'm proud of your dedication to spread your reach and success to those not so fortunate.
Tams, keep this up and you will be among my favorite hubbers and I'll have to write nice things about you. :) Thank you kind lady; you have beaten back your own ghosts and that always carries weight with me.
This is a testament to the human will to survive at all cost. I had an uncle who was an alcoholic for over 40 years, he quite cold turkey after nearly drinking himself to death. He was always one of my favorite uncles even during his drunken years. I'm so glad I got to know him sober. Voted up and useful.
Dmop, I'm with you 100%. We are a resilient race, aren't we? Thank you once again for visiting my site.
I had a father and brother, who were both alcoholics. The father I didn't know, but he drank the hard stuff. He died from alcoholism and gluteny. The brother only drank beer-he died at age 56 in 2005 of heart problems. Alcohol is really bad. Congradulations! Really great story and I'm glad I read it. My brother got really mean when he drank. Some people just get silly when their drunk, but not my brother. He was always mean. I voted up.
Thank you Gail and I'm very sorry for your loss. It is an ugly, terrible, deadly disease and I'm sorry you had to have it affect your life.
Thanks, I agree that it is an ugly, terrible, and deadly disease. I have another brother, but he doesn't drink. He does drink Pepsi, though. I'm sorry that it affected your life, too. It sure affects alots of people's lives.
Thank you Gail!
Hi Billy. I think your headline has caught a lot of attention here, and just deserved too. Nice hub ;-)
It never ceases to amaze me how far down an alcoholic has to go before he gives up his love affair with the very thing that's helping to destroy his life.
It's no different to smoking either, in many ways. I was addicted to nicotine and went through 30 to 40 cigarettes a day. I used to say to people I could never give up smoking because I loved it so much, yet I was coughing all day every day and had absolutely no energy.
Addiction is indeed a strange kind of love we addictive types embrace.
Making a 2 column list is often a helpful exercise when trying to break the sick and twisted bond with booze. We can't cheat the mind when 'reasons for' and 'reasons against' are laid down in ink before our very eyes.
I always like to look at recovery as fighting FOR something rather than fighting AGAINST it. For example, it's better to fight FOR sobriety than it is to fight AGAINST alcoholism, IMHO ;-)
Hope you're still clean and sober buddy?
Andy Aitch
Andy, you are so right and yes, I am clean, sober and extremely happy after five and a half years of sobriety. My life is full of experiences and love and it will stay that way as long as I walk this path.
Thank you so much for your kind words.
bill
You have fought the hardest part of the battle.Alcoholism IS a disease,though alot of people are ignorant to that.I find in my family alone,those who say that are mostly alcoholics. I am so proud to have met you and hopped on your hub that first day! You have alot to teach people, Billy.You already are teaching them. I'm glad you found your way out the other side.I do know it's a life long battle! My best to you my friend! Here if you need an ear!
Rusti, I guess once a teacher always a teacher! My lessons just might help others and that makes them all worthwhile. Thank you once again for being the caring soul that you are.
Matt Tuller 4 months ago
"Take that you bastard" nice