Sobriety Starts at 60 –
April 12, 2018 – On June 22, 2007, I had my last drink. Thanks to my faith in God and Alcoholics Anonymous I am still currently a sober, grateful alcoholic. I am 10 years, nine months, one week and four days sober.
I didn’t know I had a drinking problem until I decided I had a drinking problem. I spoke to a good friend of mine one day and told him I could not stop drinking. He asked me a few pertinent questions: Do I drink alone, can I go more than 24 hours without a drink, do I like to drink by myself, do I seem to drink more than my friends? I answered affirmatively to all. Then he said the words I did not want to hear … ‘You are an alcoholic. I know this because I have been one year and three months sober today!’ He recognised his addiction in what I had said. A deep fear started inside of me. I was very scared. All kinds of scenarios played on my mind and as my anxiety level rose a myriad questions scrolled through my mind. I was concerned my husband leave me and take our children. I didn’t know where I could go to get sober. Part of me wondered if my dad being an alcoholic had something to do with my condition. I found a few numbers in the phone book and although I called I could not bring myself to speak to anyone and hung up straight away. Then the phone rang, and it was the clinic calling me back, that’s when I started to cry and spilled my guts to a nameless voice on the other end of the phone. She told me what I had to do and how to do it, but I was afraid; afraid to commit to come into the centre for help. I had all kinds of excuses as to why not today. I was the poster child for procrastination.
