Here is my addiction story. I started out just like many others; smoking cigarettes and thinking I was cool behind the local bowling alley. Like it is for so many, cigarettes were my first gateway drug. It wasn’t long past that I started stealing sips of alcohol from my parents liquor cabinet. Once i was used to getting drunk, and somebody offered me marijuana, there was nothing stopping me from trying it.

I stuck with marijuana and alcohol for a while but, when I got to high school and other drugs were introduced to me, I had no problem trying them. By this time I was addicted. Not necessarily addicted to any one thing, but I was addicted to being high. I would do anything offered to me and in massive amounts. It all seemed very normal and fun to me. It continued in college, but got much worse as there was much more available.

Getting Help

I flunked out of college and entered the work force. I chose a profession in the bar and restaurant industry, because it seemed to accept and almost promote drug and alcohol abuse. I would work in the bar and then spend my paycheck there at the end of the week.

After losing job after job due to my use, and after digging myself so deep in debt, and after my third time in jail for drunk driving enough was enough. With the help of a long-term drug rehab facility I was able to kick drugs and alcohol entirely.

I never realized life could be so great sober. I always thought I needed drugs and alcohol to deal with life. I realize now by using I was avoiding life rather than dealing with it.