I didn’t want to elaborate originally because this is a meme community after all, but one of the biggest things I will say is that being gripped with alcoholism truly felt like living life as a stunted person in arrested development. Between the constant drunk/hangover cycle, the depression and anxiety, and just the general shame it felt impossible to maintain the consistency necessary to truly grow as a person.

I was very aware of how problematic my behavior was from the beginning, but that didn’t make it any easier. My father died in a sudden accident a month or two after my 21st and alcohol was my coping mechanism. It sucks to feel like I now have to refigure out who I am in my 30’s and reconcile with all the lost time, but today is always better than never.

Glad to hear you successfully made it to this point as well ☺️