What it was like?

Getting sober is 1 of the most Amazing things I've ever done!! Sobriety looks Great on me!!

What happened?

I started drinking at the age of 15. When I turned 21 it became a huge problem for me. Every bad thing that happened in my life was usually a result of getting drunk. When I got pregnant w my son, he's now 11, I was able to quit drinking easily for that 9 months. About 2 weeks after having my son, I started drinking again. My Moma passed away due to complications from Early-Onset Alzheimer's at the age of 56. My son was only 8 months old at the time. I'm not blaming my drinking on my Moma by no means but just a few weeks after her death I began drinking every day. This was the year 2008. By 2012 I had gained around 65 lbs. I had to start drinking when I got up everyday because I had the 'shakes'. I was drinking approx 6 - 16 oz. Mike's Harder Cranberry Lemonades. Harder because it had 8% alcohol in it. I was drinking the amount of calories a normal person is recommended to eat in a day PLUS eating whatever I wanted. Prior to that I was drinking 8-12 - 24 oz Bud Ices. I got to where I didn't care for the beer taste so I switched to the fruity ones. My blood pressure was up, I was borderline diabetic and had high Cholesterol. One day I decided I wanted to lose weight so I started going to Curves (a women's only exercise class). My son had started Kindergarten August 2012. I lost a few pounds from going to Curves. But then I started drinking less. I had to get up and get my son ready for school and take him. So I was actually able to go a day here and there not drinking w out having withdrawals. I lost 7 lbs in 1 month at Curves and that was a lot to them. But it was not only the exercise but more so drinking less. I started feeling better about myself. So there was an evening 10/11/12 that I didn't drink. A few more days went by, then weeks, then months, I had never felt better. After getting passed the first couple of months, there was no way I was turning back. I had 'tried' to quit drinking on numerous occasions in the past. But it was usually because I was trying to please someone else. I was able to go a week or so every now and then but always went back. And I always knew I was an alcoholic and never denied that fact. Anyway, I quit going to Curves but continued to lose weight. I lost 70 lbs in about 6 months. Blood pressure and Cholesterol levels went down and I was no longer an inch away from being diabetic. When I had been sober for about 3 months I finally went to a psychiatrist and for once I wasn't treated like an alcoholic. Once I got on the right medication for my depression, anxiety and other mental issues, I actually started feeling great and became very proud of myself... and so did a TON of other people! I've never even taken a sip of alcohol in the last 6 years!! I'm healthy and happy!! And I attribute a lot of my success to my Facebook friends. Because I am an introvert, I don't talk on the phone and I don't hang out much w my friends much. So Facebook became my support group!! Just 1 little, 'I'm proud of you Crystal and your Mom and Dad would be too' is almost enough to never look back. But my 11 year old son is my number one reason to never go back. He's my entire World and I tell him often that he saved my life. He gave me a reason to live AND a reason to never drink alcohol ever again. There's a lot more I'd like to say but I'm pretty sure I got my point across!! Sobriety is AWESOME!!

What it is like now?

Amazing!!

Recent Sober Sinces

Mariahna Camacho, 18
Sober since 10 / 21 / 2023

robert martino, 35
Sober since 03 / 06 / 2023

Lisa, 44
Sober since 05 / 13 / 2016