Alcohol is the "UN" Drink: Unhealthy, Unattractive, and Causes Untimely Death

iI was driving down the road as fast as my car would go, and it's night, so I don't see very well. Suddenly I started laughing wildly and decided to drive on the wrong side of the road to see what that felt like. I could have been killed and killed someone else, but I was so drunk I didn't think logically.

That is one scenario from my past when I used to drink a lot. I got lucky that night because it was late and nobody else was on that road, but what if they had been? Or what if a deer walked out into the road? Anything could have happened that night.

I began drinking when I was in my thirties. At first, it was just socially with my friends but as time went on I began to drink at home as well, and sometimes drank when I was alone. I guess I was an alcoholic at that point but I didn't see it that way. I didn't see anything wrong with what I was doing and considered it relaxing and what everybody else did as well. However, as time went on, even though some incidents may be laughable, I began to realize my issue.

I was at a friends house one night and with my boyfriend, and we were all sitting around drinking and listening to music on his new stereo system. This was back in the stone age to some of you because his new system was a turn table that played vinyl. I kept slamming down drinks and didn't even realize how drunk I was until I stood up to go to the bathroom. I was dizzy at first and then proceeded to pass out on top of his new vinyl stereo system, breaking the entire thing as well as several of his albums. Needless to say I was not welcome back there again. And then there was the time I forgot I took my contacts out and woke my husband up because I couldn't get my contacts out, so he took me to the ER where they informed me I didn't have any contacts in. Embarrassing at the least, but not as embarrassing as the time I got so drunk I fell into the Christmas tree and knocked it over. Same husband, once again had to fix my blunder; good guy by nature though, he never said much about it. I picked up a loaf of bread at the supermarket while he and I were shopping one night and threw it at least three feet towards him and then couldn't stop laughing.

Of course , there were the times I got drunk and laid out in the sun until I was fried and paid the price for days at least. Sometimes I couldn't even stand the feel of clothes against my skin it was so bad.

Some of the things above may seem funny, but in reality they are not. I was out of control and never saw it until one time when I was attending a party with my work group at a bar. I guess I said a lot of awful things and acted like a total ass, but blacked it all out. I couldn't remember anything the next day but unfortunately it all came back to me in flashes and I almost quit my job because of it. I was so embarrassed when I went back to work I apologized to everyone.

That still didn't stop me though. I was taking Akido and went to class after a few. I wasn't drunk but I was buzzed, and at the end of the class the instructor told me to make sure and come sober next time. I also went to an interview at a high school, no less, totally shit faced. And of course I didn't hear back from them!

I think the biggest loss drinking has brought me is the time I lost with my kids, the time I lost with my husband, and most of all, the time I lost with myself. Stopping was difficult because the core reason I drank was because I had no self-esteem, but when I was drinking it changed and I was bold and outgoing. I liked that feeling. But, seeing your young son running through the living room crying, yelling that his mother is an alcoholic, leaves a scar that will never go away.

Most people think they are social drinkers, they are in control, one or two won't hurt. Yes it will because that's how I stated out. Two leads to three, then to the whole night, then on into the next day, laughing and telling yourself that it's cool, all your friends are hung over too. What a waste that was for me and probably a lot of others.

We all have another way to relax besides drinking, and it won't damage your liver , brain, or heart, and it won't give you a hangover. It's smoking marijuana. If you don't like marijuana and feel it's a drug, then there are relaxation tapes and classes on how to deal with stress. Life offers all types of ways to deal with yourself besides getting drunk. I would never suggest that alcohol be made illegal, we all know what happened during Prohibition, but I am suggesting we all become more responsible for our own actions. Know your limit and stop. Don't drink and drive, and please, don't get drunk around your children. They won't forget about it, trust me.

Ask yourself this, if you feel you aren't an alcoholic. Do you take that drink because you want it, or do you take that drink because you need it?