Haven’t had one bad experience yet (i know it’ll happen eventually).

I fear that if i don’t put it out in the open immediately, i’ll trick myself into being comfortable sneaking one drink in in public or something, but i’m the type of guy who will do that once, and then the next day drink alone by myself.

So i make it known to everyone who needs to know, or brings up the idea of going out for drinks, that i’m down to hangout, but i’m sober. If they want to drink, i want to be their designated driver.

Everyone’s experiences are different, but when i do this, i am in complete control of the situation, and that is what has made hanging out with my friends around alcohol easier.

There is a lot of shame with admitting you’re an alcoholic, but i knew that if i started telling one person at a time, eventually it would just become another thing i bring up if necessary.

slowly but surely, creating the distance between alcohol and myself was something i was consciously working on. Telling the people who ask me why that i’m an alcoholic does two things: 1) reinforces the idea that it’s okay for others to drink around me and i can still have a good time with them, 2) makes me more confident about who i am.

yes i am an alcoholic, but i am also so many other things! Simple things and complex things.

When you’re sober, you’re potentially saving lives every time you hangout with your friends/family who drink... we all know those extra confident drinkers...

When you’re sober, you’re able to properly assess situations, able to deescalate stupid arguments, able to fully comprehend conversations, able to laugh and remember funny moments

When you’re sober, the conversations you have tend to mean more. I find myself talking more about either myself or other people’s actual events in life, and i love these conversations. Good or bad, they’re productive, i’m actually able to be helpful or receive help.

When i was drinking, constructive criticism was something i was able to give (because i knew what it was like to feel like shit lol thanks alcohol) but i was never able to receive it. Nowadays I kind of live for deep conversations, about myself or others. It’s quite terrible how many people are going through rough times right now, and being clear headed has made me realize i can be there more for the ones i love, and it’s also made me WANT to be there more for the ones i love.

I am an alcoholic, and so many other things! Most of the other things are great.