Alcohol
Rick’s story of addiction

Do you know the damage alcohol abuse can do? Abusing alcohol can mess up your life. You can damage your body, ruin your relationships, and get into trouble. Rick was going down the dangerous road of alcohol abuse. Here’s his story.

I'm 30 now. Ten years ago I went to alcohol and drug treatment after a week in the hospital for inflammation of a gland behind the stomach. It was the direct result of more than five years of excessive drinking.

The doctor said if I kept drinking I would become a diabetic. If I continued after that, I would likely die. I had flirted with death many, many times prior to being admitted to the hospital. But I was never confined to a bed for a week and confronted with the stark truth about what alcohol was doing to me.

Five car accidents, arrests, evictions from places I lived, rapidly declining grades in college, growing away from my family, and increased isolation from friends did not phase me.

I told myself it was all bad luck. People drink and party, especially young people. And I was determined from a very young age to be the leader of the pack. I wore my drinking and the trouble I got into like a badge of honor. After all, this was me, this was who I became: the guy parents didn't want their kids around, who could always get alcohol, who always drove drunk and 'got away with it.’

If you drink, you risk having problems with alcohol, or developing the disease. Alcohol and drugs cause you to do things you might not normally do. For a while this can be fun and quite a thrill. Unfortunately, once you get hooked and it's your primary source of pleasure in life, you're in trouble. Sometimes it’s too late.

Things started off pretty good for me too. Nice home, nice family, no abuse, great friends, excellent high school achievement in sports, and good grades. I don't know why I became an alcoholic. I do know today that I am an alcoholic, and having one beer or drink is a useless proposition. And I wouldn't have all the great things in my life today if I had continued down the road I was on 10 years ago. In fact, I'd probably be dead.

Rick works at a treatment center where people go to recover from addiction. He sent his true story so that other people might avoid the pain he and his loved ones went through. If you or someone you know are on the road to addiction, remember there are places you can go for help.