Kamala’s Story

Recovery Triumph: Alcohol

I’m going on nine years sober, so I am sending you a bit of my story in the hope that it will help you help others.  I’m not comfortable with the term hero, but I am hoping you will be able to pass my experience along to people who might be able to save their own lives with it.  Whether or not you use my story, I hope to help with your research in any way I can.  Please feel free to contact me any time.

“Both of my parents were alcoholics.  I never wanted to believe alcoholism was genetic.  I thought that I was informed enough about the disease of alcoholism that I could drink safely and keep control of it through the power of my brain and my will.  What a stupid idea that turned out to be!

It turns out alcoholism doesn’t care what classes I have taken, or what negative experiences I have had with other people’s addictions, or what I think I know.  Alcoholism looked at the mental health professional license on my wall and laughted its head off!  In my case, alcoholism only cared whether I drank.  When I did drink, alcohol got a toehold, and alcoholism took over my life before I knew it.

Alcohol withdrawal can be fatal if you are drinking every day like I was that last year.  I am so grateful I had access to a medically supervised detox when I was finally ready to quit for good.  Even people who don’t have insurance can go to a free clinic or an emergency room for medicine to help them quit, but it’s far better to be in a reasonably protected environment if possible.  Drinking on top of medication can be fatal too, so if you can’t be in a detox, please try to stay with a sober friend while you detox.  That way they can help you avoid combining your withdrawal medicine with other drugs or alcohol.  I won’t kid you, the first few days of withdrawal really suck.  But the rewards of clearing your mind just get better and better from there.

I will have nine years sober pretty soon, higher power willing.  I stay sober by attending AA meetings weekly, using the tools of the program, and surrounding myself with sober people.  Left to its own devices my alcoholic brain tells me some pretty dangerous lies, so I need consistent reminders from other people about how bad it really was when I was drinking and how much better my life is now that I am sober.

I never thought of myself as much of a group person but in AA I have found some amazing, funny, loving people who help me navigate life in a healthy way.  Alcoholism and all addictions are so isolating.  For me the key to staying in recovery is to remember that I am not alone, and that there is help all around if I am simply willing to ask for it.