Your first drink was most likely a rite of passage.
You probably vomited and your friends made fun of you because you couldn't handle a little alcohol.
Little did they remember their first drink, as they probably behaved in the same fashion.
Regardless, you were determined to get used to the effects of drinking the next time, as a way to show that you could 'handle' alcohol.
Sounds like your first time drunk, doesn't it? As with anything we try for the first time, we are novices.
Think about those 'first time' events-riding a bicycle alone, first date, driving your parent's car, ice skating.
These are just some of the things you have done in your lifetime, and for everything we have done, there was a first time.
The next few times we drink, we try with all of our might not to repeat the first time we drank.
Each time we drink, we bolster our self-confidence because we are becoming more confident and the newness has begun to wear off a bit.
Before you know it, you're drinking more and more.
The reasons people drink are many; to feel good, maybe to celebrate a birthday, wedding or graduation.
Or maybe you drink because you want to drown your sorrows, or blow off steam from a stressful day.
Time passes and drinking is now a part of your daily routine.
This does not mean you will drink alcohol every day; but the thought to do so will cross your mind.
You could convince yourself that 'one drink can't hurt'.
That one drink turns into a couple of drinks; then it becomes a few drinks, and you continue to believe you will be okay.
That is called DENIAL.
When you begin to believe the lies you tell yourself just so you can have a cocktail or beer, you are now on the road to alcohol dependence and alcoholism.
Oh, yes, the road seems pretty level now; but soon enough, you will find yourself tripping up over situations you used to jump over.
You will begin to ignore the people who mean the most to you in your life because even though they may have your best interest at heart, you go for the bottle.
You find new friends at the bar who understand your plight.
These are the folks like you; with the same intention of drinking to get drunk no matter what.
After a while, you realize (or not) that you're drinking by yourself, your friends have moved on; perhaps you pushed them away by your behaviors caused by such intoxication.
On your way home from the bar, you fall asleep and crash your car into a telephone pole.
The police are called, and you are arrested for DUI.
Fortunately, you suffer only minor injuries, as you were asleep.
You try to protest and use the excuse that you were tired from a long day.
Yeah, and now it is Sunday around 2:30 am.
A long day indeed.
You are helped into the squad car, driven downtown to jail, where you will be booked and processed.
You sleep it off and the next morning are released.
It isn't until then that you realize the events of the previous evening.
You try to convince yourself and others that you weren't drunk, just tired.
But even you don't believe it.
In the meantime, you now have to find a lawyer, deal with the insurance company and take a few days off from work.
Fortunately, you have some unused vacation days available.
Lucky, aren't you? If you see yourself in this scenario, take heed.
Make a decision to drink for the right reasons and conditions; otherwise, you will join others who have followed the same path.
There are two roads at that point, and only you can decide which direction you will travel.
If you choose the road to recovery, you will join the millions of people who found a reason to live sober.
I hope to see you there.