Sarahs New Years Resolution, Sobriety!

by Sarah
(San Francisco, CA)

The New Years resolution I made last year is a common one, but it had critical importance to me: I wanted to quit drinking once and for all. My family has a long and unfortunate history with alcohol addiction.

And at age 25, I felt I was becoming my family's latest sad casualty to the beast.

I was binge drinking almost every day. A day without alcohol felt like a nightmare. My hangovers were massive, and the only way to get rid of them was (of course) more alcohol. I was stuck in a neverending cycle which had ruined many relationships in my family. It had even led to the death of an uncle.

So (again), I resolved to quit drinking. I had no interest in joining groups like AA, relying on any self-help books or twelve-step methods. I wanted to stop drinking. I had had enough, and that was that.

My cold turkey method would not have worked for everyone. It required white-knuckle willpower, but somehow I managed. The first few weeks were the hardest. Slowly, my life and body adapted to not needing alcohol. Eventually, I wasn't even thinking about having a drink.

I have no interest in taking another drink, ever. I plan never to break this special New Years resolution. It is saving my life.