It has been 7 weeks since my last drink. I wanted to start this blog as a way to help me reflect and understand more about my journey through abstaining from alcohol and perhaps help others who are thinking about quitting alcohol, and the destruction that emanates from its tightening grip on its victims.

The last seven weeks have been an enlightening experience and also one that I had been fearing for so long. For years I’ve been having quiet words with myself saying, why don’t you give up a few days a week or wouldn’t it be great to have a life without alcohol and still be happy?

It was following yet another huge row with my partner that I finally accepted that I had to give up alcohol for myself first and my family second. I wanted to be able to look in the mirror and be proud of who I am as a friend, a father, a brother, partner and son, to my immediate family around me. In all honesty I knew I could not do that on the present trajectory.

I am 48 years old and have been drinking since I was 20. Prior to that I had been smoking weed since 13 ecstasy since 14 and cocaine from 16. I grew up in a family with my brother and by the time I was eight years old my parents were separated and living in different bedrooms within the house. It wasn’t before I was 12 that finally the house was sold and both my parents divorced living in different properties. It was at this moment that I fell into the arms of addiction and used its comfort to guide me through the solace and escapism from the pain of family breakdown.

I hope that through this blog I can use it as a source of healing for myself and hopefully for others. I’m beginning to enjoy life without the guide of intoxication and it is a huge relief for me, even if it is in small pockets at this moment in time.

Everyday is an opportunity to start your journey, mine began when I finally was facing the breakup of my family. It would not have been possible without the interjection of my partner for me to make a change. I am so grateful for that and even though I might not be able to save my family, I am finally taking the steps to recovery, moving forward, finding the courage to heal and nurture my soul.

I have finally accepted that life is beautiful and worth sharing with those you love, rather than in fantasy at the bottom of the bottle.