November 1, 2007

By LAURIE MUSTARD

One of the main ironies of alcohol and drug abuse: life is horrible, so you drink to escape. But after you quit, you find the drugs and booze were the reason life was horrible!

I'm writing this immediately after a phone conversation with a 36-year-old former drug abuser and alcoholic who has now been sober five and a half years.

How's he doing?

"Man, my life is just awesome now. I've repaired my relationships, am back with my teenage son, it's just great," he said.

However, prior to sobriety, life was anything but great, especially when going through the "hitting bottom" period.


"I didn't know where to get help. I felt like I was caught in a trap and couldn't get out. During that stretch I lost a business, became homeless, got stabbed. It was really horrible," he said.

"I finally contacted the Addictions Foundation of Manitoba, they put me in touch with Alcoholics Anonymous, and here I am today, one happy guy."

He said alcohol always blocked him from doing what he wanted to do.

"Now I'm accomplishing all the things I wasn't able to do before. I used to think of alcohol as an escape from my numerous life problems, but discovered escaping alcohol was how to make the rest of that go away. AA has truly given me my life back."

Concerned that perhaps alcohol is messing up your life? Here's the perfect way to find out. Take in this weekend's Manitoba AA Keystone Conference tomorrow through Sunday at the Marlborough Hotel, located at 331 Smith St.

Go listen to the speakers, pick other people's brains, compare your life with others and get some perspective on your situation. Then make some decisions.

Registration (small fee) and further information available by calling the AA central office at 942-0126. You have nothing to lose but your misery.

© Winnipeg Sun

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