Classy Wine Drinker.
That was me. A classy connoisseur of wine. Franzia boxed wine from the very beginning to the very end of my drinking career. With the exception, of course, of the airplane-sized bottles at the real end. In the beginning, I felt my story was unworthy of sharing because it was boring. I would come to find though that my story was like hundreds of others.
I drank my entire life like other ‘normal’ drinkers. Although maybe it wasn’t as normal as I thought.
As a nurse practitioner primarily in the emergency department my entire career, I would decompress with a couple of glasses of wine at the end of the day. Same once I became a mother, a couple of glasses to unwind and relax. When we moved one town over for better schools, I remember feeling more anxious around the new mom group and my drinking picked up. Almost felt like being back in high school and trying to fit in. No traumatic events. No major life stressors. My switch had just flipped as they say.
The progressiveness of my addiction was subtle. Like air. And it continued for a few years. Then came the limits, the failed trials at moderation and the realization that I could not stop. Moderation was its own special place of hell. I would never willingly choose to go back to that mental obsession.
My drinking ended on a random day in April. April 4, 2016, to be exact. My family had reached a hard limit. I knew what I had to do. I knew all along, but I was too afraid to pull the trigger. I placed myself in inpatient treatment (rehab) and went to AA the morning after I was discharged. It was the last door I ever wanted to enter, yet thankfully I dared to push it open.
When I got sober, I knew it was a forever thing. Hence the reason, I am insanely passionate about changing the narrative of sobriety.
Click here to learn more about Carrie
In the words of Madonna…”Express yourself!”
SPEAK OUT! SPEAK LOUD! is the space to share collective stories and opinions of our sobriety journeys. After removing drugs and alcohol, many addicts find their voices and discover new talents, abilities, and forms of self-expression. Sharing these stories and experiences helps those who share their story and those still battling addiction. So, let’s Speak Out! And Speak Loud! Because when we recover out loud, we help keep others from dying in silence.
How are you expressing yourself in recovery? Do you have something you’d like to share in this space? Videos, poems, art, essays, opinion pieces, music – bring it. We want to hear from you! Please email us at thesobercurator@gmail.com or DM us on social!
A Disco Ball is Hundreds of Pieces of Broken Glass, Put Together to Make a Magical Ball of Light. You are NOT Broken, Friend. You are a DISCO BALL!
Resources Are Available
If you or someone you know is experiencing difficulties surrounding alcoholism, addiction, or mental illness, please reach out and ask for help. People everywhere can and want to help; you just have to know where to look. And continue to look until you find what works for you. Click here for a list of regional and national resources.
Resources Are Available
If you or someone you know is experiencing difficulties surrounding alcoholism, addiction, or mental illness, please reach out and ask for help. People everywhere can and want to help; you just have to know where to look. And continue to look until you find what works for you. Click here for a list of regional and national resources.
