I stopped drinking 6 months ago today

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I stopped drinking 6 months ago today. I wrote about the decision then and I have written about other addiction-related issues I have dealt with in the past.

I rarely ever talk about this in a public forum because I don’t want “recovery” to be my area of expertise. I am not an expert in the arena, and it would be irresponsible for me to allow my imperfect journey to become a model for others. When I made the announcement, though, a lot of people were very supportive and that was really big for me. To an extent you’re on your own in this thing, but community and support can and does go a long way. Even my hardcore drinking buddies reached out to say that getting coffee or tea would be just as fun and folks have been there for me. I’m doing a lot of work on myself, but I also very much appreciate everyone who spoke up. I know that support like that is rare and so I am very fortunate. And thanks to my family for all of their love. My wife is the very best and I am lucky to have her support.

Additionally, when I made the aforementioned announcement, a lot of folks ended up getting in touch to let me know that my expressions resonated with their own experiences. It helped them to start thinking about their own approaches to vice. I don’t think everyone should quit what they’re doing or that drinking or drugging is inherently wrong—everyone has a unique relationship with substance. It is good, though, to be aware of what that relationship is like and if it is something you have a healthy hold on. I came to that conclusion by reading and hearing the thoughts and insights of others—Stephen King was a really big influence, as was Marc Maron, Dustin David and others—and so knowing that my expressions helped others to look inward means a great deal to me.

(I bumped into King at Amato’s in Gorham a while back and had a chance to awkwardly tell him that The Shining helped me understand that perhaps it was time for me to pump the brakes. That was awesome.)

That’s all for now. Keep up the good fight, all, and thanks for everything.

 

 

Alex Steed

About Alex Steed

Alex Steed has written about and engaged in politics since he was an insufferable teenager. He has run for the Statehouse and produced a successful web series. He now runs a content firm called Knack Factory with two guys who are a lot more talented than himself.