It should be no secret to anyone how I feel about addiction.  I have written a few posts about the overwhelming heroin addiction issue that has  Northern New England in its tight grasp.  But let’s talk for a minute about the substance that is legal to buy, if you are of age, and yet can be so addictive that it ruins lives.

     The substance that I am referring to is alcohol,  whether your liquor of choice is Beer, Gin, Bourbon, Vodka, Rum, Tequila, Fireball,  Wine… The list could go on for paragraphs.  You can go into any convenience or grocery store with a liquor license and get your fix.  Beer is touted as the beverage to drink and have fun with your friends with.  In tiny little print on the ad it says  “always drink responsibly”.  Alcoholics don’t read tiny print nor do they drink responsibly. 

     Alcohol in excess ruins lives,  alcoholics lie, cheat, steal.  In short they will do anything to feed their habit,  but you can legally purchase their drug as long as you are 21 years of age.  That is what makes it so difficult to deal with.  There comes a point in time when most of their friends get tired of being lied to and scammed.  They can no longer trust what comes out of their mouths.
    Once an alcoholic makes the decision to get sober,  don’t kid yourself, there will be setbacks.  An average of 4 of them before sobriety takes hold.  I have witnessed this first hand,  the final results once sobriety is gained is a beautiful thing.  Often the road there can be full of potholes, unpaved sections,  switchbacks and precipices, but if you follow it to its conclusion,  sobriety will be the reward.