It started out as one or two glasses of wine each weekend. But once my parents passed away and my family was in a turmoil, my drinking progressed to nearly every day. Then I went from wine to vodka, and things got even worse. I became depressed and irritable. I didn't have the zest for life that I used to have, and getting up each day was a chore instead of an adventure, as it once was.

Sure, I would quit for a few weeks, even months, or only drink on weekends for awhile, but in time, it would be almost a nightly thing again. And hey, I'm not getting any younger, so it's high time I started taking better care of myself!

So, it's been a few weeks now, and I have to say, I feel great! I've been going to A.A. meetings once a week and I started the 12-step program, but it hasn't taken over my life like I thought it would. I really thought going to the meetings would be sad and boring; that they would suck the life out of me. But, no, they aren't - we laugh a lot and everyone there is honest and open. It's really helped me see that I don't have to change my life alone and I have lots of help whenever I need it.

If you've quit drinking or doing drugs, I'd love to hear from you. I've found that having someone else to lean on when you have a problem is a good thing!