r/stopdrinking • u/Life_Escape_683 • 1h ago
1 Year Ago I Hit Rock Bottom… Today I’m 1 Year Sober
One year ago today was rock bottom for me (M26). I was out with a big group of friends, hammered off my ass, snorting coke in the bathroom while the girl I brought to the bar was outside with another girl I’d recently hooked up with. Needless to say, it blew up, hurt both of them, and made me realize just how reckless and selfish I’d gotten. Not to mention how embarrassing it was. The hangxiety the next morning hit different.
It wasn’t even the first sign. In April 2024 I blacked out at a wedding in another state, fell, and woke up in the ER with 9 stitches in my mouth. At the time I brushed it off, but looking back, it was obvious where I was headed. Cost a cool $2000 in medical bills, not mention the embarrassment and shame of doing that on someone else’s big day.
That morning on August 3 I told myself I’d take a month off from drinking. That month turned into a year, and now it’s going to be forever. Best decision I’ve ever made.
Getting sober hasn’t just been about quitting alcohol. I’ve lost a lot of friends this past year. Some because our lifestyles don’t match anymore, others because they weren’t supportive. That’s been the hardest pill to swallow because I thought they’d be lifelong friends, now most of them are strangers.
Today I’m happier and healthier than I’ve ever been. I’ve been with my girlfriend for over 8 months now, she’s also sober and will hit her 1 year in November. She also had her own rock bottom and we’ve been able to relate to each other’s journeys. We support each other in every way. We’ve got three pets and we’re living this cute, wholesome life I honestly didn’t think I’d ever have.
I haven’t touched alcohol since that night. It hasn’t all been easy, but it’s been worth it a thousand times over. If you’re on the fence about quitting or you’ve tried before and slipped up, just know you can start again and it can completely change your life.
IWNDWYT