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I have a past alcohol problem. I was born with alcoholic genes, as my father was an alcoholic until he died in a nursing home at the age of 62.  When I was a teenager we lived dangerously close to the state line and the drinking age in the other state was 18 rather than our 21.  I am in no way blaming anyone but myself for my problems with the alcohol, but everyone else was going across the line to drink and I had a car and was older with ID, so they just loved for me to take them and buy for them and of course I drank MORE than my share.  I had my share of personal issues, which only added to the “help” I felt while under the influence of the alcohol. Unfortunately, I was unable to shake the party, hearty lifestyle until well into my twenties when I decided to start a family after being married for five years.  I raised my children much differently and the drinking age had changed to 21 in all states we were near by their time, so it was much easier.  I regret that I did not have the will power to say no the first time and continue to say no until I was adult enough to handle myself socially, because the alcohol did for those few years rule my life and the changes are affecting me still today.  However, I am no longer drinking and that is what people know about me.  No one ever expects me to take a drink and they all believe it is due to my medication.  I do take a lot of medication for many health problems and the alcohol is forbidden, but I was no longer drinking long before the health problems came around.

Image by Jake Ji via Flickr