Hi my name is jim and I am a recoving alcoholic. I was brought up in a very loving and caring family. I do NOT come from an alcoholic home. My parents did and do not drink. I had a very good childhood. I always did good in school by always being on the honor roll and participated in sports. I was a very athletic kid. My problem was I never liked myself. I had low self esteem no matter what I looked like or what I did or didn't do. I always thought I was ugly. Then when I was 15 years old I got diagnosed with petit mal epilepsy and that is when I took my first drink and had my first drunk. I wasn't supposed to mix alcohol with my medication because I was told it could be tragic. I just didn't care. I fell in love with alcohol because It made me feel different. I wasn't ugly and could talk to girls, when I was sober I couldn't out of fear of rejection. I was a weekend drinker and never even thought I had a problem. Everytime I drank I got drunk. I couldn't see anything else. My first consequence was when I turned 18 I drank on top of my medication and pissed and shit all over myself and that was my first black out. My mother had to clean me up and put me in bed. God bless my mom. Stuff like this happened all the time. Got into fights, lost all of them. Have 2 dwi's on my record. Should of had more but only got caught twice. I am lucky to be alive the way I drank.

 I first got intoduced to AA when I first went into rehab and have been in and out of the program for the first 8 years. I never thaught I had a problem but then 2 years ago I got so low and wanted to committ suicide in my living room with my daughter in her crib in the next room. That scared the hell out of me and I realized i needed help. From that day on I haven't had a drink one day at atime. I now have full custody of my 2 year old daughter. She got me sober but i stay sober for me. I do 5 things every day to ensure my sobriety every day. I pray to my hp for help. I talk to another recovering alcoholic. I read literature, even if its just a page. I go to a meeting at least one a day, and I thank my hp for one more day sober. My sponsor told me that and i follow every suggestion he gives me. And for that I am grateful. If anyone wants to reply leave me a message at jolaro@mail.nysed.gov