Hello. My name is Tammy. I have been sober for 4 1/2 years. It is tough. I put myself in a 3 month outpatient treatment program and go to AA once and a while. I was surprised at how much I learned about my illness and my way of thinking. I have had problems with alcohol since I was 13. I am now 43 so getting sober was the best choice I have ever made. However, I would never have been able to stay sober with the outpatient alcohol treatment. Drinking was my escape. However, when I was drunk, I would relive bad memories and cry and feel aweful then there was the hellish hangovers. Sometimes I would have a great time when I was drinking. However, my behavior was very regretful in the morning.

I have felt like giving up allot. It is the illness and our environmental stress of daily living. Counseling, meds, this support group, plenty of sleep, good nutrition, plenty of down time, avoiding stressful situations and so forth can damper the pain a little. It is allot of work living with bipolar. So hard. God bless you.
Tam