Thank you for your kind words. I was always fairly high functioning (did great in college, fell into a bit of a rut post-graduation but landed a steady, well paying job about 6 months later) but I definitely had some very close calls (honestly I can't believe my scholarship wasn't revoked due to a REALLY stupid incident I had halfway through college) and my family has been expressing concern constantly over the last couple of months as most of my mom's side of the family were alcoholics.

I've actually tried AA before and didn't like it at all, I felt like it just wasn't the sort of program I could get into -- I understand it works for some people but it's just not for me. What I have found helpful from time to time are local DBPS (I think?? It stands for like "Depression Bipolar Society" or something like that) groups in my area which are basically free member-led group talk therapy sessions. I'll try to find the right name sometime tomorrow for people who may also find it useful-- I believe they have chapters nationwide.

The DBPS(?) group sessions are much cooler because they consist of peers suffering from similar disorders and are much more interactive and not just like "let's sit and read these random printouts about how man is powerless and we have no free will."