Just coming down from a panic attack, and need to get some thoughts out.
I'm sober. I've been free from alcohol and drugs all my life. I have never struggled with addiction, and I will never claim to.
For the past 6 months, I've struggled with the fact that so many people choose to recreationally consume alcohol, especially those in my life. It bothers me how little people know or care about how damaging this substance is. It also upsets that a lot of people struggle with consumption disorders and purposely avoid thinking about it so they can keep consuming. I know this is more of a societal issue, and something that can be blamed on or fixed by a single person, but it still hurts.
I've gone to therapy over this. I know I can't control what others do, but that doesn't mean I don't hope for a day where alcohol gets phased out of society. I know it is immoral to force others into sobriety, but I still secretly wish that my best friends, or my parents, or anyone close to me, will tell me that they're getting clean.
I've been confronted with the fact that Western society, particularly the area where I live, is not sober friendly. There aren't any alcohol free events that aren't also marketed as "family friendly," there aren't any dry bars. There are billboards advertising booze everywhere. I can't even tell people that I'm sober without being belittled or ridiculed or second guessed. Because of this lack of safe space, I have no other friends who are sober. I've made boundaries with my other friends, but it's not the same, and they don't understand the amount of stress I'm under.
Alcohol is considered a poison and a carcinogen. It causes so many deaths and injuries and damages so many relationships. It shouldn't be legal. I know that we can't just ban it overnight, that doesn't work. I long for the day where it gets slowly removed, and less people rely on it to live.
I just want to say that I am proud of those who are receiving help for addiction and those who are taking action to get clean. Even if it takes a long time, even if there's hiccups, you have so much to be proud of. Thank you for your strength.
Thank you for listening.