Barry used to brag to his drinking buddies how he could maintain a forty hour per week job and get intoxicated almost every night. Unfortunately, after maintaining this destructive lifestyle for roughly two years, he began to exhibit a variety of alcohol related problems.

Barry Starts to Manifest a Variety of Alcohol Related Issues

As an illustration, he had a hard time getting up for work because he felt so exhausted when he awoke. Moreover, most mornings Barry had a horrible hangover. It was clear that the combination of his hangovers and his lack of get-up-and-go did not make it easy for him to get up and feel like he wanted to go to work. To make things more difficult, nearly a week ago he got his third drunk driving citation in the past seven months.

To further complicate things, at work his last two performance appraisals were not up to his usual high standards. And finally, his five-year relationship with his girlfriend had declined due to his lack of patience, angry outbursts, depression, and his financial difficulties.

Though Barry was only twenty-nine years old, he simply started to look like he was in his early forties. Sadly, this is what unhealthy and abusive drinking can do to a person. And in truth he grasped the fact that he was suffering from the negative effects of alcohol abuse or alcohol dependency and that he was too young to fritter away his life to abusive and irresponsible drinking. So at first he tried to drink responsibly and in moderation. Regrettably, he soon found out that he lost all control after having his first drink. Stated in a slightly different way, after his first drink he invariably proceeded to get smashed. Since this was an incident that was repeated every time he went to a bar to drink, this bothered him greatly. In actual fact, he began to wonder if he was manifesting some of the signs of alcoholism and alcohol abuse.

Barry Decides Make an Appointment to See His Healthcare Professional

After articulating his excessive alcohol consumption and his excessive and hazardous drinking with his girlfriend, he finally decided to make an appointment to see his doctor. When Barry saw his healthcare professional, he genuinely confirmed that he has been drinking in an excessive manner, that he may be displaying alcoholic signs, and that he wants to abstain from drinking. He said that drinking in moderation doesn’t seem to work for him and, as a result, he wants to learn how he can create an alcohol-free lifestyle.

Barry also told his physician about his depression and how this mental health problem was adversely influencing his relationship with his girlfriend. His doctor referred Barry to Doctor Jacobsen, an alcohol and drug addiction psychiatrist, who motivated Barry to enroll in a drug and alcohol treatment clinic as an in-patient for alcohol detoxification and alcohol treatment. Fortunately, Barry would also be able to get medical attention for his depression at this treatment facility.

Getting and Staying Sober Was the Best Decision Barry Had Ever Made

After four months of intensive rehab, Barry left the in-patient rehabilitation clinic and continued his recovery via going to local Alcoholics Anonymous meetings and via outpatient counseling. Inspired to change his life in a more productive manner, Barry bought some vitamins at a health store and a cookbook. He then joined a gym and started working out three or four times per week. Within five months Barry was a new person. He was in shape, he was eating nutritious meals, he now looked younger than he was, he wasn’t depressed anymore, and most significant of all, he remained sober for several months. He also didn’t resort to angry outbursts, he became more patient, and he became a more compassionate person in his relationship with his girlfriend. Stated briefly, quitting drinking was the best decision Barry had ever made.

  Tags: alcohol rehab, women's issues