| Lou was an alcoholic. And a member of the U.S. | | | | service, while not actively encouraging his drinking, |
| Coast Guard. And a lightweight: after six or seven | | | | certainly enabled him to maintain an unhealthy level of |
| beers, he is totally wasted. The most he ever drank | | | | consumption. |
| was four or five Long Island Iced Teas (which are | | | | Although Lou had maintained this 'social' level of |
| mostly alcohol) in one sitting. But how much you drink | | | | drinking for more than a decade, one night, he got |
| isn't the only criteria for being an alcoholic: "It is the way | | | | drunk after arguing with his girlfriend and attempted to |
| that you think about alcohol, how it affects your life | | | | take his own life by breaking a beer bottle and cutting |
| that decides whether or not you have a problem with | | | | his own neck. |
| it. When I drink, I have problems. It is as simple as that. | | | | He never admitted the truth of the incident to the |
| That is the reason that I ended up in alcohol rehab, | | | | authorities, who were called by his girlfriend, though he |
| plain and simple...the abuse of alcohol." Lou is one of | | | | did agree to enter alcohol rehab after being confronted |
| many whose lives were changed with drug and | | | | by his military superiors, who were also notified. The |
| alcohol rehab. | | | | successful alcohol rehab program was a true turning |
| September is National Alcohol and Drug Addiction | | | | point in his life. "I learned that life is not so much about |
| Recovery Month, a time when awareness of drug and | | | | the things that happen to us, it's about how we react |
| alcohol addiction will be in the forefront of public the | | | | to them." |
| consciousness. The month long celebration of | | | | "I had a counselor tell me once, 'Sin is fun for a season. |
| communities banding together to overcome substance | | | | No matter how long that season lasts, the fun |
| abuse is in its eighteenth year, and it's guys like Lou | | | | eventually stops and you can't ever go back.' I feel that |
| who reap the benefits. | | | | my season has ended. Alcohol rehab taught me the |
| "I was a geek in high school, I only remember drinking | | | | tools that it takes to not drink. The maintenance is up |
| one time. I was in the audio visual club, the choir and in | | | | to me. I make lists now of the things that I am most |
| drama club. Total nerd. Drinking allowed me to be one | | | | grateful for." |
| of the boys. I found that I could socialize without being | | | | Lou has now been sober for two years - a true voice |
| nervous, that I was less awkward and more fun, | | | | of recovery. If you or someone you love struggles |
| funnier. I loved the sensation of it." | | | | with substance abuse, find a successful alcohol rehab |
| Lou got really drunk for the first time when he was 22 | | | | center fast. The right treatment does work, and it's |
| years old. He joined the military at 24 and has been on | | | | never too late to start living a life free of addiction. |
| active duty for almost 17 years. He feels that the | | | | |