Went to detox for the first time, just got back 2 days ago. Diagnosed with alcoholic hepatitis. One doctor said I had a 30 percent chance of dying in 3 months. 6 days sober now. Wish you all luck out there! I'm 31

I slept sober for the first time in like 9 years and it was the best sleep I've ever had. Dreams are becoming my new drug, you don't have dreams when you sleep drunk.

I'm going to the hospital tonight for detoxication. I'm absolutely terrified. Wish me luck.

I've never heard someone speak about alcoholism so honestly. Beautifully spoken.

Years ago I remember seeing a 29 year old guy in an AA meeting (I'm 5 years sober) who looked like he was in his 80s. He had 5% liver function, his skin was as jaundiced and mustard yellow as a jar of Dijon mustard, he had deep inset wrinkles in his face, he walked with a walker with a slow shuffle and had to drag along a colostomy bag with him, had obvious brain damage and spoke slowly and slurred his words, his eyes were permanently bloodshot and he was on a liver transplant waiting list. After drinking his way through high school he moved down to Florida after high school for college, dropped out and became a bartender and didn't look back. In the last couple years of his drinking he said he needed a pint of straight vodka just to get up in the morning and keep the DTs at bay and estimated he went through close to a gallon of vodka a day. After a year of sobriety and getting close on the liver transplant list he went and drank again. He lived another few years coming in and out of the program before quietly passing away in his sleep. The horror isn't dying. It's living while it just gets worse and worse and worse.

I once walked 13 miles in the snow because I knew there was alchohol at my friends camp. Luckily I've been sober for the last 15 years. Anyone struggling out there. I share your pain. You can do it.

I know it's not alot of time sober but it's been 7 days of no alcohol or xanax I made up my mind there's no turning back now. Lord Jesus Christ give me strength. I love you all!

“Just think about tomorrow” is an expression that has kept me sober. The thought of waking up feeling miserable, asking my self over and over “Why cant i stay sober” helps me. Every day without alcohol has been better than the last.

I'm allergic to alcohol. Every time I drink I always break out in handcuffs.

I’m 21 years sober after almost dying from drink. My son died a week shy of his 31st birthday of cirrhosis. It’s a family illness

I didn't even want to drink..I HAD to drink..almost 4 years sober!!!

I love this young man's attitude and I hope he is still sober. God bless.

I have been sober for 1 year. Not easy.

same thing happened to me. 30 days sober now

You know every recreational drug has the potential to seriously ruin your life, but I genuinely don't understand how alcohol is as accepted as it is.

Would be cool to get an update on Chris see where life has taken him. Wish him well.

He's an intelligent guy, speaks extremely well and is very easy to listen to...he can do a lot of good in his life and in the lives of others'. I hope he uses his obvious talents and goes to great places.

My friend drank himself to death , He died last May, So sad, He went from performing in the Royal Ballet to bleeding to death in a Hospice. I miss him the annoying bugger .:-( RIP fella,

I've been sober for 3 weeks and moving forward

Congrats to all who are sober, and all who are trying. Coming up 7 years.

I'm 22 and have almost died from alcoholism. Have been hospitalized over 14 times. In the past 1.5 yrs.... alcohol is DANGEROUS AND NO JOKE!

He is so me! I quit 16 months ago after 30 years of heavy drinking. I'll never go back.

Everything this man went through I went through this year. I'm a week almost 2 weeks sober. Back to working out and my gosh it feels good to feel good. "It was never one drink, I was always drunk" so so me. One day at a time and I don't want to keep failing and fuiling this addiction.

This guy laughs when the person being interviewed says he considered relapsing after getting a grade he was unhappy with. The Interviewer clearly doesn't understand how addiction mentally rewires your brain.

Dude, I am 40 and have been in ICU twice. The last time I was told that if I drink again that I will die. The withdrawal was so intense I will never drink again. Good luck. Life is better sober.

I want everyone here to know I was a heavy alcoholic until I quit in 2003. By the time I quit I was putting away a 5th of whiskey a day, occasionally more. I have not had a drop to drink since. Once I was done with it, I was really done. I hang out with friends while they drink, I go to bars, and it's not a problem at all for me. I've been into weight training this whole time and I don't want anything in my body that impairs my performance or makes me feel gross. Since quitting, I have gone through the roughest, most devastating things in my life: loss of a long term girlfriend, unexpected death of close friend, layoff, homelessness, and many other traumatic events. Yet, through it all I never once wanted to return to alcohol. I'm here to tell you that you can beat this disease, even if you slip up and have a relapse, you are still on your way to being healed as long as you press forward. You all are strong and you all can make it the way I have.

658 days sober today. It is possible to quit. I was active alcoholic for the most part of my adult life with short breaks. Good 20 years...

I was an opioid addict, and you can't describe the horror of withdrawal. Every fiber of your being is screaming for a fix. I was deathly afraid of detoxing.

Dude was Speaking some REAL shit.

I drank heavily when I was young. I had my first withdrawal fit when I was 21. I eventually stopped drinking in my early thirties. I am now 58 and haven't touched alcohol for over 25 years. Wouldn't touch booze with a barge pole now.

I started drinking when I was late 17. It's been nearly 3 years and I'm still drinking. Sometimes heavy, sometimes not so much at all. The reason people start drinking like this, is a mental issue. PTSD, major (chronic) depression, major anxiety, and the list goes on. Consuming alcohol to the point of being drunk, takes the edge off, creates a false sense of feeling good, feeling happy or trying to drink to forget about something. Then the years go by and you realize that the alcohol is not helping at all. Even for me, I already knew better before I began, but I did it anyway. The years go by, then you realize that you have had your happy drunks, your sad drunks, and the worst of them all; your dangerous anger drunks. But you're already so deep into it, you just can't quit. It's a very difficult thing, especially for some people that can't tell themselves "no". Everything I do is balls to the walls. When I used to smoke, 1 or 2 cigarettes a day, doesn't cut it. I still chew, and 1 or 2 pinches a day does not cut it. And sadly drinking 1 or 2 drinks, isn't going to cut it. I can say I think I am getting better. I no longer drink hard liquor. When I did, I did not drink shots or mixed drinks. (Because it wasn't going to cut it) Straight whiskey on the rocks. I also do not buy "pounders" or 16 oz beers. I still consume over 36 12 oz beers every weekend. Quitting cold turkey is not an option, kind of like what this guy was dealing with, it's one of those things just like tobacco, you have to "wean" yourself off of it. If you don't, you have a risk of having severe health complications. Take my advice: Never EVER start it. None of it. Stay away from it. Please just do it, no matter what type of mental complication you are going through. It's NOT the answer.

Much love for this man. I hope today is still his best day ever

Just poured out my vodka handle and have to deal with the withdrawals but I can't live like this anymore. This guy sums it up.

Wow. I couldn't have said it better myself. For ages I ran around blaming my parents for having unrealistic expectations of me, using it as an excuse to drink. I sobered up and discovered that the one with the unrealistic expectations was me. I was a perfectionist, very OCD, and a full blown alcoholic at age 20. I also had my first seizure at 20 too, and would do ANYTHING to avoid withdrawals. They tried to scare me straight in the hospital, and it didnt work for a number of detoxes. Until the last one. My last hospital detox sounds a lot like your last one, even the smuggling of vodka into the hospital. Your story is mine my friend. All the way down to the school stuff. I got sober, went to treatment (10th time) and then I went to nursing school. I HAD to get all A's. I did for the first year, and then I got a B. Haha... I didn't drink though, thank God. I'll have 15 years sober next Febuary. God bless and thank you so much for sharing your (my 😜) story. It means a lot to hear that I'm not alone, even after all this time sober. 👍

It's hard when you're alcoholic and you cant stop cause your body won't let you...seizures. sweats . Shakes.. throwing up this was me

Thank you for sharing and being an inspiration to others! I too, am in recovery from drug addiction, and the best help comes when we can help others!

10 years without a single Drop

What he said about never going halfway with anything, and that being a common trait in addicts from his personal experience, hit me really hard. I'm not an alcoholic, but I'm addicted to weed. My addiction is not at all like this guy's, though, and that's probably mostly due to the substance, but I won't go into too much detail on that. I've always either put my focus and effort into something untill it's almost obsessive, or not done it all. Before smoking weed, I used to work out religiously. I worked out for hours every single day, and my work out and diet took up pretty much my whole life for a pretty long period. But I had periods within this period, where I didn't work out, and I'd let myself go completely. If I were in a situation where I couldn't work out 6-7 days a week and eat exactly the right things at all times, there just wasn't even any point in bothering. I'd rather have the worst possible diet and never work out, than work out 3 days a week and have a moderately good diet. It's insane, but that's how my brain has worked as long as I can remember. This mentality is partly what drags me into addiction. When I let myself go a little, I just let myself go completely, to the point where I just become an unrecognisable slob. I just don't see the point and/or can't handle doing something in moderation. If I'm going to smoke weed, I'm doing it all day, every single day. Because I already feel like shit if I smoke occasionally, as I don't get to put my 100% focus and effort into something else. Right now I've been literally lying in my bed for 3 months smoking weed all day, just putting everything in my life on hold. I am going to start working out religiously again, because that is an "addiction" much preferable to this. I'd love to be that guy who can have some weed and just smoke occasionally, but I simply can't do it. I've tried, but as soon as I buy a bag of weed I'm smoking like a chimney on speed.

Seems like a really nice and well spoken guy, i hope he's doing well.

lad's intelligent, articulate, honest. A valuable video.

I'm an alcoholic at 23, and Idk how to even start stopping. I get shakes during hangovers. Its scary wstching this video. I hate alcohol, I either go sober or full throttle

This needs way more views. And where the fuck is part 2

3 years for me in December 2020 🙏✊

"You can learn balance". Very powerful and inspirational. At least for me. Thanks, Chris.

What a genuinely lovely man. So pleased to hear that he is in recovery now. Wish him all the best.

I was sober for over 20 years.... Then i turned 21

I used to HATE my stepfather. He was an alcoholic, and very violent. I didnt drink untill i was 20, because of him. Im bipolar 2 , and everything i do. Is in excess. So i drink way more than i should. Im not violent like him, but at 24 i understand him. I do not forgive him, but i understand.

I was at around 1 liter a night for around 5 years. Thanks for this interview. 2 months and I feel like a new person. Social aspect is huge.

This guy is lucky to be alive..I watched my best friend go through the same motions and eventually wound up in a coma and his heart stopped. He was only 33 and left a son he loved very much behind. He wanted so much to quit, I tried to help him when we realized the severity of the situation but it happened so fast..never take sobriety for granted

I am a recovering alcoholic with 10 years sober and I would rather die, nevermind a seizure, than drink again.

This is some of the realest talk about addiction I’ve heard. It’s definitely not just related to only drugs or alcohol it really is an addictive mindset about anything, good or bad. Nice to see people actually talking about this and de-stigmatized the topic because it’s going to help so many people, young and old.

I had pancreatitis from binge drinking two days in a row. Had to stay in the hospital for four days. I was only 21 lol. Now I hardly ever drink and NEVER binge drink. Pancreatitis was the worst pain of my life. Funny enough, the reason I drank was because of my anxiety disorder and when I went to the doctor and got on meds I no longer feel urges to drink to calm myself down. I've always had an addictive personality unfortunately. Doing much better at 23! :)

It seems vodka is the drink of choice amongst alcoholics.

This guys story is an inspiration, I know the feeling.

"a glass" Oh well that's not that bad "Not shots, glasses of vodka" Oh Jesus Christ

remember a drunk on his knees is still a man, how he got there is the question,peace n love

"That's the beauty of being human, you can learn balance."

What an insightful young man. I really hope he continued to stay sober and healthy.

Thank goodness this young man came out the other side . It is hard to imagine how deep addiction goes . Being the best human you can be is one of the biggest challenges we ever face .

Great convo very insightful. Thanks for sharing.

I watched your video twice man thanks for sharing

I tried to control the drink until the drink controlled me! Grateful to be sober today ! We do recover ODAAT!

It's a relief to hear he's doing better. Would be a real waste if he went out like that at his age.

I sure hope this young man stayed the course. With his honesty and self-knowledge he's a very good candidate for lifelong sobriety. And he's so young. I'm happy for him.

I have chronic pancreaititus because I'm an alcoholic I nearly died through it I still drank and took no notice and took I'll nearly every week now I'm clean and back in the gym and I'm never drinking again if I can help it take it a day at a time respect to you man

So so proud of this young man what a great 👍 guy

Took me almost 50 years of drinking; but, I can certainly relate to your story. Been alcohol free for just about 2 yrs now.

its 2022. I am 20 years old and a dying functional drunk. I have had alcohol poisoning over 3 times. Love watching shows like this

All seriousness, I've abused alcohol for many years. it started at 18 for me, fresh into the Army. This was 1986. Prior to that, I had lost my middle brother to a bad roll over car accident, a good friend to suicide, and shortly after basic training my mom died of a brain aneurysm, all within 9 months. But that wasn't all, the hits kept on coming. So, booze became a coping mechanism for me. I'm Not PROUD of that, but it's honest. I slowly started to fall apart, and didn't even realize it was happening. I hate that Doctors ALWAYS want to discount everything to drugs or alcohol. There's just so much more involved. yes, alcohol and drugs are a factor, but they are NOT ALWAYS THE CAUSE!!!!!

this reminds me of me, i never want to go back to that deep dark place

I was discharged from my local emergency Veteran's Association Togus on October 17th and have been sober 22 day's as of today. I drank minimum 25 beers and 10 shots of Fireball whiskey nips for over 6 years. Blessed isn't strong enough of a word for how I feel. Anyone watching living in fear , living in fear day after day Drink after drink Sober is possible if you want it. God bless

Well spoken kid. Sucks he fell to this addiction like so many have. Hope he has sobered up and found a new life for himself.

Withdrawal is a big part of my story too. It's no fucking joke. Close calls, lots of hospital visits. Now, happily recovering since 7/6/18!!!

im happy for him. hope his change was early enough to have a long happy life

great person to learn from... you should post the rest of this video! thanks!

This guy preachs the truth About drinking damn alcohol

I remember taking care of a 26 y/o kid in the ICU who just bled out from drinking. The vein in his esophagus blew out. Not a pretty site. He knew he was dying and couldn't stop. Very sad endings indeed.

Bless you Chris. I hope you have your addiction in check.

I went through the same thing as this gentleman. I ended up having to go to detox and rehab. It was the best thing to ever happen to my life

I remember detoxing in the hospital and hearing people talking to me through the ceiling air conditioning vent. Saying mean things and threatening me. Terrible hallucinations that made me rip out my IV and run out of my room. Crazy stuff man...

I'm glad to hear an alcoholic say that he went into rehab thinking: "I'm just going to pretend to rehabilitate and as soon as I'm out, I'm going to get drunk again." That's exactly what I thought then. It took me another 2 years to get fully sober after rehab. I don't feel I learned a lot there, because it was never my intention to quit. It did however help me discover that a sober life is at least possible and that a sober life has its benefits.

I understand this mans struggle. From experience.

I went to detox 1/10/21. Did 45 days in treatment in New Hampshire. I feel better than I can ever remember, 52 days sober. My crack cravings are still there but I got my wife and kid back and work a decent job. I have my joy back. My life back. Get help....it was the hardest thing I’ve ever done but totally worth it. God bless.

Thanks for sharing your story

I once had a dear friend named Deserie. She had her 1st drink at 8yrs old. She sneaked it from a cocktail party her parents had. I cannot begin to imagine my child being drunk at that age. By the time she was 27yrs old she also pounded away every 24hrs a gallon & half of vodka, slept 2-3hrs a day, ate very little and aged WAY before her time. She was a beautiful young woman then her face and body showed the scars of her abuse. Her seizures began after falling so many times from one matter or another and hitting her head many times so hard. Then one day while driving the freeway alone she had a seizure. The car careened off the road and flipped end-over-end 6 times. The crash had completely severed her spinal cord. Thank God no one else was hurt. So while in the hospital on life support, her family disconnected it and that was the end of Des. She was 32yrs old. Such a sad life she led and ultimately thats what killed her. We all have choices in this, our only one life that we have been given. Along with our choices may come consequences. Ultimately, no matter how your loved ones may 'try' to help, the choice for your own life and well being is up to you. Peace-Out.

I saw this video around when it posted 10 years ago. I was a very severe alcoholic at the time. Today I am basically a dry drunk that is always teetering on the precipice of fully blown alcoholism. My rut was (and easily can be). Start drinking (always hard liquor) alone in my room on say a Friday night to full blackout. Wake up Saturday still buzzing, see the half empty bottle and justify taking a few more shots. Drunk again at night. No food just liquor and stale chaser. Sunday morning I should accept the pain, but there are no brakes on the addict train. Full steam ahead into blackout again. What follows are that is a series of waking up, shaking, crawling to my desk for more booze, shot shot shot, back to bed. Days on end. Only the glow of the computer as my light source in a dark room… if I prepared properly I would have multiple bottles of liquor to keep me drugged up for a week. If not, I somehow have to find the strength to get to the store and stock back up. Always ends up the same afterwards. Nearly a week gone and then BAM the insanity of withdrawal. I will never forget the endless amounts of times I’ve had to withdraw. The shakes, the endless shakes, the sweats, the nausea, the insane vomiting, the dizziness, the nonstop insomnia, the hallucinations, no food, total dehydration, sudden panic and dread, full paranoia, cannot get out of bed, shaking shaking shaking, married to a bed and a vomit bucket, can’t slow the thoughts down. You just have to suffer. Not even enough energy to kill yourself to end the nightmare. Since I live in America, calling for help is out of the questions. Been there done that. Hospitals charge up to $13,000 for an ambulance ride, sick bed with some fluids and barely enough Ativan to stabilise you. It’s a fucking joke and it leaves you in even more panic knowing you have a GIGANTIC hospital bill heading your way. I’ve lost jobs, girlfriends, my freedom and my sanity to booze. Yet I always come back because the love of being drunk alone away from this miserable world is that alluring. I am stunned my body is holding out. I’m 36 now but the damage I have done, I haven’t a clue how I haven’t collapsed. I can feel permanent damage for sure. I think my mental health is in a forever state of depression, fear and dread. My body is overweight and sluggish, always tired but always cannot sleep. I have no idea how I haven’t died when drunk, given the amount of suicidal thoughts I’ve had. Nor I have no idea how I haven’t finished the job sober.

Would love to have chat with him.Hes an absolute inspiration

Yo bro my story is almost identical. Took me 8 years before the major withdrawals kicked in. Im 8 years sober now and life is so much better. Im so glad to see you successful and having good thoughts. I feel this video.

I drink on the weekends. Haven't really thought about this before but I just realized I 've been drinking every weekend for the past few years.... I feel guilty now. I was going to drink tonight with a few ppl but I changed my mind. I think I'll lay off for awhile.

I quit drinking cold turkey in 1993. I've never had the slightest desire to drink since.

Your very eloquent, very intelligent and i believe you have so much to offer others. Your story is mesmerizing. Goodluck

I learned a lot! Thanks for the video

I hate getting "The fear". ....

I'm about 12, now 13 days clean (since it's midnight). I am 21 years old and used to drink constantly for the past 4ish years, up until now, can't say it'll be easy in the beginning, but it will always get better in due time. My mother just passed away December 11th 2018 and I have to say it is incredibly easy to spiral out of control because of it, but being numb isn't always the best solution to one's problems, doesn't make them go away, either, at the end of the day they will be there awaiting you to sober up, causing you to feel like crap even more. I hope you all stay strong and remember what is the most important through your journey of sobriety.

10 months sober today after my stroke still craving withdrawals are the worst. Feel you bro.

im glad i got to hear your story

man I drink 12 beers a day and this makes me feel like I need to stop while I'm ahead.

I USED TO DRINK 900 GALLONS OF WHISKEY AN HOUR, WHEN I QUIT THE LIQUOR STORE WENT THROUGH WITHDRAWL AND DIED.

Appreciate his honesty

He is very insightful for a young man. Battling addiction will reveal things about oneself and the world that would otherwise stay in the back burner, as unwillingly as it may be. He's got a good chance of getting by.