September is National Alcohol and Drug Addiction Recovery Month. As I pause and look back over the alcohol-related deaths and injuries of people I’ve known, I feel sad that it is still happening. A driver’s speed with alcohol took our mother away from my three younger brothers and me when I was 16. She left the house. Within ten minutes there was a knock at the door. An uncle uttered the simple words, “Doreen is gone.”
Michael Velardo of the Detroit Substance Abuse Examiner wrote a short article entitled “September is National Alcohol and Drug Addiction Recovery Month.” In the article he showed the video entitled “Everybody Hurts.” I warn you it’s rather raw.
Early in my alcoholic path, I had a couple of near misses while driving, and that caught my attention. While sober I adopted a personal rule that if I had anything to drink, even one beer, I would not drive. Period. As my alcoholism progressed over the next few years, I never did drive after a drink. When I stopped drinking, I not only regained my health, but gave myself the freedom to drive again, anywhere, any time.
Please don’t drink anything before driving.
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Thanks Dr. Neill. I am honored, and humbled that you would mention my article.
When I first saw the video, a lump swelled in my throat, then tears started streaming almost immediately, especially with the exceptionally moving music in the background. It motivated me to write the article in light of the tragedies that take place daily, as well as the upcoming Sept. recovery month.
Again, thanks, I appreciate that more than you can imagine.