A frequent participant in #AddictionChat., this week’s guest blogger is Jeanne Francis, MFA, LADC, CPP, of Creatives in Recovery,.

Chronic alcoholic at age 16 to recovered at age 51, an “old timers” journey

The first time I went to residential treatment, I was 16 years old. I said goodbye to my crying mother through the wired glass window on the 5th floor of the locked unit at St. Mary’s Hospital in Minneapolis. I was sickly, insecure, and no longer cared about anything. I was fearful and angry because all my friends partied like I did. Why me? These people had to be wrong about me.

There was not a lot of knowledge to help and support young people in recovery as there is now. I remember my first AA meeting after treatment a man said to me: “I’ve spilled more alcohol on my tie than you ever drank in your life”. He didn’t know me. That by 16, my tolerance was so high, I could drink almost an entire quart of whiskey during a night out.

I convinced people like him, and my parents agreed, that I was “going through a phase”. No one could have prevented me from advancing to the stage I had but me.

I did not stay sober back then. I went to two more treatments in the years ahead. I did not stay sober.

Being in treatment in the late 70’s/early 80″s was not very common for young people back then nor was family therapy. Family therapy was a life-saver for all 7 of us. The unhealthy patterns of dysfunction were revealed and started to untangle. My parents had the good sense to continue family therapy after treatment, exposing themselves to the vulnerability of being culpable for the way things had turned out. They were willing to keep trying.

When I was age 26, I woke up one afternoon but I shouldn’t have. It was only because my head was turned to the side as I lie on my back that I lived through one of my countless blackouts.  This time, I didn’t see it as an inconvenience. I lay on the cold bathroom floor in my Chicago apartment knowing that if I don’t stop drinking, I will die. Soon.

I reached out for help in 1991 and my journey from there to here has been a wild ride filled with joy and pain, ebbs and flows of opportunities and losses, but one thing has remained clear to me:

I did not not get sober alone.

With long-term treatment and an amazing staff, I am sober today by the grace of God, my sponsor Karen, and the fellowship of Alcoholics Anonymous.

In particular, my generous and patient parents who never gave up on me.

That, with a creative outlet, and a village of professional therapists and fellow sober friends, I am now 25 years sober.

Commitment to sobriety is not a struggle for me anymore, it is a given.

I know myself well enough now that with my pendulum-swinging moods, bouts of chronic depression, and over-producing creative ideas that if I were to try to control that or calm it with drugs or alcohol- I’d be helpless to not go for the gold, no-holds-barred, because that’s who I am as an alcoholic at my core.

I am humbled by the love and support from so many people in my life. Thank you, thank you, thank you, for helping me to achieve sobriety.

Never Too Young For Chronic Alcoholism

Want to fit in peer pressure: pot have fun drinking before school during school after school everyday 1st treatment, age 16 too young to be alcoholic! College out of state parties, bars, music, fun new friends/ new drugs 2nd treatment, age 20 New College out of state parties, bars, music fun death of friend depression spiral trauma 3rd treatment, age 24 Drop out, Move away liver breaking down green skin, yellow eyes almost died Therapist waiting Hospital, last treatment, age 26

Detox 6 days sober inpatient 38 days sober women only out patient 18 weeks Sobriety 6 months, longest AA sponsor Psychotherapist No more boyfriends Sobriety 6 months, longest AA Friends Back to school Full time job: recovery Mental health diagnosis 12 steps, Fellowship Depression, PTSD treatment 1 year sober Graduate College Father died, 2 years sober Full time job and recovery Brother died, 5 years sober AA Friends surround me Married, 8 years sober Baby, 10 years sober Divorce, 15 years sober Became Counselor, 18 years sober Recovery working, 25 years sober

I made it to 25 years sober, and I should not be alive right now. It is only because my head was turned to the side as I lie on my back, that I did not die that night.

Jeanne Francis, MFA, LADC
Twin Cities Metro Area, Minnesota
jeanne@creativesinrecovery.com