Male/female?
Male

Age?
20

In college?
yes

 Any brothers or sisters?
One sister

How old were you when you started drinking?
I was in the ninth grade.

Why do you think you started drinking?
I thought it was the cool thing to do. It made me feel like I was a part of the group.

Did you drink because it was "cool" or because you felt pressure?
I definitely thought it was cool. But I must say there was peer pressure involved.

Were all your friends into drinking?
I'd say 90% of my friends were into drinking and getting high.

What were your friends like in high school? 
They were the popular, party people.

How did you get the alcohol?
I'd steal it from my parents or friend's parents or have a friend get it for me.

Did you ever pass out and wonder what happened?
I have passed out. But I don't want to believe I forgot anything that happened.

Were you ever embarrassed by something you heard you did that you didn't remember doing?
Whenever I heard of something I did, I would always act like it was funny.

Did you use drugs with the alcohol?
Yes, I  used drugs while drinking, such as painkillers and weed.

When you drank, how many drinks would be "typical"?
I never saw drinking a few beers worthwhile. If I drank, I had to have enough to get drunk. My average was probably 8 or 9 drinks.

How often would you drink?
I would drink at any opportunity I could.

Did you drink at school?
I've taken alcohol and drugs to school and used them.

Did you ever drive after you had been drinking? Did you regret doing that? Why?
I have driven drunk countless times. Of course now, when I reflect back, I regret it. God watched over me and I didn't hurt anyone.

What made you decide that you may have a problem with alcohol? What did you do first? Did you receive "formal" treatment of some sort?
I never had the desire to stop using drugs or alcohol. But my parents saw what it was doing to me. They confronted me about it and made me do an outpatient program. I failed out of the program because of a few drug tests I did not pass. I was then admitted into a residential treatment facility where I spent 32 days. While there, I came to the conclusion that I'm an alcoholic and drug user. It was then that I made a decision to change so I could live a long, healthy life.

Did drinking alcohol lead to sexual activity?
Fortunately, no situations came about that could have lead to sex. However, I can see how easily sex can happen when you are under the influence of drugs or alcohol.

Tell us where you are now.
I have been sober for two years and attend AA meetings on a regular basis. I believe if I had not chosen to remain sober, I wouldn't make it through college.

What advice do you have for students in high school?
I would advise them to not use drugs or alcohol because once addicted, it leads you down a path that you cannot control. If you are reading this article and you feel you need help, talk to your parents or an adult you can trust.  Believe me, my parents were mad at first, but they wanted to get me the help I needed.  I am so thankful.