The night I got pulled over for DUI I had an anxiety attack. I was all by myself and the thought of getting "cuffed and stuffed" was completely overwhelming. This couldn't happen to me...

Well, it did. I had been partying for a few hours when the officer saw me swerving. On a clear Monday morning, at about midnight my life was about to change forever. I had no idea that it would be a positive change. Little did I know that this would be the start of a very successful career in the tech industry and the beginning of a path to recovery.

You see, when I got pulled over I was barely over the limit. I didn't feel drunk. The officer smelt the beer on me when he pulled me over for swerving. When I got pulled over I actually thought it was due to speeding! Ha, I was in for the RUDEST AWAKENING I had ever had in my life.

I got out and did the standard DUI test. I am one that always jokes I cannot reach behind my head and touch my fingers when I am sober, much less say the alphabet backwards. Well, the cop didn't buy that. They determined I was drunk enough for the DUI and they slapped the cuffs on me. I must say, considering the situation, I was treated very fairly.

I will make a long story short here about the night I spent in jail. Needless to say I was totally freaking out. Who was I going to call for bail? Oh my God, my parents would freak! There was no way I could call them. I called a friend of the family's. He was a true friend to come bail me out like he did.

I didn't get out of jail until the middle of the next morning. I tell you that experience is HORRID. If I vow anything else in life, it is to never go back to jail. I would rather be thrown in a mental institution (not!) than go to jail. Anyway, I think that my personal jail experience wasn't too bad as I spent a lot of time alone. I never went back into the prison population. I tell you, what they say about the food is true. I didn't touch the stuff.

The Punishment

How did I turn this around? Well, my punishment was pretty stiff. If my memory serves correctly, I had to pay a hefty fine, go to counseling, report to a probation counselor, do community service and suffer some driver's license penalties. I couldn't drive anywhere for the first 30 days. Then for the next six months I was on what the call a "restricted" license. I could drive to work, school, or church. That was it. Now I was faced with an inordinate amount of free time on my hands and a new MISDEMEANOR record that would eventually haunt me.

I was single when this happened so I had nothing but time. I worked a full time job. I caught a ride to work which had me arriving two hours before my start time. Luckily the MIS department at work was open very early. We had just gotten a new computer system and I was very curious. I befriended someone at the help desk and soon I was on my way to being a computer nerd-practicing on the computer daily.

This was the beginning of a positive life change for me. I turned a perceived negative situation into something very positive. Did I ever get behind the wheel after drinking again? Yes, like a dummy I did. I never got caught again. Now I don't drink at all so I have no worries of ever getting another DUI but I do worry about being on the road with all the drivers that I know are intoxicated and taking a chance at the wheel.

Do yourself and your loved ones a favor and get yourself into recovery. Usually life is much better when the burden of addiction is lifted. It isn't easy to quit, it will probably be the hardest thing you ever do but I have faith in you. THE FIRST STEP IN GETTING HELP IS ADMITTING YOU HAVE A PROBLEM WITH ADDICTION. Keep in touch and let me know how you are doing. Recovery is a life-long process, as your illness will never go away. You have to stay one or two steps ahead of it to enjoy the life of living sober. It is important to me that you find the light as I have. Life without alcohol, for me, has been a true blessing.
Tristine