The first step to solving any problem in life is to recognize that there is one! It may sound simple, but often it's the hardest part because it takes courage, bravery, and knowing yourself.

Sometimes, we don't realize our harmful habits because they seem harmless. But over time, they can start controlling us when the situation allows it. As humans, we all make mistakes, and that's okay because they help us learn and grow. However, in today's fast-paced world, being vulnerable is often seen as a weakness, leading to feelings of shame and isolation for those who struggle. Instead of learning from our mistakes and moving forward, people dealing with substance abuse and addiction can end up feeling lonely and hopeless. They may want help, but feel too ashamed or ignored to ask for it.

I found myself in a similar situation when I was addicted to alcohol. I was not even aware that I was suffering from this disease until I ended up in a rehabilitation centre where I was urged to look at my situation as it is and not through the lens of my ego and emotions. I realized that my addiction was beyond me and that I needed help.

As a child, I had a fairly normal upbringing with hidden emotional trauma that I was not actively conscious of until I started my sobriety journey. They were hiding at the root of my self-sabotaging behaviour which took the form of addiction in my later years. I had my first drink on the first day of college like many other 'normal' individuals of my age. Before I knew it, I was drinking every day and in high quantities (I had a natural capacity to drink more than the average Joe). My friends and acquaintances were impressed by my drinking feats! So, it was never a concern for anyone or me that maybe I was consuming a bi t much. My body became accustomed to high doses of alcohol, so I had to drink even mor e to feel the effects.

The first signs of excessive drinking began with extreme mood swings, weight loss, sudden loss of appetite and seeking opportunities of indulging in alcohol when no one was around (secret alcoholism). I was hiding bottles everywhere in my house and even my closest and dearest did not know this about me. I lied and I drank as much as I could, sometimes straight out of the bottle. I started having memory skips where I found myself in places where I didn't plan to be and didn't know how I got there in the first place, sometimes in dangerous situations. Then came the seizures. Whenever I was caught and I had to stop drinking, the I withdrawal symptoms kicked in. After multiple failed attempts of my well-wishers trying to reduce my intake and me half-heartedly playing along, I started having blackouts. I hit rock bottom when I had a major seizure and ended up at the intensive care where I remained unconscious for days while my family watched helplessly. I honestly thought I was going to die. In the moments where I regained consciousness temporarily, I saw my mother sitting near my bed, crying and chanting incessantly.

It was divine love and faith that my family and I shared between us that brought me back from the dark corners of existence. Something changed in me that day. Even though my first thoughts after regaining consciousness were about drinking again, I did not go home. Instead, I asked my father to take me to the nearest rehabilitation centre because I knew that I would resort to drinking again if I went back home. My time at the rehabilitation centre was filled with feelings of loneliness, fear, doubt and with elements of surprise as I began to rediscover my personality, my character defects and understood that I was suffering from a disease that was treatable but not curable. I worked on myself for months in rehab and was isolated from the outside world. I learned to manage my emotions and feelings and recognized the emotional trauma that put me on the path of escapism. Finally, I was ready to go home.

Today, I am a sobriety coach and interventionist guiding others through alcohol and drug addiction as well as mental disorders. I have been sober for 9 years now but felt proud when I was offered the job of a counsellor at the very rehab centre where I had entered as a patient once. I now have years of experience as a counsellor and my journey has been covered by national newspapers such as Hindustan Times and Punjab Times as an inspirational success story of recovery. However, I consider myself fortunate because I had people to help me when I called out to them and acted as my guardian angels when I was impossible to deal with. Furthermore, alcoholism cost me precious things, but I was able to regain them with time - be it relationships, health or my personality and self-confidence.

There are others out there who are struggling with the disease of narcotics and alcohol abuse and are unable to come out and talk about it because of the cultural stigmas and shame attached to it, especially women. Many may not be even aware of the underlying problem. Over the years that I have helped others like me overcome addiction, I have felt a sense of fulfilment and enthusiasm on performing this service to the community. If you feel you are losing the battle of sobriety and are scared to talk about it, or you know someone you care about who is in denial of their addiction, I want you to know that you are not alone and I am there to hold your or your loved one’s hand and guide you/them through this struggle. I am here today because I took every day as it came.