ALCOHOL IS UNBELIEVABLY DANGEROUS | Rich Roll's Story on Overcoming Alcoholism 

I was sober for around eight years. I just quit cold turkey, no AA no anything. A year later i quit smoking cigarettes for seven years. During Covid i ended up drinking again. It has been getting worse, i'm drinking a few times a week and spending way too much money every month and i smoke every time i drink. I just hope i can beat this demon again soon.

I'm still paying off old debt due my alcohol addiction. I lost 35 lbs and I'm 39 and look better than I did in my 20s. I lost many "friends" but I'm better off without them.

been sober from alcohol about 15 months but need videos like this frequently to keep things in perspective.

Over 2 years sober now I just could not get that poison into my body. Life without alcohol is absolutely amazing!

Have been sober for 6 days after my last bender, in which I actually ended up having a seizure. Watching this video, realizing how pretty much the same way my alcoholism has destroyed my life.. And I just can't stop from crying. Thanks for sharing, man, and greetings from Siberia!

I'm on day 3 of sobriety. I have drunk nearly daily for the last 15 years; before that, it was at least a few times a week. I've tried to stop several times (short term), then feel like I can have a few drinks one night and back to the same binge. I knew it was ruining my health, liver, heart, and everything else. When I say I drank, my drinks would start at 6 PM with dinner and go into the evening until I killed about 1/3 of a 1.75 L bottle of Vodka, equivalent to 18-20 shots over about 4 hours. Doing the math, that's about 2000 empty calories daily and millions of cells in my body. I feel good now on day 3 and strong in mind this time. Maybe from watching countless stories like this one, then finding a new one every morning to keep me motivated while I have my coffee, reiterating I CAN and WILL do this, finally. That this is best for my health and my family. Good luck and Godspeed to everyone on this journey. And for those who don't understand and leave negative comments because you have not gone through this, please show Grace or move on to other stories.

Alcohol nearly killed me. Drank for 35 years. Physically and mentally addicted. I'm 9 years sober now.

As a former opioid addict (such as morphine, OxyContin, and Demerol): I believe that alcohol can be one of the most destructive drugs to be addicted to.

I think much of our angst comes from trying to sugar coat life. It is as ugly as it is beautiful. We must hold the contradictions in balance. Preoccupying ourself with either side or even trying to fix one side or the other leads to frustration and an inability to cope.

Im 28 , Never had any sort of alcohol in my life, and hearing such experiences assures me that im on the right track, encourages me even more to keep going with the same mindset. Great talk

Ive been sober for 6 years now and i can tell you, alcoholism is very very destructive. I can only praise God for quitting because you cant do it alone.

I have 2 dui's both involved me in 2 single car accidents Hitting a telephone pole both times totaling both of my vehicles lost jobs. I just said enough is enough the 2nd dui. I started going to AA meetings thanks to a friend. And AA really helped. I just got tired of the cycle alcohol takes you down. And I've been alcohol free since July 17th 2018. And I feel absolutely great.

I viewed the podcast Rich had with Andy Ramage titled, "One Year, No Beer & Beyond." So, I decided to take the challenge. I started December 6th, 2021. I am close to ten months in and I feel fantastic! I am close to fifty years of age and have my share of aches and pains. But, every aspect of my life has improved! My body heals faster after a workout. My bank account is grateful. My health has improved with weight loss and my immune system is firing on all cylinders. AND, most important to me is my anxiety is almost non-existent. After a year, I do not think I can go back to the old me. I do not know how I did it all; excess alcohol, cigarettes, poor sleep, sedentary lifestyle and unhealthy food.

October 12th 2015. Alcohol made it's third attempt to kill me. Fortunately it failed but it was very close to succeeding. I won't describe how I managed to empty my lungs as it is graphic and was painful. Now in August 2022 I have not had as much as a sip of alcohol, I am alive, alcohol free and so grateful every day of my life. It wasn't easy, it took about 3 years to rid myself of wanting a drink. Never, as long as I have a hole in my butt will I *EVER* drink or eat anything with alcohol in it. For those reading this who are trying to stop I wish you luck on your journey, I can assure you it is worth it. Mike, Dry since 2015 !

So heartbreaking. I love this man who is high functioning alcoholic and while living with him, I begged him to please stop because he becomes a completely different person when he’s drunk. It messed me up with all the things he did to me emotionally, physically, psychologically. I couldn’t let go because I always want that sober man who is the greatest man I’ve ever loved. But I got tired of the feeling that something awful is going to happen again when he’s drunk and dealing with someone with so much negativity made me depressed and sick. I just know I have to let go because I have to get better for me. It didn’t mean I stopped loving him, I just have to get better because I started to mimic him and I started to become an angry person when he provoked me which he did a lot. The worst thing was when he insists that it was me and that I caused his drinking when in reality he was as already alcoholic before I even came to his life. Alcoholics, you just don’t damage yourselves, you also damaged the people around you especially the ones who is closest to you. We don’t deserved it.

I wish my dad could have lived sober…it’s been 44 years since alcohol ended his life…he was 51 years-old. I miss him, who he was deep inside…the person he could not see, could not love. Rich is an amazing human…

Alcohol is absolutely every where in American culture- most show, most movies- it’s become a pastime and that’s sad…at 49 I see the effects of alcohol in other people my age- it’s not pretty. So glad I care about myself and my body to make better choices! I don’t have to abstain completely as I have discipline over everything in my life but it feels good the next day I made good choices the day before. I’ve never regretted NOT drinking!

I’m 28, have been an alcoholic since 18 that has been a downward spiral for 10 years. Nothing good happens from it. 70 days sober I totally agree with what rich roll says

The fact that the government keeps alcohol legal tells me everything I need to know. Alcohol is horrible for you and makes nothing better for you and your life period.

With a nursing background and substance abuse counseling degree, I saw such devastation of lives, yet for each person who remains on the recovery path (for life), it is such a huge VICTORY for their lives and souls. It wasn't until I retired that I actually watched an alcoholic neighbor totally destroy his life, one day at a time. I have never seen anyone drink at this level, (5th Stage) and for over 20 years. He has made it his "job" to harass and target me. I'm so happy I had the training and experience I have...because it enables me to have deep compassion and not get into his drama.

I drank into my forties. I was a bar hopper after work, in Manhattan.I finally admitted to my family I had a drinking problem. I went to a rehab, in Kent, CT, Highwatchm for 3 weeks. I had dozens of AA meetings, and got sober. When I got out ,I got a job.with the same corporation, I worked for in NY.

I have to admit I feel blessed that I never understood what's so cool about feeling awfully out of control. When you've lived your childhood with an alcoholic, you know it's UNBELIEVABLY DANGEROUS. It's just a legal drug allowed to the masses, to help them gulp their miserable lives half-numbed while the unaffected are busy cleaning up the mess.

Just celebrated 5 years sober from opiates including injection. You can do it. I did it. And I was straight junked. I have no will power. I have no friends. But you have yourself and your mind. Turn that energy into something positive. If you need maintenance medication, do it. Get SOBER. Screw what the people on the internet say. Believe in yourself and everything will change. I promise❤️

Unbelievable, I've just quit drinking and smoking one hour ago😊❤️ and now I've found this. Thank you!!!

I'm dying from alcoholism, lately have gotten so sick I stop for a couple weeks/ one month. Always fall back . I'm so sick of going thru withdrawal .

I got addicted to alcohol from a early age, then quit, then addicted to running-but suffered many injuries then back to alcohol-what a rollacoaster this alcohol game is, I now need to get back to running that was my solution.....thanks RR for emphasing this once again.

Well said , after 35 years of drinking,I’m 71/2 months sober.And life is getting better as the months go by , I can only imagine how I’ll be in 3 years,thanks for sharing appreciate You.

Alcohol ruins families and takes all the joy out of life. I have been sober 7 years and hoping others around me can see the pure joy of not drinking brings to one's life.

I'VE BEEN SEEING POST EVERYWHERE ABOUT FOREX TRADING AND CRYPTO CURRENCY, A LOT OF PEOPLE KEEP SAYING THINGS ABOUT THIS TRADING PLATFORMS PLEASE CAN SOMEONE LINK ME TO SOMEBODY WHO CAN PUT ME THROUGH..?

Haven't drank alcohol in 2 weeks already feeling better and blood pressure is back to normal

I was an alcoholic and I gave up drinking 10 years ago. I never looked back and I've reclaimed my life. I never get the craving for it. Alcohol ruins lives don't let it ruin yours. Always remember no one like a drunk.

Remarkable person reading this.. It’s going to get better; all it is a season of opportunity to grow and be better than before. Challenging times are meant to strengthen us, not to break us. Success doesn’t define to what happened to us; it is how we choose to deal with our circumstances. The more you grow and develop as an incredible person as you are, the more things will change for the better. Forgive more (for you), be grateful for even the smallest things (we have it way better than someone else), choose love over ego, choose humility over ego (humility is strength), and finally, invest into new skills so that your future self will thank you. Our lives will change forever the more we grow. Be thankful for the challenges for we know something greater is coming. Love you always - Nathalie ✨❤️

I'm 4 months sober after 13 years of binge drinking. The physical dependency started a few years into the drinking... I used it to help cope with my daily and depression, which rule my life and make living pretty difficult. I knew it wasn't actually helping me, but it became one of those compulsive behaviors/vises that never stopped. Quitting was THE best thing I've ever done for myself. I'm way more conscious of my underlying problems, which is good and bad. I have no hangovers, and better mental clarity, which is great. I'm lucky to have a good support system, which not everyone is so fortunate. Having a loving wife, family, and friends that I can talk to, helps me tremendously. I beg anyone who is struggling to use whatever resources that are available and seek help. Your life is worth it.

Finally admitted I will always be powerless over this substance, was 90 days sober and the cravings came back like a tsunami, the unpredictability of this disease is so powerful. Im full of gratitude now and realise I can never drink again. One day at a time and a better life without booze. Life is possible without alcohol.

Couldn't agree more. There are people addicted to porn, food, sugar, dangerous people and situations, narcissists, drugs AND YES ALCOHOL IS A DRUG the list goes on. working on ourselves can be confronting and painful but unless we focus on the why, then tackling the addiction alone will always fail. 🙏

Binge weekend drinker took 30 years of drinking to realise I had to stop or I’d probably end up in a bad way , sober 2.7 years now take each day at a time sober never let your guard down always remember alcohol is doing 1 arm press ups outside your window !!

ive been drinking alcohol for about 3 yrs and quite it afew months, it is really horrible when you get drunk and wake up in the morning even dont know yourself anymore stress , anxiety ,negative thoughts and so on.so now i realize the differences what to be like to be sober than alcoholic,wow come man.

I'm an addict in recovery, and what you're saying is absolutely the truth. From identifying what my problems were to using substances as my primary go to for my solution. Up to the point where everything became unmanageable and dangerous. I too spent considerable time in rehab learning how to reconnect with myself and others, learning about my behaviours and beginning my journey of learning who I really was; what my identity truly is. I learned about gratitude. Now four years into recovery, I have learned, and continue to learn, and go about my daily life, the same guy, but stronger. I'm on a different, much better, much clearer path, by doing the right thing. It wasn't easy, I had to challenge all of my belief systems. This has taken a lot of practice, again chiming with your message - and amazing things do happen and continue too happen, when you do the right thing by people. I've learned that what happens are freedoms; from fear, from financial worries, from incarceration, and that what is on the other side of fear is real peace and contentment. Happiness is in the moment. Thankyou for posting this. (UK).

For me, it was a feel good fun thing, a social lubricant, a way to fill in the emptiness, a deadener of thoughts and memories, eventually an addiction. Thank God I am over it. I still have 1 or 2 "isms" that need to be fixed or ameliorated but nothing like the mind/body poison of alcohol. I managed to quit the ciggies first and the booze followed soon. GL.

This is the first "quit alcohol" video that actually spoke to me. I got myself addicted to opiates, ended up with sepsis from those things I seeked out because I could no longer seek prescription opiates , and I turned to IV heroin/ fentanyl. Then I got on methadone and stayed " clean and sober" for 3 years. Then I got off methadone and immediately started drinking daily because it's legal and got me where I wanted to be... ABLE TO SLEEP, even for a couple hours... Now I've been off methadone for 7 months and still drinking every night so I can sleep. I now have the motivation to seek alternatives and FINALLY be clean and sober for good.

I’m not an alcoholic in that I can go days without a drink. But when I do drink, I can’t seem to stop because I get panic attacks the next day and it rolls on for weeks on end sometimes; a cycle of drinking to cure the anxiety and then getting anxiety from the drinking. It causes me so many problems in my life, I just can’t see myself stopping drinking altogether.

Dude could be talking about me, 💯💥 At age 11, first drink, I knew it was a game changer. Now, 46 years later, it is no game. In a sense it was my "best friend" for so many years, it is now far beyond my worst enemy. Maybe more succinctly, I must say I (emphasis on the "I") am my own worst enemy and, after years of evading responsibility, the piper has come seeking payment.

Was an "under the bridge” tall can slamming bum for 10 years. Been sober since February 25th 2018! Best decision I’ve ever made. Not homeless anymore either 😎😁😁😁😁😁😁😁😁😁😁😁😁😁😁😁😁😁😁😁😁😁😁😁😁😁😁😁😎

I drank all my life. I came to drink a full bottle of vodka a day for three months (yeah, over a 100 bottles) until I hard stopped it with the help of a therapist. Been sober for over 10 years now.

Most of the worst things I have done have been while drinking alcohol

I have 5 years and 7 months clean and sober and it's been rough. The ism is still there and it's tougher than the actual stopping of the substances. Steps meetings sponsers is essential but I'm finding that mindfulness practicing this is also very important.

Last wkend i got black out drunk i do this probably 50% of the time most times i dont return home other times turn up home knowing nothing from the night before I'm usually a happy drunk very loving and social I'm pretty shy and reserved sober anyway me and my partner have been breaking up and arguing about my drinking for years i try my best to keep it under control it never works for too long anyway this women i adore worshipp wanted to spend the rest of my life with plus gave me 2 beautifull children she no longer wants anything to do with me because 1 night i went out got absaloutly out of it and woke up in a prison cell knowing nothing from the night before until the police called me into the interview room they then proceeded to tell me i attacked my partner the shock and disbelief hit me like a truck i was utterly heartbroken i would never do this you must have the wrong guy i have never layed a finger on her we have been together 13 years not even a scratch on her well i was wrong i had attacked her not only that but i had shattered both our worlds apart over a stupid drink of alcohol that i couldnt mannage to control the poor women must have been so scared and upset it breaks my heart :( i would die for the girl now not only me but mainly her have to live with this horrible event and be alone to deal with it plz if any1 else has this problem stop now and deal with the issue before its 2 late for you i hope nobody else has to go through what i put us through i think about killing myself sometimes its really horrible i dont think i could ever look at her without crying ever again plz plz plz get it under control before you make these type of mistakes i hope its not like my mistake and its just enough for you to learn your lesson bcos trust me if you drink like this it will soon cost you something dear god bless you all

I couldn't be a drunk even if I wanted to. The hangovers and stomach issues are just too severe. You could say that alcoholism is something that can only affect people with higher than average levels of stamina.

Yes alcohol is an awful drug if used in excess but some of the worst drugs are those given out by doctors/psychiatrist such as benzodiazepines, absolute hell to get off and people are fooled into trusting they are harmless because of who supplies them. God bless anyone trying to beat addiction/dependency 🙏

Alcohol is not only accepted in society its almost required every where you go

"Everything that kills me, makes me feel alive."

I am 28 days sober today. Its been hard today, having moments of emptiness and low mood. Realise I have a way to go and determined, mustn't weaken so I can get to the point where I don't miss it. One day at a time.❤

I’m quitting alcohol today. Lost a lot of money. Lost a land my father left behind before he passed. I’m getting fat. Face bloated. No focus. No responsibilities or priorities. But I’m done.

really wish i could stop drinking, i feel im not on the tipping side yet, but im drinking every single day of my life and doing my daily routine is becoming more and more difficult

I have been sober for around 12 hours.

Almost 11 years sober thank god

I'm a hopeless alcoholic my life was tragic I wasn't happy I joined AA sober 4 years one day at a time

I'm a year clean and sober now and I don't miss anything about it. I decided to to treat alcohol like the poison that it really is, once you realise this, it becomes easy to leave alcohol behind. I don't have any cravings whatsoever and don't need to A.A to help stay sober..

I drank for 20 years straight everyday. Almost like 23 years. Like other lost people in my life due to deaths. I had no will power to quit cuzz yas know when your in addiction you have no choice to feed the beast. I was a monster. Scared the crap out of my children. Yelling lieing. Nothing embarrassed me. When I finally got help I realized this whole time it was like I was hangin to the end of a rope and that thing was on fire looking down with crocodiles had had no where to go. But then I myself started to tie knots and climb that rope. Kept climbing never looking back. 9 months sober now. Just thought I’d tell my little story

One day it was for me , alcohol or whatever is left of my self esteem. I quit , best decition I made ( and quit nicotine couple of years later) life is difficult but is more difficult if you drink too much

Quitting alcohol is easy... I have done it 1000's of times!

Im 26. I was drinking since i was 15. I got more into drinking when i found a job at 18 . And from 20-25 i was travelling and playing on streets and drinking constantly and trying other things. Im sober for a year and a half but recently the will for drinking is hunting me and i quit drinking medication in urge to drink responsibly because i feel like im not having any fun. Deep inside i know that would be a mistake but i know im stong enough to not let it take over my life again. I hope everything will turn out okay. Just wanted to share this with you guys Keep on the fight❤

*5 Ways To Raise Your Vibration:* 1. When emotions are high, intelligence is low. Make decisions with balanced emotions. 2. Before raising your vibrations, practice techniques like self love, gratitude and dance. 3. Place your hands on your heart and remember all the things you're grateful for. 4. Play some amazing music and get your body moving and when you feel the joy but your mind is a chaos. 5. To calm your mind, take a deep breath keep on practicing and then set your intentions or wishes with the highest vibration. ~Much Love from a Law of Attraction RU-vidr💜

I passed out from exhaustion so I got a few hours of sleep…I’m tired still and sick but at least I got some sleep I’m so thankful

Thanks, this video has been very helpful for me. 6 years of sobriety I have.

ditto. absolutely the worst thing i ever touched, even after quitting for 25 years. learned the hard way it's called alcoholISM, not alcoholWASM

Im 23 years old i drink everyday i been drinking 2 years now i drink homemade wine or Kilju as it's called in finland i just feel like it's very hard to quit. and there can be some serious problems if i quit cold turkey tho they are rare. Still it amazes me that cigarettes have warning labels but the alcohol doesn't. What's the most effective way to quit?

45 days sober after always consuming alcohol for dopamine release rather than as a social lubricant from 20 in 2004 as I suffered a neonatal stroke.

'ism' remains when you remove the substance..... that good.

Alcohol seems to be a solution, but it is not. It's just a beginning of a bigger problem!

Great video prayers for everyone getting sober and trying , addiction can be overcome,I'm proof

I used to drink socially …to some extent even as part of my job….a fairly senior sales director. However just like anyone else, I was not immune from the by-products that come with the process. This came with the usual malaise the day after. The uncertainty of how I expressed myself the night before etc. And of course the hangover that could linger the entire next day. With that said, my so called salvation also came in the form of a by product of this process. I started to suffer regular as clockwork…crushing migraines, every morning when I drank. So for-me it really did come down to drink and suffer migraines..or stop. That was literally a decision done in one day..very binary actually. And 20 years later I have literally not touched a drop of alcohol since. And in my case it was not that painful..as I knew whatever pain came with it physically…could not match the pain of a massive migraine. Migraines saved me from what was starting to be a slippery road. Do not miss alcohol in the least. The by-product of this is that my kids have never seen me drunk…for which both I..but particularly they are very grateful. And perhaps that’s something that is not stated often enough…you can never un-see your parent out of control, stumbling, swearing drunk. All it takes is once..and something in your relationship changes…a bond of trust and respect is temporarily broken. Except often it’s not temporarily!

yup....daughter of an alcoholic with my siblings following in his footsteps....I don't touch the fire water!!! Ole booze turned my Dad's heart into mush...He passed at 67

I was drinking and eating terribly into my 40s. Until, Just a few years ago when I had my first hemorrhoid experience from drinking a 12 pack and eating a large pizza. The next morning, I had the worst hemorrhoid that felt like the size of a baseball being stuck inside of your intestines and didn't ever want to poop again after that experience. So, if you drink and eat crapy food stop know - ASAP !!! It will catch up to you when you least expect it too. I pretty much stopped cold turkey after the worst dump experience I ever had.

The ism remains after alcohol is removed. Love this!

3 addictions that cripple you 1) alcohol 2) porn 3) phone/social media

Just celebrated my 2yr birthday. But never forget that it's odaat.

This is wonderful! Thanks 🙏🏼

"I had a marriage that ended on a honeymoon" is wild

Yes it makes into someone your not then it solves the problem short term but by then it’s a long term problem. Now sober.

For those wanting to stop drinking to avoid heath issues please do so before you cannot turn back. I developed diabetes after having alcohol pancreatitis a million times. Now on daily insulin. It does catch up to you!

I'm going to be on top of the MUSIC INDUSTRY, I promise ❤️‍🔥😈🌎🚀

Gratitude and gratitude.

Good luck on the path 🙏🏼

Great to hear. Alcohol sucks the life right outa people. 💜💜💜💜💜💜💜📡

I'm working on cutting back. I lost my dad and then lost my son and have been hitting it hard the past year or so. But recently am trying to cut back... I had a drinking night yesterday but kept it reasonable.

I am grateful and respectful to the alcoholics that do their drinking at home. In fact I have immense empathy and love for them. I know they are dealing with problems the way they see fit, but at least they have the consideration of not jeopardizing innocent people on the roadways. If you've ever witnessed, in person, the totally unnecessary carnage of such selfish acts, you know what I'm talking about. Over 10,000 people die EVERY YEAR in alcohol related wrecks. Children included. It's like sending children, including babies, into war. Of course that 10,000 doesn't even count the amount of people maimed for life, sometimes in the worst ways. It's no secret that plea down's and other even less savory judge/defense attorney 'special' sentencing outcomes are sometimes negotiated at dinner or on a golf course. Sometimes there are drunk drivers who have been convicted 5 or 10 times, without going to prison! They really learned their lesson, didn't they? Good luck to you Rich, you sound like a guy who has done a lot of self analysis and have been able to write your own operating manual. Thanks for sharing with the rest of us to help make the world a better place.

I pray to be able to tell my story someday. 🙏🏾

This is finally someone talking sense about it.

First view and first comment. This is a first!! Alcohol truly is very dangerous! It destroys to many good people!

Every winter I enjoy drinking the most Idk y but holidays make me depressed

Very raw and inspiring! Bravo finding you are worth the journey!

Nearly all of my alcohol drinking friends died an early death and the quality of their lives degraded as they continued to drink. I suspect the alcohol metabolite acetaldehyde is much more dangerous then understood and there seems to be no safe exposure level. (First, ADH metabolizes alcohol to acetaldehyde, a highly toxic substance and known carcinogen)...

I am still struggling to rid myself of alcohol,I drink a 2nd a half litre bottle of cider every day from 3.30pm u till 6pm,seems to be a habitual thing with me sadly.

*Let’s prohibit alcohol! Yeah! We can call it “Prohibition”. It’ll work out really well for a lot of people.*

Sober for 12 years now. Loving life. New employer has bunch of mgmt power drinkers. I do the social at the after work bar until they start with the word vomit, then I go home! Of course I’m not part of the club lol.

Yes. Exactly this, yes yes yes.

We teach our children to drink from a very young age, it's not hidden from them, they grow up to think it's normal to drink as if it was not a drug, I agree it's the worst drug in the world because it's socially acceptable, also I can't be around really drunk people they just repeat the same old rubbish and get really loud and just does my head in!

*The first and greatest victory is to conquer yourself; to be conquered by yourself is of all things most shameful and vile.* Plato

With my anxiety, I feel the only to cope is alcohol and this has has been only after 4 hip replcements. And I realized I was trading 1 for the other and I know that is bonker Kratom