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Are you on your way to becoming a drunk, like I was for too many wasted years of my life? A new study this year from researchers at the University of California and Veterans Affairs San Diego Health Care System finds one in five men in the United States and other developed countries are at risk of abusing alcohol or becoming alcoholics. The risk is about 10 percent for women during their lifetime, according to their findings.
At the least, they add, you'll cut your life short by 10 to 15 years if you drink too much and/or become addicted to drinking. But we know that at the most, you might immediately die or kill someone if you drive drunk.
I'm lucky I'm alive after abusing alcohol for too many years of my life. I ruined relationships and risked my health. But I quit, and you can, too.
But first, I had to stop making excuses for myself, and allowing others to make excuses for me. If you're on your way to becoming an alcoholic, or binge drinking, or even at that stage where you've had one two many, don't make excuses.
Don't let yourself get by with saying you drink because you're celebrating, or you're shy, or you're sad, or because you have a lousy job or because you're broke.
Alcohol won't let you take control over any of those problems; but it will take control over you. So tell yourself, 'No more excuses,' and then do whatever it takes to help you quit.
Call an addiction hotline. They're listed in the phone directory. Call a treatment center. Call on a higher power - I did. Call Alcoholics Anonymous. Call your doctor. Call your parents. Ask a friend to help you. Do whatever it takes to quit.
This is the age of the Internet, so you can start looking for help there, too. Go to Alcoholics Anonymous at . You can also find hundreds of resources at .
When I quit, I discovered that I could do big things. I proved that when I stopped being a drunk and quit drinking. That was one of the greatest accomplishments in my life. I discovered I could be alone, after years of always having to have someone else around when I was drinking. I know now that it was fear that fueled my drinking. My new life became about confronting my fears, not using them as an excuse.
I can look at people who are addicted and understand why they're addicted. Hey, it's a tough world we live in. But I can also see that addictions don't make things easier in the long run; they just prolong the pain.
So here's blunt talk from a former drunk: No more excuses! Linda Joy Allan of Santa Barbara, Calif., is the author of the book, "I Quit! Cigarettes, Candy Bars & Booze," which has been described as a "courageous account, ultimately victorious," of Allan's personal journey to overcome three addictions. Dr. Laura Schlessinger, author of the book "Stop Whining, Start Living," has said Allan "will motivate and inspire." For more information and tips on quitting your addictions, visit
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