Addiction 1

During the first appointment with him, I told my GP that I practice harm reduction with alcohol. And I’ve been doing it for 17 years.

One year later I describe cutting down my daily alcohol consumption to my GP.

Colin: I’ve gone from six beers on a work night to four and have been doing that for the past 3 – 4 months.

Doctor: That’s good and perhaps you can get your alcohol consumption down to zero after that.

I knew then and there that my Doc does not accept harm reduction as a way of managing addictions.

His is an “all or nothing” world, simple, and clean.

But addictions can be messy, complex, and unpredictable.

I know what going clean and sober cold turkey is like. 

I chose it for a decade.

And I transformed myself into a guy that I would like to know.

I started drinking and drugging again, with rules.

I don’t keep liquor in the house.

I only bring in that which I plan to consume. 

I hold down a good job and believe I am good at what I do.

I tend to a small garden of plants in my bachelor apartment.

My tank of fancy goldfish gives me great pleasure.

I paint and I write.

I am content.

Please don’t try to fix me.

I am not broken.