Almost died at age 16 after chugging vermouth and vomiting in my sleep. Luckily my brother found me. Started drinking occasionally during school in the same year and ended up in continuation school. First arrest at age 20 for being drunk in public. During my 20's I had about four or five more of these, I can't even remember now. In one case I'd had enough of being in the hospital, tried to walk home and was promptly arrested and taken to jail. Would drive to my girlfriend's house to work out with her in the mornings with one hand over my eye because of the double vision. DUI at age 23. I was in jail for four days, but got a lawyer and avoided more time. Was so hung over at work one day that my eyes and face were both bright red, one customer looked at me for a while and said softly, "Good luck." Lost a job later the same year because I slept through alarm on New Year's Day. Lost another job later that same year, just couldn't keep myself from drinking when I knew I had to work early and fell asleep while on the clock. Got another job where I'd work from 4am to noon, but I'd go home and drink all day, pass out, and repeat. Almost managed to lose this job too but my manager for some reason didn't fire me. There are countless occasions where I embarrassed myself in public, fights with my brother, made out with random strangers, etc. The worst thing was hearing about what I'd done the next day. Fell into a very cold swimming pool and could have drowned. The shock of the cold water just snapped me out of it. I haven't had a drink since, nearly five years ago =)