Julia believes that she was born an alcoholic. When she started drinking she couldn’t stop. Her addiction got to the point where she was drinking while she was pregnant with her fourth child. That child’s tragic death due to sepsis drove Julia to descend towards darkness. She wouldn’t eat. She wouldn’t drink. At one point she weighed 92 pounds.

During this time Julia searched the term “woman alcoholic” online. It was then she came across a small online group for women in sobriety. For Julia she felt like she fit in with other women who were like her. Even though she had this newfound support, the memories of her child continued to push her towards picking up that drink.

It was during this dark period when Julia saw the kindest of gestures from those close to her — her family. From her husband who never made her feel ashamed, to her son who picked her up off the floor when she was down. Julia‘s biggest fear was that her kids might find her on the floor dead from respiratory failure or cardiac arrest. She knew she had to get help.

With the aid of a counselor, Julia surrendered to treatment. She went to a local AA club and started going to meetings. Sometimes she went to three a day and chatted at night. During her recovery she also started a women’s meeting because she knew it was needed. She continues to work with her online group for women in sobriety where she is a manager for their online forum. She believes that this is where her recovery truly grew.

Today she can smile knowing that she’s still here 16 years and 5 months later telling her story.