While I havent been sober for any real amount of time at this point i have recently started to cut way back on my drinking even though i didn't drink a lot (amount wise) i still sort of retreated back home at the end of the day to hide out and drink. I occasionally go out but thats never been a real issue. That is until the other night when i went out with a guy from work and after a few drinks and two rather large Jameson shots i found myself at home with dude knocking on my door sometime after bar close. This was a surprise to me as i don't remember much after about midnight. From what he said i was just hammered and didn't make a huge ass of myself but being as this is the second time i blacked out while drinking with him and his his penchant for large Jameson shots i've decided to seriously curtail my drinking. I would like to drink occasionally again at some point but being as it has caused me various issues that are becoming rather apparent i think its time to call it quits for a while. I've had some friends on FB do the same over the past year and much like what has been said here they all found it to be an improvement and a good life choice. Reading in here has helped too. What Aggro said about, "being afraid of the big bad world," and other comments such as Magtigs' and Duders' above along with recently ending a relationship i feel now is the time to finally start to get my shit together and this i feel would be an important step in that direction. So far i've only drank a couple times in the last couple weeks and the days i haven't i can tell a big difference if not on those days but the next ones for sure in relation to how i feel both physically and mentally. I am also going to call up the counseling services at the college as they have a sliding scale for costs that i think i can swing. Hopefully they can help me a grip on my shit better than griping a bottle has up to this point. Which until recently wasn't a huge issue but after all that has happened due to drinking i think i owe it to myself and everyone else i know to get my shit straight as i can.