New Delhi (India), March 14: One of the biggest fallacies about addiction is that it exclusively affects those with abusive backgrounds or dysfunctional families. I wish I could tell you a tale about the terrible, harsh, and uncared-for upbringing I endured, but I have none. A well-made career, living overseas, a beloved wife, and priceless children. You name it, and I had it. I came from a loving and supportive family.
It all started with a few minor disregards on my part. I confined myself to the four walls of my foolish choices, failing to see the bigger picture. There are several ways that obsessions develop. Some obsessions are simply undesired, recurrent thoughts that might have an extremely strong craving-like feeling. Then there is the type that occurs but lacks the associated emotion. Just a thought, really. For me, it all started when I became fascinated with making my own cocktails and martinis and said, “Well, I’ll just have a couple of those.” And it almost caused my life to be destroyed. I developed severe alcoholism.
What followed next was a series of alterations in my everyday routine. Blackouts, memory loss, hangovers, and irritability were all present, along with extreme guilt and shame. Having no memory of what is going on around me and no interest in anything else as I passed out at my office. My brain started to slowly get hooked on alcohol.
Contrary to popular belief, it didn’t take me a moment of clarity to realise what a terrible mistake I had made. My epiphany didn’t come all at once like a tsunami but rather in small waves. It took me a while to realise that I am an alcohol addict, and this is not a passing fad. It was difficult for me to work out the courage to put up my hand and reach out to those around me for assistance.
Making the decision to pursue rehabilitation was one of the best ones I’ve ever made. I didn’t always choose the correct path for many years. Because of my restricted mentality, I was unable to see that there was another way of being and life. My early transformation was also facilitated by Chandni and my close friends, who still stand by me.
My ultimate transformation came when I finally decided to listen to Sadhguru. His teachings have completely changed my life. I would sum up how I feel right now with the same three words I used in my book:”alive, blissful and responsible”. I’m happy I decided to follow a spiritual path since it was a big step towards turning my life around.
The final and most significant milestone in my journey was when a friend of mine suggested that I publish a memoir. That I talk about the numerous opportunities life has provided me over the years in an effort to raise awareness of how our obsessive tendencies can cause us to make decisions that have long-lasting consequences.
Witness my compelling and brutally honest memoir, “By Choice, not by Chance,” to learn how I overcame addiction and transformed life for the better. Now available on Amazon.com.
