I would drink to blackout. That was the destination I was aiming for. At the point I went into recovery, I despised myself – if someone could have killed me, that would be the best thing.

The critical thing I’ve learned is how to understand what I’m feeling and express that to people.

My girlfriend had noticed how much I’m coughing these days, and my mom asked me to quit when she had cancer.

We do a regular walk and I used to have to stop halfway up the hill. It was embarrassing. Now I’m fine. I’ve even taken up running. My step-daughter is impressed, I’m really proud of myself.

My son was having mental health issues and when we took him to seek help, the professional told me that my addiction was the cause. That was the moment for me.

I’m happy to say that I’ve started to rebuild my relationship with my kid.