Something simmered in me, though. I turned to Dianne as I stood in the doorway. ‘I feel like I’ve been tricked, conditioned to believe that drinking was okay. I never pressed pause to ask why I needed to make myself “more happy”.’ It was true. I’d latched on to alcohol’s jolly reputation and followed it devotedly, just like I did with that charismatic American cult leader. Brainwashed by booze. Subtly, slowly indoctrinated until I was too soaked to protest. Alcohol had made me believe I wanted more of it. That I couldn’t live without it. That addictive drug did exactly what it was designed to
...more
