My Friend's DUI & Struggle with Alcohol

Written by a CSUCI student.

Alcohol abuse and its consequences can have a major impact on someone's life, as my really good friend recently learned the hard way. In Thousand Oaks, California my friend who is only 22 years old was driving under the influence and got a DUI in February of 2023. After getting a DUI in February, he spent a night in jail and was released the next day. The experience left him devastated and depressed, as he realized how serious his life had changed because of a DUI now on his record, especially at such a young age when he's just starting to build his career.

After the incident, he stopped going out and just continued to work to get his life back on track and his mind right. Now that a few months have gone by, he has started going out again, though he no longer drives under the influence. The purpose of this blog post is to shed light on my friend's struggle with alcohol and its aftermath, and highlight the importance of seeking help for alcohol abuse before it's too late. It is also to express how dangerous it is to drive impaired and how a DUI can ruin someone’s life at such a young age. To add on to that, while driving under the influence can get someone a DUI, my friend could've been hurt or killed, and could've hurt or killed someone else that had no involvement.

My friend's drinking problem had been getting more serious as time went on before he got a DUI. Many times I would hear about how he would risk driving home at night while drunk. He obviously knew how dangerous or serious a DUI could be, but he always felt confident that he was either good enough to drive or confident he wouldn’t get pulled over. Despite his reckless behavior, he managed to avoid getting caught until one night in February.

The DUI definitely woke him up, as he had to face the reality of his actions and the serious legal consequences. Dealing with the fact that he had to face his parents, knowing that he could've been hurt, killed, or put someone else at harm, and knowing that he now had a DUI on his record was challenging for my friend. DUIs are a very serious thing in the U.S. but especially in California. DUIs are taken very seriously and can have long-lasting effects on someone's record. For a young person such as my friend who is trying to establish a career, he was and still is very devastated and worried about the impact this could have on his future prospects. He experienced feelings of shame, guilt, and regret for his actions. He also faced financial consequences, such as legal fees and increased car insurance, which added to his stress and anxiety. He felt lost in a big hole because literally everything came down on him.

As I mentioned before, while he is now back to going out and drinking but not driving, the amount of drinking is becoming more and more. He often consumes large amounts of alcohol in a short period of time and binge drinks, which is really dangerous to his health. Recently my friends and I have had to take him home from social events early at times because he drinks way too much too quickly, causing him to act out of the ordinary to where he is more than just drunk. While I don’t want to deal with him when he's drunk and I don’t want him at social events if he can’t control his drinking, I still care about him very much. It hurts to hear that I need to get my friend because he is out of control or being weird at a social event when there’s drinking involved because I just want him and everyone to have a good time. It hurts me so much and frustrates me only because I care so deeply about him and I don’t want him to get into trouble again.

As a concerned friend, I tried to talk to him about his drinking problem and the potential consequences. I pointed out the importance of seeking help and making positive changes in his lifestyle to avoid further harm. I encouraged him to explore healthier ways of coping with stress and managing his emotions. However, he still struggles with drinking and going too far. He insists that he has everything under control and that his drinking is just a way to feel relaxed and have fun with friends, which is understandable. However, it’s making his friends uncomfortable because of the pressure and responsibility we feel we have for him. It's disheartening to see my friend struggle with alcohol and continue to behave like this, not remembering anything the next day of what happened the night before. It's clear that he hasn't fully understood the path that he is taking with his drinking and the serious consequences that could happen, as if a DUI wasn’t enough. He's putting his health, safety, and future at risk by continuing to engage in harmful drinking habits.

Alcohol abuse is a serious issue that can have severe consequences, as my friend's experience with a DUI demonstrates. It's crucial for people, especially at a young age, to recognize the risks associated with excessive drinking and seek help if they have a problem. Getting a DUI can have major consequences such as legal, financial, and emotional repercussions that can affect someone's life for years to come. It's never too late to make positive changes and seek support to overcome alcohol abuse. I love my friend like a brother and I will continue to keep supporting him and encourage him to seek help for his drinking. I am confident that he will find the right path and I believe that he will do good and learn to control his drinking, as he has already learned that he will never drink and drive ever again. Thank you for reading. I hope this message can help others out there as well.