The alcoholic next door finds solution

BALTIMORE, Md. (Ivanhoe Newswire) Martha Carucci had it all: big-time career, a fabulous home in the suburbs, a handsome military husband and three great kids. She also was hiding a big problem; Carucci was an alcoholic, drunk most of the time and living a lie. Five years ago she abruptly quit drinking, and is devoted to sharing her message of struggle and redemption to help others.

“I found myself shaking at lunch until I got a drink in me.” Carucci shared with Ivanhoe.

Carucci termed herself a ‘functioning alcoholic.’ by day, a busy, but hungover lobbyist in Washington D.C. By night, inebriated, falling down the staircase passed out drunk.

“I would just tell myself, I’m fine, you know sometimes I drink a little too much. What I say is that I have a broken ‘off’’ switch. When I start I can’t stop. More is always better. Physically, I felt horrible. It was starting to take its toll on me, physically.” Carucci explained.

Exhausted from a life of lies, she broke down and opened up to a girlfriend.

Carucci continued, “Finally, about four in the morning, after drinking all day, I was able to get the words out. You know what? I have a serious drinking problem.”

That was five years ago and since then, Carucci sobered up and wrote a book to help others, humorously called Sobrietease.

“I decided that it was either going to be laughter or tears. And, you know, I’d had enough tears that I tried to approach this in a way that I could keep my sense of humor and try to help other people with it. So I was like, here I am! I’m a suburban mom of three, but I’m an alcoholic. I’m proud of that. I took that problem and turned it around and am trying to help other people with it.” Carucci said.

Like “Lexi”…

“I have a graduate degree. I had a good career. The disease doesn’t care about that. And I did jail, I did institutions, and I almost did death. Any long journey starts with the first step.” Lexi told Ivanhoe.

If you or someone you know has a drinking problem, experts recommend finding an alcoholics anonymous group with a good 12-step program. For resources in Southwest Florida, click on the following links: