An alcoholic who, at his lowest, drank half a bottle of scotch a day turned his life around after going cold turkey on booze and kicking his addiction.
John DeCaux says he has ‘never felt better’ 600 days after giving up alcohol and wants to share his life-changing results with others.
‘I have lost about 17 kilograms so far and I’m now going to the gym at least three days a week,’ the South Australian man told Daily Mail Australia.
John DeCaux (pictured) says he has ‘never felt better’ 600 days after giving up alcohol
The 27-year-old decided he had finally had enough on April 16 last year when he was confronted by his partner.
‘My final straw was when my wife approached me and showed me how much alcohol I was consuming and said enough was enough.
‘This wasn’t the first time I’d tried to stop drinking, but this was the first time I really wanted to change my behaviour. Plus, in support my wife also gave up drinking.
Mr Decaux made the decision to move forward without alcohol numbing his emotions.
He had had enough when his wife approached him and showed me how much alcohol he was drinking
The first morning the pair got rid of any alcohol and all of the glasses that they used to drink alcohol with from the house.
‘Initially I marked off the days for the first few months, but as time went by I forgot to until my wife pointed it out to me.
‘I think this was a good progression in my recovery because it highlighted that alcohol was no longer controlling my life, I was now back in charge of my own decisions.
Mr DeCaux turned to excessive drinking to cope when he lost a cherished family member.
‘It worked for a start but after a while I came to realise that the coping mechanism was now the problem.
He has lost about 17 kilograms and is now going to the gym three days a week
Mr DeCaux turned to excessive drinking to cope after the death of his brother
‘I also built up a tolerance and since I’m a six foot four guy I had started consuming more and more to get the same effects.’
He said Australia has such a drinking culture that he finds it quite uncommon for someone not to be drinking when out with friends or sitting watching a sports match.
Now he wants others to know it is never too late for a fresh start and that with the right support, things can change for the better.
‘Just take it one day at a time. Don’t be afraid to ask for help and to let those close to you know if you are struggling.
‘One thing I occasionally remind myself is If I don’t drink tonight I won’t feel shit tomorrow. I’m really enjoying where I am in life at the moment and have no desire to ever return to drinking.’