Hey Linter, welcome to this little corner of the internet.

As for reading part 1... personally I would recommend it. The short story is that some of us have gone from wheelchair to doing great things in their sobriety, and complaining about being tired after walking up a mountain....

It is never too late - although I do recognize the feeling of "oh, it'll probably be too late anyway, so why stop now?". Part 1 of this thread proves that this feeling is not accurate. At all.

Never forget: many or most of us have been where you are now. Maybe in slightly different situations, but mostly: the same. And we somehow found a way to improve, and to kick the habit.

It sounds to me you are ready to dive into finding the possibility of turning your life around. Reading part 1 may not get you sober, but it sure as heck can motivate you to try. It's difficult to just point out single posts: reading it as a whole will give you a lot more insight in the ups & downs (we are also honest when it's not all rose gardens and fluffy bunnies). But you will be surprised how some of us have changed their life for the better. Grab a coffee, you have some reading to do.

And obviously, we are always here to answer your questions. Don't hesitate, don't feel a bore or a drag: it's what this section is all about.

Good luck.