Addiction can many times, be misunderstood.

One Wausau woman is telling the story of her 27-year addiction to alcohol, and how she's dealing with its effects today, in hopes of changing the drinking culture in Northcentral Wisconsin.

"I started drinking when I was 16..." says Cheryl Thorson, a recovering alcoholic.

"I remember taking that first drink and it was good and I thought boy this was it I found it now this drinking was really something and I just kept drinking," says Cheryl, "drank all the way through 27 years I fell into addiction and didn't even know I did."

"People that say just quit they have no idea because there's no such thing somebody with an addiction to just quit you cannot do it you are addicted to it and your body craves it," she says, "I was to the point where my liver was dying, and my eyesight was failing me and I finally gave up and said that's it I'm just going to drink myself to death."

Cheryl says, "My withdrawal - it was seven days and I don't remember anything of my withdrawal. After I became sober I didn't crave. God took the craving from me and I've been sober ever since and haven't looked back."

"I have been diagnosed with alcohol-related dementia," she says, "I can't remember where I'm going from hour to hour, so I carry a notebook with me and I look it up where I'm supposed to be when what time what day."

She says "Another thing medically that's happened to me is my cerebellum. I lose my sense of balance I fall easy. I cant walk heel to toe cause I'll fall over."

"A lot of people think this is fun and you can go out and this is all fun and games. I thought it was, till' I was diagnosed with it and my whole life has changed," Cheryl says, "I want the people to know that they do have choices, and make wise choices."

Cheryl has been a recovered alcoholic for ten years.