Lawrence "Lolo" Medina fell into what many Northern New Mexico Hispanics plummet into — alcoholism at an early age. But he is one of the lucky ones. He credits three sources — the grace of God, the love of his family and hard work — for taking him out of his dilemma.

"I got caught up with alcohol to the point that I was put in a mental institution in 1991," said Medina, now 38. "After a 14-day evaluation, they found out I suffered from alcohol abuse and acute depression. I was only 21 at the time."

Medina says his family didn't know what to do with him.

"I literally hit rock bottom," Medina said. "After that, I went and had treatment in Embudo (a center near Taos). I finally realized that drinking every day wasn't normal. I realized that I suffered from a disease and not a moral issue. My only chance of recovery was complete abstinence. I got into a 12-step program that changed my life."

The end result has turned out well for Medina, who is currently president and chief executive officer of Zia Community Services, which provides solutions for the development needs of private and public organizations. But he will be the first to tell you attaining an MBA or owning his own company was not going to happen 17 years ago. Not with the life he was living.

"I don't flirt with it (alcohol)," Medina said. "There is a saying that goes 'once an alcoholic, always an alcoholic.' I dedicate a lot of my free time to alcoholics and drug addicts. I can't keep my sobriety unless I help others."

Medina, who grew up in Mora and Las Vegas, N.M., graduated from Robertson High School and attended Highlands University. He says he did things that other teenagers and college students do — experiment with alcohol and drugs.

"In high school, I would go to keg parties, and once I started drinking I couldn't stop," Medina said. "I would black out. Alcohol is the gateway to cocaine, and it can lead to worse things. In college, I had more access to keg parties and drugs. With all respect to Highlands University, I was the problem, not them. I'm an alcoholic. I'm a person that has lost the ability to control their drinking. I can't drink successfully. I don't get drunk off the sixth beer, I get drunk off the first beer. The initial taste is the first thing that kicks off the phenomenon of craving."

The reality of college and high-school drinking is no one realizes when someone has a problem. It's usually a crowd where it is acceptable to drink large volumes. There is no awareness that a problem exists.

"I was to the point that I would drink everyday, even on Sunday. At that time, I was too young to think I was an alcoholic. By the time I was 21 I had crashed and burned," Medina said.

Medina admits that he had issues while growing up. Many times in the public school system if you don't catch the game winning touchdown or hit a 20-foot jump shot, you often go unnoticed, and at times that can lead to low self-esteem.

"There are many kids that do not fit in," Medina said. "When you are young, you are scared what the future might bring or your own machismo may prevent you from asking for help. I tried to commit suicide at age 21 I thought that was the only way out. But if I can give any advice to young people is that it is OK to ask for help and that there is help out there. You would be surprised how much faith-based help there is."

Medina says he is happy without alcohol.

"I have a blast being sober," Medina said. "I don't need alcohol as a social lubrication."

Medina realizes that the problem of addiction continues to grow.

"My hometown and Northern New Mexico is faced with substance-abuse problems. But as a culture and society we have to realize that there is help. I wouldn't be living my dream without sobriety," Medina said.

Jesse Gallegos is an editorial assistant at New Mexico Highlands University. He also writes a column for The Las Vegas Times, a weekly paper in Las Vegas. If you have any ideas you would like to share with Jesse contact him at 505-429-2507.