Wow Dave, that is some post and you having the guts to make it is possibly the strongest thing you have ever done.
Yeah I am sure we all have skeletons in our cupboard that we look back at and feel we shouldn't have done that. I know I have. To get to a dark place where you were must have been an awful journey not feeling you could talk to anyone.
Hopefully you are feeling positive enough now to make a new start and wipe the slate clean for yourself, perhaps when your ready use it as a platform to give something back and help others who find them selves in a similar situation.
We have never actually met Dave but your personality is infectious and even if your not at a meet at sometime during the day you will be part of the conversation and it will always make people smile, you have that impact on people.
Don't be a stranger on here Dave you know for certain you have some good dependable friends, some of which you have't even met yet.