I have heard this also from my therapist and others. A's emotional/mental development is often the age they were when they began using. They do not learn how to handle emotions/situations beyond that point because they have always turned to alcohol and drugs to numb it. It makes perfect sense to me. How would they learn to behave, act, control their emotions, work things out, etc. if they have always turned to the bottle whenever something went bad? My "R"AH has not drank for about a year and a half but he is struggling because he doesn't know what to do with his feelings now that he doesn't have a beer or whiskey bottle in his hand. Very difficult to be around!!