Originally Posted by
Stevie1 
Thanks guys.
I know most people recognise it as progressive, but I don't think younger/earlier in sobriety people internalise it. I sure as hell didn't; I had to live it to get it. And I KNEW about alcoholism, from my own family and relationships! But that didn't matter once I had a drink in my hand.
I know one or ten or 1,000 cautionary tales like mine won't make a single lick of difference most of the time...but if just one person gets the message, etc.
Stevie - like I said before, I'm 24, so I
think I am what you call 'younger/earlier in sobriety' (am definitely still early in sobriety at 3 and a half months). Just wanted to say that I DEFINITELY understand that alcoholism is progressive and I don't necessarily think that it is difficult for younger people to properly grasp it. What I do think, though, is that it needs to be seen. Having grown up with an alcoholic aunt and all the chaos that she caused to herself and others, you would have thought that I would have known full well that I should probably stay away from alcohol. I didn't, but when I started to realise that alcohol was becoming a problem for me, I knew that I could become my aunt in a very short period of time. I knew exactly what alcohol could do to an individual and how it can destroy the lives of others. Seeing it and knowing it, I think, has been a major factor in my realising that I have no option but to stay sober forever. I don't think I necessarily had to live it personally... because I lived it for a number of years with her. I just needed to terrify myself enough times for it to sink in that it could be me, too, if I didn't stop.