Originally Posted by
Xtreem 
Welcome here George89
I first got sober at 17, was sober for three years in AA, relapsed and got sober again at 24, that was almost 30 years ago. No one can tell you if you are an alcoholic, only you know. I decided to attend AA meetings for 3 months and do as they said, if my life didn't get better I would just go ahead and drink again.... actually, the plan was to drink myself to death, but you get it. Almost 30 years latter, here I sit sober. I guess it got better - haha.
There is no magical age at which we become alcoholic/addicts there is no magical age at which we should get sober/clean. We do not have to hit a completely demoralizing and life shattering bottom, sometimes enough is enough.
My advice - attend AA for 3 months, do as they suggest. If you realize you are not an alcoholic, great, go on with your life, only a few hours a week lost in finding out...much cheaper than a DUI, etc. to find out. If you realize you are an alcoholic, decide if AA is for you or if there is another form of helping maintain abstinence you prefer and go for it.
Good luck on what could be the beginning of a very life changing, wonderful journey.
Hi Xtreem, thanks for the advice. I just wander, how do I realise I am an alcoholic. At what point do I know for sure. I feel alcohol gives me a lot of problems in life, I can't handle the mental anguish when I am hungover, and when I am hungover, I do get this feeling sometimes of when can I drink again. I think the above combined is enough to make me feel like I have a problem.
On the other hand, I have never drunk first thing in the morning, and I don't drink that heavy, at least not all the time.
Alongside alcohol, a lot of my friends are drug users, and when I am drinking with them and my guard is down, then I am less likely to say no to accepting drugs from them too, so it sometimes means I am not only getting the hangovers but the negative side of effects of other crap in my body too.
If I had enough sober friends, then I could totally do it. But trying to live a sober life while doing all the things your drinking friends do just doesn't seem like it will be possible. Going to hot loud and dark nightclubs and bars sober is hell!