Maybe we should start an over 40 and newly sober thread? I think as older folks we have less pier pressure or at least it's easier to tell someone pushing booze at us to go to hell. We don't have to be the cool kid in high school or college any more. I have fewer friends and am less socially active than when younger. All of my drinking friends have seen or are alcoholics, they don't push it at me and compliment me on not drinking. The more years drinking they likely health effects. Older is a different environment. That being said the commonalities of alcoholism are mostly the same.