I'm in my early 40s and have been drinking for most of the last 20 years. I went through rehab for the first time when I was 25, and I do remember some of the older folks talking about a lot of wreckage and regret that I didn't have the experience to relate to exactly...but the struggle is basically the same. I feel similar now, in that I have a lot of regret about missing out on most of the last 20 years of my life, and I have a feeling this regret will get stronger and more real as I get sober time.
So I guess there is generally a difference in terms of whats been lost, but I don't think age necessarily is the dividing factor. One can lose a lot from drinking and using and still be quite early in their life. I also think its good to share our experiences with younger people as cautionary tales to try to help them recover before they lose so much of their lives to this affliction too. At the same time there are plenty of people past their 20s who are here too so I think there's plenty all of us can relate to all around.
