Not sure what to do...
 

I am a 24 year old problem drinker and I know I need to change my ways, but I"m not sure what to do. Please give my your guidance.

Good to see you here!
:)
Welcome to SR!

Thank you, but I guess I need help. I just don't know. I"ve thought about AA, but I'm not sure

AA has worked for many, I owe my sobriety and life to the program. Stick around these forums, keep reading, posting, and asking questions. You'll find what'll work for you.

Welcome Enough, it's always good to have a new family member on SR!

I do use AA and it's working great for me.

The only requirement for using AA
is a desire to quit drinking.

Do you want to quit?
Are your problems made worse by drinking?
Have you tried to quit before?

Enough,

Are you looking to quit? If so, this is a good place to start. And checking out an AA meeting might help too.

Find out what you are, you described yourself as a problem drinker, if this is true you may not have to stop entirely.
There are tons of assessments readily available online, google "alcoholism self test" .
Here's a real quick one:
1. Can you control how much you drink: for example decide you are going to have two drinks and actually stick to that limit?

2. Can you choose not to drink? or do you drink even when you don't want to?

If your experience guides you to answer yes, you may be alcoholic.

I am a member of Alcoholics Anonymous, they have a solution for drinkers who want to be done with drinking for good and for all. It has worked perfectly so far for me. Keep posting, there is some good experience on this board.

Welcome to SR!

I didn't want to do it, but AA is working for me, and I'm newly sober. The support structure is amazing.

I'm 24 years old and was a very heavy drinker/user. I checked myself into a 28 day treatment center where I safely detoxed, learned all about addiction and did some counseling as well. I was so sick and f*cked up I decided to put my life on hold because I was living like a vagabond of the western world. A real drunken red eyed bruised beastard who didn't care about myself. Now (after treatment) I live in a halfway house here in FL. I'm from Baltimore. I will be here six months, I go to AA meetings everyday, have a sponsor and am working the steps. I also have a job. I have been sober 80 somthing days.

Welcome to SR, Enough.

You certainly are on the right path by coming here. It was here that I faced my problem drinking, like many others, and found the willingness to change. It sounds like you are ready and willing to make some changes in your life.

Being an alcoholic isn't the end of the world. For me, when I realized it, I was devastated. I felt utter defeat. Once I got over the hurdle of quitting, and got into AA, I found that my greatest weakness (addiction to alcohol) had become a catalyst for a deep and profound change in my life. In sobriety, I'm becoming the person I was meant to be. If I wasn't an alcoholic, I wouldn't have the life I have now... and it's pretty good.

What I'm trying to tell you is that recovery is possible, and can actually be enjoyable. There are other programs available besides AA, but I can only comment on my experience in AA. I have wonderful friends, a new hope and a new freedom. Life isn't always a bed of roses, but my worst day sober is better than my best day drunk. It's good to go to bed at night and realize that I faced my day without being lashed by the whip of alcohol. It's great to wake up fresh and without a hangover the next day.

The other thing I want to say is that you are not alone. Many of us have struggled and felt some of the same things that you must feel. This website helps many of us, and we are here to help you. I hope you'll stick with us, and find a recovery option that works for you.
chip

Hey Enough, welcome to SR. Glad you found us. The only advice I will give is don't do like I did. I put off going to AA for so long and as a result put myself, my wife, my kids, my friends, and my family through much undeserved suffering. Now that I've started AA I can see that there is a solution to my problem. You are twenty years younger than me. You have an opportunity to make a life changing decision at an early age. Don't put it off.

Hi enough,
Welcome to S.R. . I'm a 20 yr old in A.A., i find it has really helped me. As some have said In A.A. the only requirement for membership of A.A. meetings is a desire to stop drinking- so it's worth trying them out - and will help u decide what you need to do for the future. S.R is also a great place for recovery. Keep posting :)

I'm 23 and an AA member. I felt so hopeless and so alone until I got to AA. I hadn't lost anything material, but I did lose all emotional stability. I thought I was going to die drunk and all the doctors I saw couldn't help me until I decided to help myself. Good luck, there is a way out.

You've already taken the first step toward getting help. Admitting you have a problem. The next step depends on you, and what you want to do. Many people will recommend a professional treatment system, and that is definitely the best (and safest) way to go.