RaiseAnchor

Alcoholism was the topic of discussion in one of my classes yesterday, and my professor mentioned something that I found interesting. It was about underage drinking, and how alcoholism could stunt maturity at that very point until the person would get sober.

Even as an adult I find it more enlightening to my own recovery rather than surprising. But I had never really thought about it in such a way. Once I began to abstain from alcohol, I have had to face a lot of real emotions that I had been bottling up and running away from. But on a brighter note, I began to follow a positive personal philosophy that I would always conjure in my head.

Hollyanne

Yes, that is a common idea.
We end up like Tom Hanks in "Big".
Children going around in an adult world!

Gottalife

Very true for me. I recovered at 22 but had an emotional age of about 13. Recovery gave me the chance to go through adolesence. By the time I was 30, I was 21, more or less.

cfm

Chronological advancement is a notoriously inaccurate barometer of emotional maturity

Ranger

I certainly agree with the premise that emotional maturation is ******** by addiction. I believe this is generally the case. Some might ht be fully stunted, but I suspect this is far less common.

Kinda tough to measure anyway, though the concept can be useful.

flutter

Yep.. 'arrested development' isn't just a TV show

I don't know that I believe in it as a literal thing, but I drank my way through my late teens, my 20s and part of my 30s, and I didn't learn how else to cope with life (the good and the bad) like a lot of people do during those ages. I've had to focus really hard on reacting to things in a mature and well thought out way.. I'm still learning.

FlyerFan

I definitely feel like this. I'm 24 years old and I feel like I'm 12 sometimes....which has its fun moments of course such as when I find myself playing on a playground with my nieces, lol. But it can also cause people to view me as annoying which I have been working on lately.

Boleo

When congress first set the minimum drinking age at 21 years of age, scientists thought the brain was fully developed by 21. However, new scientific evidence suggests that 25 is the actual number.

I would say that every alcoholic that I have met, had several thousand drinks behind them by age 25 (myself included).

FlyerFan

An age limit is not going to reduce alcoholism. Drinking has been a coming of age activity since the beginning of time it seems. We can make all the laws we want to try and control it but it just wont work. If kids want to drink they are gonna find ways to drink

Ranger

I agree. Yet, it seems reasonable that 25+ year olds are far less likely to provide to minors than 21-24 year olds. There are two sides to the equation, after all.

Threshold

My substance abuse issues came up when I was 40+ but I had process addictions before that...I feel like I am sometimes 4 and sometimes 17.

People have told me my whole life how wise and mature I am...HA! I guess I'm quite the actress..should try the stage, maybe I'll make some money.

I may have insight, but no life skills and no reasonable ways to deal with my emotions. I'd trade that in for my "apparent" maturity any day.

FlyerFan

Possibly. But as an alcoholic I would do anything to get my hands on a bottle, so it would not matter.

NYCDoglvr

I agree completely. "His majesty the child" is a perfect description of an active alcoholic. While I was a daily drinker my brother (not an alcoholic) grew as a person, went through stuff in life and created a good life for himself.

CarolD

Here are excerpts from my favorite "hndbook" on alcoholism....

http://www.soberrecovery.com/forums/...influence.html

While not everything matched my drinking history...it sure opened my eyes.

Perhaps you will find it informative too...I hope so...
This may not fit your topic...but the book is worthwhile

whatevername

I believe that you can catch up on the maturity issue (which is very real...) really quick if you decide to stay sober and start living it.

FlyerFan

I agree, I am about to do my 4th and 5th steps and 90% of my resentments are childhood issues that I cannot wait to get off my shoulders. I think once I can let them go I will be able to move on with my life and grow.

tomsteve

yup. i got into recovery at 36. 44 now. started drinking i think at 13. so now i'm 20 in my mind. some days( and the longer i work on myself, the more those day are) i mentally feel 44, but then again, who has the correct answer on what i am sposed to feel/be like at 44?

thisisme

Thank you.
As I read your words they ringed true.
I have matured more in the last 6 years than the last 20.