theretrotyler

Well I've been looking around on the internet for a while now and came across this site. After reading a few posts I feel like this could be a good place to find the support I need. No one I tell seems to believe me when I tell them I think I'm an alcoholic because they think I'm too young. I dont think it should matter how young I am because I know I have a problem. In the past 30 days I have probably only been sober for 5 of them and in the past year I have lost 3 jobs due to being drunk when I was supposed to go to work. I finally told my grandparents (who pretty much raised me as my mom was an alcoholic and still is) and came clean about everything. They want me to go to AADAC and AA and all that stuff but frankly that scares the hell out of me. I would not even know what to excpect and I'm not good at talking to people. I'm just looking for a little advice from someone who has maybe been in my shoes just to know what to do. I just want my life to go back to the way it was when I was younger, I want to be able to go to college and fulfill all my dreams. I'm so sick of worrying when I'm gonna get my next bottle. I just want to not want it anymore if that makes sense.
Anyway if you read this far thanks and I guess this is me just sayin hi to ya'll

Dee74

Hi and welcome - you'll find a lot of support here.
A fair few young people too

I agree - sounds like your drinking is causing you a lot of problems.

I know the thought of doing something about it is scary, but the thought of not doing anything about it must be scary too?

I'd encourage you to at least look at your options - AA is the obvious one and I'm sure you'll get many people posting here to reassure you that it's not as scary as it might seem

There are other recovery methods too - SMART is secular non 12 step alternative many people here use, as is Rational Recovery.

I don't have many Canadian links to hand, but there are some here
Alcohol Addiction - Community Support - MedBroadcast

SMART Recovery Canada - Self Management and Recovery Training

I recommend you visit the Secular Connections forum if you think you may benefit from a non 12 step approach.

good to have you with us theretrotyler
You're making a great decision at a great age

D

tomsteve

i went to an AA roundup a few years ago. the speaker was a woman with 28 years of sobriety. she was 42 years old at the time.
you may want to look into Young People in AA. there are many poeple that got into recovery in their teens and 20's.

glad yer here and glad you see alcohol is the problem.

as for expectations of goin to AA, you may want to do a seach for "Big Book online" and read it. it will show you AA's plan of recovery.
as for expectations of going to either AA or AADAC, go with no expectations. you may find just what you were lookin for.

flutter

I was definitely an alcoholic at 21. I'm glad you're here

wow04

There is no such thing as being too young. So glad you see what the problem is. Now it's time to find the solution. They are young people in AA. One of my sponsee's is 20 and will be 21 next month.

SlimSlim

In a word, no.

CarolD

Welcome ...

Many of us started drinking as teens and some even younger.
Glad you are thinking of how best to improve your life..

RobbyRobot

Hi, and welcome to SR.

I was alcoholic by age 15, and finally quit age 24. I'm 55 now. Its never to young to quit drinking and have a better life. AA works, and so do other ways and paths. Dee really gave alot of links, and SR threads are a great resource.

Sure you have some fears, of course, how could you not. Don't wait to feel better before you seek more help. Those weird feelings and ideas will pass eventually as you work your chosen solution. Nevermind about what you may or may not expect... you'll have changing expectations for awhile, and nothing bad about that either, you'll learn to take it all in stride.

Best wishes with being sober and realizing your dreams!

Scrubmuncher

There is no age barriers on this, some people start drinking daily at 14, 15 and don't have a clue what they have done with the years by the time they get to your age. The big difference and opportunity you have with being young is that your body and mind will repair itself quicker. There is no need to be afraid of AA or any other support group, you can rest assured there will be many others there in a mangled frame of mind equal to yours, and one thing you will notice is there is no judgement or assumptions made by anyone, on anyone. It can be a good safe place to be, just to relax for a few hours, relax and know everyone around you understands to some extent. I would be a little more weary of the youth AA type meetings, some of them can be just a place for younger people with a similar problem to gather and sometimes they are counter productive IMO. I'm not saying some aren't great, they are.
Don't label yourself, of your alcoholism, we are all different going through different reasons, emotions, dilemmas, with different backgrounds, the only thing we all have in common is that we are alcoholics.
Don't expect people to understand, I'm 40 and my father still can not acknowledge my weaknesses on these matters, and he's been there through a lot with me over 25 years.
But good for you for noticing that there is nothing wrong with asking for help, nothing wrong with losing your way, and nothing wrong with having a weakness, you noticed these things and that is mature and all that counts right now.

PaperDolls

Welcome to SR theretrotyler.

Nope, no one is too young. I went to my first AA meeting at 16. I knew it then. I didn't get sober until I was in my 30s. I do not recommend that.

I actually know plenty of people who have been sober for years that got sober at a young age. It is possible.

JrsJourney

I have been surrounded by alcoholism (and drug addiction) my entire life. I have know people who started drinking and using as young as 12 years old. This disease does not discriminate based on age. It will take down the youngest of the young. If you feel your life has become unmanageable and you are willing and have the desire to be clean then that's all that matters. People here in my AA/NA/Alanon/ACoA programs are some of the most fantastic people I have ever had the priviledge of knowing. KUDOS to you for looking at this and looking at ways to become a healthier and happier human being. Best of luck to you on your journey


PS: I wasn't going to add this at first but I decided to go ahead and add it anyways. My son is in the middle of doing a 90-in-90 right now. He just turned 17...

It works if you work it and you're worth it!

MrsKing

Welcome to SR

It's a fantastic place to be and I'm sure you'll find lots of support here.

I'm 24 and I was an alcoholic by 21. I had people tell me that I just needed to control myself, that everything would be fine as long as I stopped when everyone else did. It wasn't a question of me being addicted, to them, it was just that I couldn't stop once I started. Of course, I now know that most people here have that exact problem and is definitely an indication of someone having a serious problem with alcohol.

Don't be afraid to be sober at 21. You're far more likely to regret drinking until you're older (when others will think that you're an alcoholic) than you are to regret being sober for the majority of your life.

You talk about living a fulfilling life and I promise you that life sober is 1000000 x more fulfilling than it is drunk. I was terrified that I would miss out if I got sober, but I now realise I was missing out when I was drunk.

Wishing you all the best, and I hope you stick around x

Db1105

Welcome, I started drinking at 12, got sober at 17, thanks to the court system. Most young alcoholics I knew died from this disease before they could become old alcoholics.

theretrotyler

. That's all I can say. In less then 24 hours I have received more messages of hope and support and encouragment then I have in my entire life. Thank you so much!! Today I made an appointment with an AADAC councellor and I go on Friday for an assesment. I`m just a little scared they are gona try and put me in some sort of rehab or something and I would rather just get a job and savemoney for school. I`ll let you guys know how it goes. I`m just wondering how ol some of you guys are though if you dont mind sharing?

sugarbear1

Once you have one, do you continue until it's all gone (or just keep drinking...)

If, when you don't want to drink, do you find yourself drinking?

You don't have to drink daily to be an alcoholic. Binge drinking and binge eating will be added to the DSM V next year (I think it is next year).

Welcome to SR!

THEOjibway

Its up to you whether you know you have a drinking problem or not. Not up to other people to decide for you. You say your afraid to go to AA and such. DOn't be... though it may be nerve racking at first... if you continue on with it, you'll find it will help you grow. I was once a young guy who didn't like talking to people unless I knew them personally. I thought as well that AA was only for "old people" with major drinking problems. Not a young guy like me who was allowed to have fun if he wanted to drink alot. Im 27 myself, I started drinking myself when I was 21 as well. I kept it up until last year when I was 26. You should stop while you have the chance! To stop now is the best thing you'll ever be thankful later on in your life. I have been sober for 1 year and 2 weeks so far and havent ever obtained this before. My family is thankful Im finally staying sober, I have a girlfriend of 9 months now and fully supports me being in AA and looking forward instead of back at my mistakes. I am getting my hours back at work and Im doing very well. Sure life has its ups and downs. But always remember that Im sober today and each 24 hour I do not pick up drinking again. Today I wake up rested and smiling. Not waking up hungover at 3pm in the afternoon wondering what I had said or done the night before after blacking out in my drinking. Stay strong and get help asap my friend. You'll do fine and trust me... AA will help you conquer the fear of talking to strangers. I use not like talking to strangers but now people cant shut me up lol. good luck you've come to the right place!

CousinA

21 is not too young at all. I was addicted to drugs and alcohol by the time I was 14, made my first treatment when I was 16 and got sober when I was 22. That was in 1981 and I was terrified about continuing to live life as I knew it and also living without the substances I was abusing.

Reach out to people who are here to help - and there are many of them. Find what works for you, be it AA, SMART, RR or whatever else you find on your path - And hold on because you're in for the ride of your life.

theretrotyler

thanks again guys I think its time to take control of my own life. one step at a time right?

Dee74

Well and truly old enough to be your dad LOL

like I said tho there's lots of us who started drinking at your age or younger - we know what it's like.

There's lots of young people here too

D

neferkamichael

I wish I had believed I had a problem at 21, you please don't have one at 58, please.