steve-in-kville

I think we have a wide range of ages represented here on SR. So, how about a fun poll?

1) Age you became sober?

2) Number of years you drank before that?

steve-in-kville

Me first:

1) 38

2) 15+ years, the last 10-ish being pretty hardcore.

(Just realized I hit 500 posts!!)

freshstart57

54. 30 years, give or take.

Maudcat

62. Drank socially and moderately since my 20's. drinking became a problem in my late 50's.

BrendaChenowyth

First sought sobriety? 28 or 29. Got sober? 31. Started at 20 and the worst of it was 28 to 31.

2ndhandrose

drinking alcoholically by 16 or 17 (drank to blackout regularly).

first run at sober living from age 26 to around age 32.

relapse and drank again up until just before my 56th birthday.

hibbsy23

I was 23 when I realised I had a problem. Drank destructively on and off from about 16. Got much worse by 20. I often asked in meetings if i was too young to be there, all the members commended me for catching it so early. I really wish that others will see they too have a problem as do something about it so young.

BrickbyBrick83

Gave sobriety my first shot at the end of 2006 - so....age 23. Managed five years. Then drank again until 31 December 2016! I'm in a completely different headspace now though (age 33) and my motivations for not drinking are much healthier/better. Confident I can do it forever this time

Prior to quitting the first time, I had been drinking irresponsibly since around age 15. I only really started recognising it as an issue once I was out of university (which has a strong drinking culture in the UK anyway), and in the "real world."

Bird615

Drank from about age 14 until sobering up at 21. (7 years)

Relapsed at 51 and got sober again at 55. (4.5 years)

paulokes

Got sober at 30...6 years of warning signs, 4 years of problem drinking, 8 years of Groundhog day. It could have been so much worse.

I heard once many people develop a problem around 30 and delay seeking help for ten years. Actual mileage may vary, depending on circumstance, level of pain and one's tolerance for it...

P

steve-in-kville

Wow, great replies so far. Its interesting to see how sneaky and progressive this is.

steve-in-kville

That's about the age I was when things got out of control.

Doug39

I have been sober 79 days - I am 53 years old.

I started drinking daily in Spring 1989 - so that is 27+ years.

Jimmy58

Started binge drinking at 13. Started drinking every day at 18. Made half hearted attempts at quitting for the next 22 years. Age 40, quit drinking for 1 year and three months just to see if I could. Smoked lots of dope during that period so wasn't really. sober. When I started up again I turned it up a notch. Took last drink on 12/03/16 after doctor told me quit or die at age 57.

Jack465

I started at 19 and I already had a huge problem by 21. I first decided to get sober at 23 and did so at 24. I'm 25 now.

site1Q84

First started drinking around age 13. Drank for a year or two and stopped - I think even then I knew I had a problem as I quit cold turkey, although now I couldn't be sure of why.

Started again at age 19 binge drinking and continued until age 28. Clean over a year, then relapsed, and now I'm 30 and this will be the age at which I become sober for good

That being said I didn't realize it was a problem until I was 27 or 28, even with the DUI I got at 23. Apparently that wasn't a sign of any issues for me

stargazer016

Quit at age 54. Drank for 33 years daily, alcoholically last seven or eight years.

CLAS

45

Drank for 25 years give or take. Especially alcoholically the last 3-4

Gottalife

Drank alcoholically from age 13, never had any control. Family tried to put me in treatment at 18, locked up in the laughing academy with all the Korsakovs at 21, sought recovery a year later at 22, an end stage alcoholic. Never had the "functioning" stage. I was robbed! First drink at nine years old.

shortstop81

I started problem-drinking at around 14. My first attempts at sobriety happened at around 24-25. I've found some solid footing now at age 35 and plan for it to stick.