trulywishing

Is it easier for an alcohlic who is only age 22 (with 1 year sobriety) to recover than a person who abusing alcohol for like 30 years?! The person in question got into drinking heavily for a couple of years before becoming dependent. Surely the body gets more addicted to alchol the longer the person uses it?!

Thanks

Astro

Honestly, I think it's much harder. The peer pressure, as well as the line of thought that says "you're too young to be an alcoholic" has got to make it much more difficult. It makes me shudder to think of all the new "designer" substances that our younger generation is exposed to these days. I'm 44 now, I don't remember things like Extasy, crystal meth, crack, etc. when I was that age.

Alcoholism doesn't discrimate. It can attack and take hold of anyone at any age. At the meetings I attend the youngest member I've seen was 14, we've got quite a few members who came in at 16. There's also a large group in their late teens and early 20's. They're pretty inspirational to all of us.

Last night our guest speaker was a 20 year old woman. She's coming up on 4 months of sobriety. Her story made my hair stand up, thank God she's opened her life up to the program of AA and to a Higher Power.

justanothrdrunk

In general terms, the acute withdrawal period (first 72 hours) tends to be harder on someone who is older and who has been abusing alcohol longer. Everyone is different though, but there is a trend there.

As far as long term recovery, I have no idea. It's tough no matter what age I think.

brundle

I think it depends on the person. My AH is 50 and his attitude is "I've been doing this for 30 years; it's just the way I am."

I think he would have had another excuse at 20. I think each person is different and you just have to look for someone who is in it for the long haul. My husband was in recovery for two years when I met him. I really wish I had dated him for just one more year and not let him push me to marry him so quickly (a red flag I ignored). I could have saved myself and my children years of heartache. I'm hoping to get away from him by spring.

I think a year is great; but also look for two and three and four. Just my two cents.

LucyA

Just my opinion, but wouldn't this be more appropriate on one of the Recovery boards? The codependant me would like to be able to offer support to everyone, but surely this would get more relevant support elsewhere?
Not that I'd like you to leave us trulywishing, and welcome to Sober Recovery by the way, I do hope you find what you're looking for.

Ago

I would also suggest asking in an alcoholism forum.

However,....now that I'm here.......

I got sober young and I think it was easier, most of my friends also have anywhere from 15 to 25 years of sobriety, we are all in our late thirties, early forties, so we all got sober anywhere from 16 or 17 to mid twenties, there are 100's if not thousands of us in my immediate community.

tommyk

Yes, I think it will be easier for you, but not 'easy' per say.

Regardless - please continue your alcohol free lifestyle.

Kallista

No. It's not easier. It's just different. I got sober at 24. My husband got sober at 20.

The body and brain doesn't fully mature until around age 25. People who abuse alcohol under the age of 25 become addicted faster and often become more severely addicted, because the body and brain aren't finished maturing when they start pouring alcohol into it. Younger alcoholics are often more dependent than older alcoholics, even though they haven't used as long.

However, a younger alcoholic can often recover better once they stop drinking. A younger body is better able to heal the physical damage, than an older body.

The social deficits are often worse, though. Young alcoholics miss out on a lot of social and emotional development in high school and their late teens and early twenties, and have to learn a whole lot of stuff about people and the world (jobs, finances, etc.). If you start drinking a bit later, you get those developmental tasks done before you get into trouble.

The one upside of early sobriety is that very early financial disasters, education disasters, or employment disasters can be written off as the vagaries of youth and don't have the opportunity to wreck a career or finances. I'm in a very responsible job now, and a few people are aware that I was wild in my younger days, but no on really thinks anything about it. I'm clearly responsible now, so it doesn't matter. On the other hand, people in my profession who succumb to alcoholism as they get older never really recover their reputation. Even when they recover, there's always a bit of a whispering commentary about them. The licensing board keeps tabs on them.