Made your bed... Now lie in it!
Guest
Join Date: Feb 2010
Location: Virginia
Posts: 182
Long - You should check out the Secular Connections part of this website. None of the 12 step or God stuff.
Secular Connections - SoberRecovery : Alcoholism Drug Addiction Help and Information
Secular Connections - SoberRecovery : Alcoholism Drug Addiction Help and Information
Don't resist, allow
Join Date: Jan 2010
Location: South East of England
Posts: 1,521
Originally Posted by NEOMARXIST 
I think what I have experienced is typical of what a 20 something getting sober in UK experiences. That is why I haven't met anybody even close to my age regular at AA. Majority are probably 20 years older on average. At times sitting in a church on a Friday night when you can hear all the revellers outside is hard too. But it is what it is.
Unless you really priorities staying sober as No1 priority then you will eventually take that first drink. Happens time and time again I would imagine, espeically being young in England.
Unless you really priorities staying sober as No1 priority then you will eventually take that first drink. Happens time and time again I would imagine, espeically being young in England.
Alcohol and young people drinking has been a problem in this country for quite some years - I remember 24 years ago when I was hitting the pubs - binge drinking was getting very popular.
You are probably too young to remember but in the 2001 Election campaign there was a slogan aimed at the young voters along the lines of "Don't give a XXXX for last orders - then vote Labour" - ('don't give a XXXX' was a play on the Aussie beer ads of the time)
Labour won the election and subsequently passed new laws to do away with last orders at 11pm and introduced extended opening hours for many pubs and clubs. The reasoning behind the change was that if they could change the environment that problem drinkers drunk in, then they could eliminate the problem drinking. Does that insane thinking sound familiar?
Instead of the dream of young people and families in the UK wandering through the streets of city centres late at night drinking sensibly like the cafe bar culture of European cities.......we have city centres which are no-go zones for families but with young people hopelessly drunk everywhere and field hospitals set up in tents by paramedics and doctors on Friday and Saturday nights to deal with the walking, or not walking, wounded.
The insane thinking didn't solve the problem and the problem has got worse. I think you are a wise young man to recognise that you need to stay away from all this for the time being. The BB tells us that we should be able to be around alcohol and not be bothered by it but we should ask ourselves if there are legitimate reasons behind why we go to these places.
I have read in Beyond the Influence by Katherine Ketcham and William Asbury that many alcoholics are pre-conditioned to be so but also that drinking heavily from a very early age when the brain is not fully developed could lead to someone becoming an alcoholic when they may not have done so, if drinking had occurred after the brain was fully developed. I see friends who have kids age 15 who regularly allow them to get drink - actually get drunk - and they think it is 'normal'. Parties now have 16 year olds getting drunk with parental supervision. This is how the culture in this country of drinking has progressed. And these are responsible parents in every other way. Drinking has just become normal for everyone.
As to you "making your bed and having to lie in it", my experience of this is that my acceptance of being an alchololic has now evolved into knowledge that I am meant to be an alcoholic. I don't know why yet but I know that God has a path for me to lead. I am open minded as to what that is and I seek guidance daily as to where to go next.
God does truly work in mysterious ways and I suggest that maybe you will find that God (or Higher Power if that is the term you use) is leading you away from the music scene for a reason.
Don't be disheartened and just put your trust in the Spiritual guidance you are getting. God's plan for you is that you are a useful, whole and happy human being and if God gave you a talent, then he gave it to you for a reason.
If making music is your talent, then trust that God will have you using it when the time is right.....but only when the time is right and my guess is that you will be surpised at how it happens (because that is usually what happens when He is in charge). As Carol put it, more will be revealed.
Just thinking back to those 16 year olds that I know who are now drinking heavily. In 10 years time, if they walk into the rooms of AA, they will be looking for someone who quit drinking when they were also young to show them how to do it. Could it be then that you will realise why your path lead you to sobriety so young in life?....
Take care, Neo and keep sharing as you do. You are an inspiration to people your age finding themselves unable to control their drinking.
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