Booniecat

Hibbsey, I am a good bit older than you but really developed severe issues later in life. When I was younger I always drank until there was no more or I passed out. I should have seen the problem then but didn't because so many friends did the same. I later discovered pot and smoked every day for some years. That cut down the drinking because it did not take as much time and no hangovers.

During the years I was raising my kids, I rarely drank and did not use drugs at all. It was when they left home I started back with a vengeance. I have realized now I am not a person who can moderate drugs or alcohol. If I use, I will use a lot and cause problems.

You have gained a lot of wisdom at a young age. Spend as much time with folks who are recovering, either on line or at meetings. They know what you are going through and can help with advice and accountability.

HitRockBottom70

I guess I knew I had a problem, but I was not ready to do anything about it at that point. As I got older the problem worsened. I was very lucky that I did not destroy my life in the processs and I feel blessed to be sober now. I don't like to look back too much, but I sure wish I had the sense to quit when I was 23. You have done yourself a great service.

hibbsy23

I had a few weeks with cannabis. I found that I had a complete inability to do anything the day after. And eventually just said naa, don't fancy anymore of that. And I haven't had any since.

Thanks again, and its nice to see people supporting me. And support each other, its like a big family of messed people lol glad to say I am one of you lot!!

Rich

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renaldo

It doesn't matter diddly squat your age, gender, or position in life. I met someone who I asked what his "before" was like, and he said he didn't have a "before." He had been pilfering booze from his father's liquor cabinet since he was a toddler.

So, kudos to you for making the plunge. Too young? No way no how.

I've been to old peoples' meetings, but I have to admit we have the same problem. It's not rocket science.

Feeling alienated is the death blow.

Let's hope you live long enough to be old and that illness doesn't befall you.

wellwisher

I'll say it to you this way - when I was 25, I was drunk every night, bitter and felt beaten. I actually had someone at work tell me "that I was too young to be that bitter" (lol).

Now I'm older, and have the enthusiasm and outlook I should have had when I was 25. It is never too early to get rid of the substance that has such a negative impact on your life.

Welcome to SR.

melivinsober

That's how I feel now too Welcome.

Fernaceman

Age is irrelevant to this disease. I knew something was off for me when I was about 19. Fast forward to 27, I wish I would have listened and applied all the self-knowledge I learned through almost 10 years of multiple treatment, heartache, and frustration. I am beginning to see that the easier, softer way is indeed following some simple suggestions. And it all started with stopping the drink and putting a program in place to stay stopped.

avocado

well, it's really like with any other problem in life - most people don't realize they're too overweight until it's at the point where losing the pounds is a lot more difficult than it would have been had they decided to get in shape at only 10 or 20 pounds over their ideal weight. with alcohol, the majority who have problems don't realize it until many more years than if they you are. I think I can speak for the majority of people here in their late 20's and on that our lives would have been better off had we stopped at 24, so be proud of yourself for taking the steps earlier in your life than we did and never look back.

fallingtogether

Hibbsy: ask yourself this question: can u afford another 22 years of drinking so u can say you're the "right" age? Listen, alcoholism and addiction don't discriminate. At my meeting tonight, there were te parents, who are also in the program for 17 years, of a 25 yr old, their son, who will be laid to rest next week because addiction took his life. Don't look for excuses, please, focus on a solution to your problem.

JungleGirl

Hi Hibbsy, your definitely not too young! I am 25 and almost 7 months sober I have the same problems as a lot of young sober people with my peers questioning my motives and baffled by the fact I no longer drink but like you have said, everytime something bad has happened in my life, every stupid decision has always been when I've been drunk or when other people have been drunk. I just broke up with my boyfriend of 3 years because he cannot control his drinking, he is 23 too and I wish he would realise, like you have, the destructive path that he is. Unfortunately I cannot make that decision for him.

We are so lucky that we have realised NOW that alcohol will only cause destruction and unhappiness in our lives, I read the other day someone said "this is not a dress rehersal, this is it" don't waste any more time and be proud of yourself for recognizing the problem and doing something about it, that's amazing, well done.

x

lizw

Parents wanted me at treatment at 15, I made it then by 19. Did a year sober in AA, lapsed but have been sober ever since and I am not 35. It has been great to be present in my life (despite the hard times) because I am sober. I know a lot of people who miss their 20's due to an alcoholic/drunken haze. Don't let lack of people your own age put you off. I use to go to NA too as the people were younger plus I also had a drug problem too. NA count alcohol as a drug though so if you are looking for fellowship with people your own age you could try there too.

YouRmySunshine

Like any other illness addiction does not see Age, Sex, Race, Rich, Poor, Etc.
When we decide we are willing to admit we have this illness, and want something different. Then we admit we are helpless over the alcohol, and willing to get help.

I have to say a couple of my AA groups have Many people in their 18-20's.
And we have them in their 60-70"s +
And those of us in between.

CONGRATS on 5 days!

sugarbear1

call the AA intergroup office and ask about Young People In AA meetings in your area!

renaldo

I've seen plenty of young people at meetings. Try another one and as recommended, call the AA hotline. They'll help you find the right place for you. There's no shortage of young people with problems of any sort.

I'm amazed when I see young people addressing a problem early on. Actually alcohol worked for me for decades, with only a few isolated instances. But eventually you've gotta throw in the towel and say, "this has mutated into a different beast... unexpected and malformed beyond recognition. I didn't bargain for this. It wasn't in the contract."

It brightens my heart to see 20 somethings at meetings. I'm 49, and have no problems with getting advice from a 20 something. It's never too late or too early to learn. You may actually help someone else who wished they had quit earlier. And getting out of yourself is the name of the game, to avoid the isolation factor, which is formidable, unrelenting, and indiscriminate.

fantail

When you know, you know. I knew before I turned 21. I'm 29 now and just quit. It was all about surroundings... When I was in high school, I hung out with kids who were really adventurous. When you're a teenager and there aren't too many ways to express that, it often turns to trying lots of drugs and drinking a lot, as my friends did.

Then I was in college in a tiny town where there was nothing to do, and at a school that is known for its heavy amount of out-of-class work. So we all drank like fish in our spare time.

Then I traveled for a few years. Woo-ee how long-term travelers and ex-pats like to drink. So I was just one of the many.

Then I worked at a start up. Work hard, play hard. Kegerator in the office.

All that time I knew that I had a problem, but I was camouflaged by the people around me so I never had to address it.

Now I'm looking for new jobs and finally realized that it's nobody's business but my own and that I can't drink just because others do.

Good on you for being introspective enough to act on your concerns even when those around you think there's nothing wrong. That bodes well for your recovery. Hip hip!

rubbersoul

Hi there! I just wanted to say I first realized I had a problem with alcohol when I was 16, I guess it was more like a flash of insight I promptly ignored - haha. But I'm 24 now. I'm 5 months sober and very proud of myself. I've done it with the support of family, my boyfriend and with the help of this wonderful forum. It's not easy, I struggled and still do sometimes with thinking that "everyone my age drinks, at least on the weekend to let off steam" sort of thing. My "alcoholic brain" is trying to justify why I should drink and I just remind myself how badly and quickly I was progressing in my alcoholism and how it was negatively effecting my personal life and career. Near the end while I was still drinking I didn't have any delusions that what I was doing was normal, I was slowly destroying myself and waiting for "the right time to quit".


Anyway, like I said it's not easy but I'm choosing to live sober and face my fears, joy, stress and the mundane without destroying my body and exasperating my problems with alcohol. I think my age has nothing to do with the necessity for me to quit but is actually an advantage that I'm trying to do this early in my life instead of growing old with it.

Booniecat

You are heading in the right direction. Go for it.

hibbsy23

I used to be drunk every night. I felt the same as you, useless, like nothing ever went my way. Like the world was against me. And in the process I have destroyed my relationship with my fiancée, she won't talk to me, meet me, text me, nothing. She has even got the police involved regarding my possessions.

Its all this that has made me really sit down and have a very very long hard think about things and look back and find the problems and the **** that I have done to destroy things.

She left me in April last year because of it and I sorted things out by myself and then relapsed about 2weeks ago.

I never wanted to lose her again, I never wanted this feeling again. But here I am.

Time to change my life and get it all back.

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hibbsy23

No, no and no. I cannot afford to waste anymore life away.

I refuse to continue this trail of destruction. I cannot feel this again. This pain in my heart was too much last time, and its too much this time.

I am grateful that my mum has taken me in, cos I think if I was left to my own devices I would still be a drunk. Still hated myself. Still sat up every night thinking, 'why oh why, does nothing good ever happen for me ?'

But all along, these past 3months, I have had the love of my life next to me in bed every night, showing me love and compassion, and then the last few weeks I found that drink was there and I was doing it more and more, and then had a blow out with our landlords and was thrown out immediately. I haven't spoke to her since.

I can't cry hard enough for this to go away. I can't just make this all better. I can't just have her in my arms, by my side or see her smile, make her laugh, reach out and touch her hair. Nothing. And its tearing me apart.

But all of this give me a clear path to say that I cannot drink responsibilly and I will not have that first drink.

I never want to feel this pain again.

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hibbsy23

That is an amazing quote. And its very true. I keep thinking that I wish I could go back and start again.

But that quote sums it up nicely.
X

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