Young, Smart and a Alcoholic?
Member
Join Date: Apr 2013
Location: Mmmmmm
Posts: 3,178
Being aware that your drinking was different from your friends is a good red flag that you realized. It probably indicates moderation will never be an option.
I wish you healing and resolve for yourself and for your friends and family too.
I wish you healing and resolve for yourself and for your friends and family too.
Member
Thread Starter
Join Date: Feb 2014
Location: Denver
Posts: 19
Thank you guys for all the support! I really appreciate! This is a amazing site and I see it really being helpful! I am going to a AA group this weekend. Not going to lie...somewhat nervous. Im so scared right now. I still have my job and my family supports me a lot in this sober journey. My dad was a big party animal/drunk and he stop drinking before I was born ( he got into a car accident and almost killed myself and others.. the apple doesnt fall far from the tree) and he has never had a lick of alcohol since then. And let me tell you he is still the life of the party sober as well lol.
I see that alcohol does not discriminate and I just never thought I would be someone who had a problem with alcohol. Ive seen people drink all my life and I just never had a urge to drink it...until I tasted it...
I guess Im nervous about a trip to Vegas that I was invited to with some friends from college. I have tried to stop drinking before and when I told them Im not longer drinking I think they got slightly annoyed. They understand and are ok with it but I feel like I look like a big joke you know? I tried and failed so many times that I think I don't look serious anymore. I have never been to Vegas and I bought my ticket before deciding to stay sober. Everyday I wake up Im hearing voices like "Cmon its Vegas! Thats what your suppose to do!" "You can handle yourself in Vegas". Im completely stressed to the point I can't even focus at work. Ugh. Its mentally exhausting. Im going in March and I will be around a month and 3 weeks sober.
I see that alcohol does not discriminate and I just never thought I would be someone who had a problem with alcohol. Ive seen people drink all my life and I just never had a urge to drink it...until I tasted it...
I guess Im nervous about a trip to Vegas that I was invited to with some friends from college. I have tried to stop drinking before and when I told them Im not longer drinking I think they got slightly annoyed. They understand and are ok with it but I feel like I look like a big joke you know? I tried and failed so many times that I think I don't look serious anymore. I have never been to Vegas and I bought my ticket before deciding to stay sober. Everyday I wake up Im hearing voices like "Cmon its Vegas! Thats what your suppose to do!" "You can handle yourself in Vegas". Im completely stressed to the point I can't even focus at work. Ugh. Its mentally exhausting. Im going in March and I will be around a month and 3 weeks sober.
Member
Thread Starter
Join Date: Feb 2014
Location: Denver
Posts: 19
Originally Posted by NAVYDOC06 
Your story made me sick and netvous...cause your like me. Tonight Im going to AA. For the first time in my life I will admit to being an alchohlic. You should too!!
Member
Thread Starter
Join Date: Feb 2014
Location: Denver
Posts: 19
Originally Posted by habsfan18
You just described me. The only difference is that I never really got in trouble (for which I was really lucky because I took risks) but like you I passed out and m ade a fool of myself. I am in a great university and like you, I have too many opportunities to party. I'm sober since Feb 1 like you. We can do this! 
Member
Thread Starter
Join Date: Feb 2014
Location: Denver
Posts: 19
Originally Posted by masanori
It's really great that you've sought out counseling for your alcohol problem. The main thing to keep in mind is that alcohol can rob you of your future, including your life in an instant. Have you started your new job yet? If your employer finds out about the DUI, will there be any negative consequences?
Member
Join Date: Jan 2014
Posts: 39
Hi Young! I'm 43, but like you, recognized from the very beginning that I didn't react to alcohol like my other friends. I had my own set of drunk disasters that accompanied pretty much every social event I attended. Had I recognized that was allergic to alcohol 20 years ago, I probably wouldn't have gotten pulled over a year ago for speeding (and I mean really speeding. I could have been charged with stunt driving) and failed a breathalyzer. Did I mention that I was on my way to the local store for vodka with my 5 year old in the back seat? That earned me a $325 fine and a ride home with a police officer. Luckily my alcohol level was mostly residual from the night before and warranted on a 3 day license suspension, rather than a charge...but my behaviour that day could have resulted horrifically for my son, or anyone else on the road with me. Proud moment there, folks. I have never taken a risk like that since, but alcohol still controls me and allows me to be an ass. But I am ready to fight back. Wish I had seen my future at your age...
Sober Sailor
Join Date: Feb 2012
Location: Everett, WA
Posts: 78
Welcome to SR. You are not the only young person on here, who has admitted to having a problem with alcohol (as you can see). Welcome to the forums and good luck on your journey of recovery. Try some AA meetings, you may like them, you may not. But anything is worth a shot when it comes to staying completely sober.
I have been sober since January 23rd, hang in there. You can make it through.
I have been sober since January 23rd, hang in there. You can make it through.
Member
Join Date: Jan 2013
Location: New England, USA
Posts: 3,958
Hi YLS. I'm not young but I pretend I am. Lol. Like you, I started drinking in college. Being the life of the party and having lots of friends is the reason I drank, and to be honest, the crowd I've hung with continued to bestow prestige upon party girls during early career, the move to the suburbs, and into parenthood. My attempts at moderation failed. Alcoholism is progressive. At six days into sobriety, I'm in no place to tell anyone what to do. For me, I'm stopping before I destroy my life, my family's, or innocent bystanders'. I hope this helps.
Administrator
Join Date: Aug 2003
Location: Dancing in the Light
Posts: 61,473
Welcome!
I'm glad you found us and I'm glad that you survived your DUI incident and that no one was hurt.
I think you know that it would be a mistake to go to Vegas. Early recovery is a time of really hard choices, but those choices make all the difference.
I'm glad you found us and I'm glad that you survived your DUI incident and that no one was hurt.
I think you know that it would be a mistake to go to Vegas. Early recovery is a time of really hard choices, but those choices make all the difference.
Member
Join Date: Feb 2014
Posts: 40
There are a lot of us here in a similar situation (med school, grad school, recent grads of top schools with good jobs). So you're definitely not alone.
Be happy that you came to the realization before everything in your life started crashing down.
Welcome. We're all here to help each other
Be happy that you came to the realization before everything in your life started crashing down.
Welcome. We're all here to help each other
Member
Join Date: Apr 2012
Location: northern michigan. not the U.P.
Posts: 15,281
Originally Posted by youngLadySober
I guess Im nervous about a trip to Vegas that I was invited to with some friends from college. I have tried to stop drinking before and when I told them Im not longer drinking I think they got slightly annoyed. They understand and are ok with it but I feel like I look like a big joke you know? I tried and failed so many times that I think I don't look serious anymore. I have never been to Vegas and I bought my ticket before deciding to stay sober. Everyday I wake up Im hearing voices like "Cmon its Vegas! Thats what your suppose to do!""You can handle yourself in Vegas". Im completely stressed to the point I can't even focus at work. Ugh. Its mentally exhausting. Im going in March and I will be around a month and 3 weeks sober.
beings how yer stressed over this, im thinkin ya know its a lie that you can handle it. I would suggest making the decision that sobriety is #1 priority, sel lthe ticket, and tell these friends yer not goin. thatll help he mental mayhen a bit.
not sure if its just you or everyone else that's supposed to go to vegas, but if its everyone else,too, that's supposed to go, then theres a crapload of people out there that haven't done what they are supposed to do.
Member
Join Date: Feb 2013
Location: Midwest
Posts: 1,450
Age should not matter really. You were driving on the wrong side of the highway/expressway? That matters. Some of the smartest people I knew at 23 were non-drinkers. One of them is now the CFO of a large publicly traded company. Just think how much more you could accomplish sober.
Member
Join Date: Sep 2013
Location: Glasgow, UK
Posts: 362
Welcome YoungLady I'm 28 and an alcoholic. My journey started a little bit earlier (14) than yours but it ended up in pretty much the same place. Heavier and heavier binges, blacking out, 'weird' behaviour, drinking on my own, getting into dangerous situations, flipping out at my other half...the list goes on. I just thank God that I never owned a car to get behind the wheel of when I'd been drinking.
My BF gave me an ultimatum to stop certain behaviour or we were done. I realised I could only do this if I stopped drinking. That was the trigger for me to stop but I worked out that if it was going to stick I had to be doing it for myself. I had to keep reminding myself that people telling me it would be okay to have one drink or offering me drinks was not a permission slip to start drinking again. Each one of those times was a test and I had to be strong as much as it sucked to say no!
I'm 5 months into this sober thing and it's been a bit of a rollercoaster but it's the best decision I've made in a long time!
Anyway, I just wanted to share a bit of my story. I wish I'd realised what a problem my drinking was at 23. All the best with your recovery
NS
Ps. I know others have said it but I don't think Vegas is the place for a newly sober person. Too much temptation. I got in a lot of trouble in Vegas when I went there and it is somewhere that I will never go again in my life if I can help it...
I'm 28 and an alcoholic. My journey started a little bit earlier (14) than yours but it ended up in pretty much the same place. Heavier and heavier binges, blacking out, 'weird' behaviour, drinking on my own, getting into dangerous situations, flipping out at my other half...the list goes on. I just thank God that I never owned a car to get behind the wheel of when I'd been drinking.My BF gave me an ultimatum to stop certain behaviour or we were done. I realised I could only do this if I stopped drinking. That was the trigger for me to stop but I worked out that if it was going to stick I had to be doing it for myself. I had to keep reminding myself that people telling me it would be okay to have one drink or offering me drinks was not a permission slip to start drinking again. Each one of those times was a test and I had to be strong as much as it sucked to say no!
I'm 5 months into this sober thing and it's been a bit of a rollercoaster but it's the best decision I've made in a long time!
Anyway, I just wanted to share a bit of my story. I wish I'd realised what a problem my drinking was at 23. All the best with your recovery
NS
Ps. I know others have said it but I don't think Vegas is the place for a newly sober person. Too much temptation. I got in a lot of trouble in Vegas when I went there and it is somewhere that I will never go again in my life if I can help it...
Faith and reason
Join Date: Jan 2013
Location: London
Posts: 941
Welcome youngLadySober. Well done on making the decision to get sober at a young age. I'm 31 so I don't think I qualify as young anymore but I am sober (7 months tomorrow) and smart - I have degrees from two of the top ten universities in the world.
I phoned the AA helpline when I was 23 but I ended up not getting sober at that age. So, again, well done on choosing sobriety at 23. Well done on your sober time so far. Onwards and upwards!
I phoned the AA helpline when I was 23 but I ended up not getting sober at that age. So, again, well done on choosing sobriety at 23. Well done on your sober time so far. Onwards and upwards!
Member
Join Date: Dec 2013
Location: McKinlyville, Ca.
Posts: 214
"So I have come to a weird crossroads in my life. I just graduated from a top college had a job lined up before I walked across the stage. Im in the field of technology and moved to a awesome young hip place. You would think I have my **** together first glance on paper but reality is that I have a issue with alcohol."
I have similar story. I have busy night with sick child but saw your thread and had to read it.
I went to College and got 1st degree in Reacreation adnmin and Minor in Bus. Management. My second degree was Kinesiology with emphasis pre/med. I went to pre-med school in Florida at Allied Health Institute. I came bak to do my internship in my home town. I worked for one year and took the CMA to become certified Medical Assistant. I worked so hard. I graduated from pre-med with a 4.0 and was accepted into UCDavis' Chiropractic program and P.A)physical assistant program) I was about ready to take the AAMA, RMA, AMT and soon the MCATs. I had 18 months left go and another 13 months of externship. I already was a Physical Therapist aide for 10 years and Chiropractic assistant for 4. I worked on all patients under supervision and was really close to opening m own Health and rehabilitation center with P.T., Chiro, Eastern Homeopathic and Western Medicine options as myself a P.A. for western medicines needed by over 1/3 of this country...blah,blah,blah
Sorry to bore, My point to all this is that I myself had such a future and let it flush down the drain/I knew what I was doing, but it still sounded better to my AV that drinking came first.
Update now: I pulled myself out. Retook the CMA exam as well as the Chiro Assistant State exam and I am ready to finish what I started. Drinking fogged my brain, my vision, my selective hearing and my entire life.Life is scrambled and has a lot going on, and now I can handle since sobriety,
I hope things go well for you. Sorry this long and took a wile for me to post. I was stuck on this one for a while. So very similar.I found your story very interesting. Now I know I am not alone in my career decision. Im sure we will chat soon
I was the fun butt obnoxious drunk in the dorms. Everyone laughed. My friends would watch over me and I was pretty tough at 6 feet tall and teach kickboxing, so I would be entertaining. But next day I hated myself as all my dorm mates laughed at me. I was so confused. They like the crazy fun drunk Kendra and would help get me that drunk, but the minute I became a burden or too drunk, they would just bail.It hurts to think my friends did this to me. One more reason I love being sober.
Had to trow that in.
I have similar story. I have busy night with sick child but saw your thread and had to read it.
I went to College and got 1st degree in Reacreation adnmin and Minor in Bus. Management. My second degree was Kinesiology with emphasis pre/med. I went to pre-med school in Florida at Allied Health Institute. I came bak to do my internship in my home town. I worked for one year and took the CMA to become certified Medical Assistant. I worked so hard. I graduated from pre-med with a 4.0 and was accepted into UCDavis' Chiropractic program and P.A)physical assistant program) I was about ready to take the AAMA, RMA, AMT and soon the MCATs. I had 18 months left go and another 13 months of externship. I already was a Physical Therapist aide for 10 years and Chiropractic assistant for 4. I worked on all patients under supervision and was really close to opening m own Health and rehabilitation center with P.T., Chiro, Eastern Homeopathic and Western Medicine options as myself a P.A. for western medicines needed by over 1/3 of this country...blah,blah,blah
Sorry to bore, My point to all this is that I myself had such a future and let it flush down the drain/I knew what I was doing, but it still sounded better to my AV that drinking came first.
Update now: I pulled myself out. Retook the CMA exam as well as the Chiro Assistant State exam and I am ready to finish what I started. Drinking fogged my brain, my vision, my selective hearing and my entire life.Life is scrambled and has a lot going on, and now I can handle since sobriety,
I hope things go well for you. Sorry this long and took a wile for me to post. I was stuck on this one for a while. So very similar.I found your story very interesting. Now I know I am not alone in my career decision. Im sure we will chat soon
I was the fun butt obnoxious drunk in the dorms. Everyone laughed. My friends would watch over me and I was pretty tough at 6 feet tall and teach kickboxing, so I would be entertaining. But next day I hated myself as all my dorm mates laughed at me. I was so confused. They like the crazy fun drunk Kendra and would help get me that drunk, but the minute I became a burden or too drunk, they would just bail.It hurts to think my friends did this to me. One more reason I love being sober.
Had to trow that in.
Member
Join Date: Jan 2014
Posts: 8,637
I'm not young, but I'm glad I'm choosing sobriety at 41.... and I sure wish I'd seen those signs and chosen it at 23.
I have a couple friends in the program (AA) who are in their early 20's and it can definitely be done!
You're blessed - though it may not feel like a 'blessing' to you right now - with this situation. You have a shining opportunity to GET IT. NOW. And to avoid years, even decades of pain and misery and to discover a joyful life unlike any you've yet imagined.
It's gonna take some time and work.... but it's gonna be worth it.
I have a couple friends in the program (AA) who are in their early 20's and it can definitely be done!
You're blessed - though it may not feel like a 'blessing' to you right now - with this situation. You have a shining opportunity to GET IT. NOW. And to avoid years, even decades of pain and misery and to discover a joyful life unlike any you've yet imagined.
It's gonna take some time and work.... but it's gonna be worth it.
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