Over 50 / Newly Sober - anyone else?
I honestly don't feel like it. Funny, I stare into my eyes, and I can still see the much younger me, then I truly glance myself and I think, who is that chubby old lady, and look at those jowls.
Sobered up (for good) at 53, 1-1/2 years ago.
There was a poll on SR a while back which suggested to me at least that members in their 50s are well-represented here:
SoberRecovery : Alcoholism Drug Addiction Help and Information - View Poll Results
There was a poll on SR a while back which suggested to me at least that members in their 50s are well-represented here:
SoberRecovery : Alcoholism Drug Addiction Help and Information - View Poll Results
Well, I think we are the fortunate ones, we are finding sobriety late in life. My mom, when she and dad moved to an 'over 55 golf community" (I thought who would want to be around all those old people). Anyway, she said, you don't know how many problem drinkers there are here. She said some only become problems later in life out of lonliness, retirement, etc. If you are not content sitting home watching tv/reading (which is fine by theway, I enjoy both) constantly, we need to find hobbies, personal relationships, even jobs as we grow older. I took her warning to heart, and it means a lot more now, then when she said it when I was 30. I wish I listened to all her advice, than hindsight really packs a wallup.
I quit drinking for health reasons and am 61 just over 6 months sober. I was the oldest one in my treatment program which probably averaged 30 years old. One thing I note; you don't see too many old 'practicing' alcoholics as they usually die premature. On the other hand I've met numerous very old recovering alcoholics many older than I. At our age there is no 'future' in drinking. The great alcoholics die young.
I don't know -- I usually get some good responses at AA meetings when I say that I managed to drink hard for 35 years before it caught up with me. From the older folks.
Of course, I envy those who get sober young their futures. Mine will be much shorter. But I'll have one. And it will, thanks to sobriety, include experiences that will come because I'm open to them, and sensations that are new because I'll let myself feel them.
The way I figure, when I was 25, I had a lot more years ahead of me but I used them badly. Now I have far fewer, but I intend to squeeze out of them everything I can.
Nice thread, Fnb!
Of course, I envy those who get sober young their futures. Mine will be much shorter. But I'll have one. And it will, thanks to sobriety, include experiences that will come because I'm open to them, and sensations that are new because I'll let myself feel them.
The way I figure, when I was 25, I had a lot more years ahead of me but I used them badly. Now I have far fewer, but I intend to squeeze out of them everything I can.
Nice thread, Fnb!
This focus of age to me is kind of an issue at this point. I recall a few years back turning 50 and having 30 something folks starting to call me Sir - a lot! I too look in the mirror and while there is grey, know in my heart I will always be young.
It is odd though to be in a room including much younger people without much knowledge. I suppose HUMBLING is an accurate word! Yes, that is it - humbling. That is good to learn at any age......been awhile since I didn't ( pretend to know ) everything.
Maybe, just had a break through processing this relative age and sobriety issue!??
Wow....
It is odd though to be in a room including much younger people without much knowledge. I suppose HUMBLING is an accurate word! Yes, that is it - humbling. That is good to learn at any age......been awhile since I didn't ( pretend to know ) everything.
Maybe, just had a break through processing this relative age and sobriety issue!??
Wow....
I don't know -- I usually get some good responses at AA meetings when I say that I managed to drink hard for 35 years before it caught up with me. From the older folks.
Of course, I envy those who get sober young their futures. Mine will be much shorter. But I'll have one. And it will, thanks to sobriety, include experiences that will come because I'm open to them, and sensations that are new because I'll let myself feel them.
The way I figure, when I was 25, I had a lot more years ahead of me but I used them badly. Now I have far fewer, but I intend to squeeze out of them everything I can.
Nice thread, Fnb!
Of course, I envy those who get sober young their futures. Mine will be much shorter. But I'll have one. And it will, thanks to sobriety, include experiences that will come because I'm open to them, and sensations that are new because I'll let myself feel them.
The way I figure, when I was 25, I had a lot more years ahead of me but I used them badly. Now I have far fewer, but I intend to squeeze out of them everything I can.
Nice thread, Fnb!
It is great to engage wisdom from people who have some. Regardless of age. Listened to a 19 year old yesterday with remarkable insight. Truly Amazing!!
I quit at 54, a little over 3 years ago. Looking back, quitting was neither hard or easy, that stuff didn't really matter to me at the time. Getting sober was something I had vowed to do, and hard or easy didn't enter into it. I just did it, I knew I had only one shot to make it work, and failure was not an option.
I knew that day was coming, that sooner or later I was going to have to give it up. I wish I had done it sooner.
I knew that day was coming, that sooner or later I was going to have to give it up. I wish I had done it sooner.
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Join Date: Nov 2013
Posts: 370
I'm very close to 49, and 6 weeks away from a year sober. Of coarse I wish I would have done it sooner, actually I did quit for 5 years when I was 30. Nothing good comes from dwelling on the past, I have much to be excited about today.
I turn 50 in January. I first quit when I was 45..for 3 years (after drinking mostly heavy since I was 16). Then decided I wanted to drink again. Over a year later I quit again. It's been over a month now since I quit, and I plan to stay sober. I missed being present for my kids their whole childhood, my youngest is now almost 18. Pisses me off at times, makes me sad at times, but I am here now and I am gonna give it my all!
I was 55 when I stopped drinking, now 58. The stats (in Australia) say that there's a lot of problem drinking among older middle aged people, not binge drinking but sheer volume. That makes sense to me as I've seen a lot of my friends' intake gradually increase once the kids became independent. It might start with a wine in the evening, but if you're pre-disposed, it builds up until before you know it you can drink a bottle without blinking.
A lot of middle aged drinking happens in nice houses with waged people who don't make a fuss, just head off to bed, so it can be invisible.
Excessive drinking in middle age can cause all sorts of mental and physical damage and it's often kept secret from the doctor.
A lot of middle aged drinking happens in nice houses with waged people who don't make a fuss, just head off to bed, so it can be invisible.
Excessive drinking in middle age can cause all sorts of mental and physical damage and it's often kept secret from the doctor.
I'm 54. Fortunately, I didn't have a problem until I was 48, so I avoided the more serious physical problems. My biggest issue was not accepting I developed a problem after so many years of being a take it or leave it kind of guy.
I really couldn't understand why I couldn't go back to drinking with control. Sorry to say that I had to learn that lesson the hard way.
I really couldn't understand why I couldn't go back to drinking with control. Sorry to say that I had to learn that lesson the hard way.
Interesting thread. I'm 52 with 18mths sober. All our paths are different, which makes it hard to tie down the early stages of addiction. Some of my drinking buddies just dropped back to 'normal' drinking. I made myself miserable trying to moderate and failing.
Thank you for this thread! I needed that today.
I will be 50 in December, and am 15 days sober today. Emotions are running all over the place and I just feel like I don't fit in anywhere.
Nice to see others my age... thanks.
I will be 50 in December, and am 15 days sober today. Emotions are running all over the place and I just feel like I don't fit in anywhere.
Nice to see others my age... thanks.
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