Originally Posted by Gottalife

I got sober when I was 22. By that time I was in end stage alcoholism and only had a few months to live if I kept on. There was absolutely no chance of continuing for another 20 years.

I am an alcoholic. I had the exact same symptoms as you. When I drank I had no control over the amount, and when I honestly tried to stop, I found I could last no more than a couple of days.

If these are your symptoms, you are definitely alcoholic. Alcoholism is a progressive illness. Over time it always gets worse. It may cause us to do some really insane things, or it may not. The common symptoms are loss of control and choice.

Between the courts, family, friends and employers I either tried or had tried on me every available solution icluding court orders not to drink, and getting locked up in the loony bin. Nothing worked until I was able to find a way of living that removed the need to drink permanently, and replaced my alcoholic life with something new and infinitely more satisfying. I found that by joining AA and working the AA program. Best thing I ever did. I wouldn't be here otherwise.

I tried all other options first because they looked easier, and I suppose they were in one sense. But they don't work for alcoholics of my type, so really I was dicing with death while playing around with them. AA turned out to be the easier way.

Lots of young people get sober in AA. It is very common these days, they even have young peoples groups in some places. It is well worth checking out. The best way to do it is to spend a couple of hours with a recovered alcholic who can answer your questions directly, and explain how it works. Meetings are a bit random. It can take a lot of meetings to get the same understanding as a couple of hours one on one.

All the best,