Alcohol does not discriminate. My HG has everything from 17 yr olds to 80 yr olds. The "need" to drink is because we're alcoholics, not because we have 'too much to do'!



Have you gotten a sponsor? Are you reading the BB? Step Study?


(((Hugs)))

" And I would imagine that if you're old and already feeling the bony grope of death copping a feel now and then that it's probably really motivating to not want to speed up the process. "



LOL Typsy you're one of a kind I love ya man, seriously though I sobered up right before my fortieth birthday ( the 39 part of my name no longer aplies ) I think I had an easier time of it than some twenty year olds i met in meetings

TM, I got sober when I was 29, and I turned 48 a few months ago. I don't look a day over 35 though, and I don't feel any older than 30. Still ride dirt and street bikes, snow ski like a fiend, scuba dive and am concerdering racing motorcyles again this year. I take 5 vacations a year, not including the 11 weeks I spend in the mountains of NC working on my mountain top stone house. Going to England, Ireland, and the Isle of Man next month, and I'm moving into a new house this week. Not bad for an alcoholic drug addict high school dropout. My HP is a tallented guy.
Sobriety is good, get busy bro, this IS the "good life".

I'm a few days shy of 19. Then again, I've always been too scared to actually attend an AA meeting, but I think I might go either tomorrow or Monday because I found out there are more meetings nearby than I thought.

One of the excuses in the past I've used to justify NOT quitting was my age, reasoning that it is a basic right afforded to every college student to remain in a state of perpetual inebriation, and I'm young and resilient, so why surrender this right? But when it's time, it's time, I guess.

Well, all I know is that it's time for me.



-- Edited by Tipsy McStagger at 00:14, 2008-04-27

OLD?! and "not as much going on"......."in pajamas"........ Had to laugh at those lines and
wonder if the alcohol has kept you out of touch for a time. (I) know alot of "senior" citizens who would laugh in your face over those comments. They're not the types to sit around and yell at the kids to "GET OFF MY LAWN" rather they get out there and get the kids involved in the process of making that lawn look beautiful..... As I type my comment there is an 80+ greatgrandmother who is helping with a sponsored "after prom" affair. She was the main steer head of this about 10 years ago to keep those kids safe, out of trouble and ALCOHOL FREE. It is an ALL NIGHTER with games prizes music food, ect. And the numbers in attendance have grown so much that only a handful of prom goers don't go. This is not
this women's only community involvement along with the fact that 2 of her grandsons lived with her for a couple of years recently. Lest we forget our very good friend Phil on this very board. A mo. or so ago.....after selling his taxi service he was busier than ever helping with the transition of the new owners. I believe it is May he begins his planned trip to the US (and maybe beyond) to meet alot of the folks who post on this board.

Death's bony grip.......my view of the remark is that if one is dwelling upon death then one
isn't living life. (By no means is that meant living under the influence.) I have seen gravely sick people with some of the best attitudes this world has to offer even though they've been given time lines on their mortality and they continue to "live". Death is a matter of perspective.
Totally agree with Jen/Doll........alcohol is non discriminate of race, creeds, income, and even age. Personally, it's belief that the longer one drinks the harder it would be to stop.
Bodies are quicker to recover in youth. It's already proven medically that there can be
tremendous damage done by drinking heavily over periods of years. My AH is a class example. Ran track in HS. The alcohol that he STILL consumes has taken it's toll. The real eminent threat of death via heart attack didn't scare him enough to quit. He's 51 and still drinks like he did in his 20's! He doesn't "think" he's alcoholic even though his own children have begged him to quit!!!! (Not to speak of my own endless pleas when we were togethor.) The death of a brother.....alcohol related in his 20's....... well, one would think it would be a wake up call. He has seen the brutal realities up close and personal.....this brother beat the hell out of his wife and son. It caused caos in an uncle's family.....he would wreak havoc on the home throwing furniture, ect. The latter......"tried" many times over to stop. Though it is a disease it has become such a habitual part of the being's life it is second nature and attempting to bring it to a halt after years upon years to me would be
tough.

Tipsy, you never cease to amaze me by your posts. Sometimes it is hard to detect if you're serious about your subject matters or if you just want to stir things up. LOL It's
really nice to know, however, that by the number of reponses you get that there are
plenty of people reading this board in hopes of sobriety/continual sobriety.

It is nice to know as well that your "spirit" has awakened and you are still hangin'
in there to keep your sobriety. Best wishes.

36 and loving being sober..... and I also LOVE being in my pajamas all day (like I plan on today).... when I have the Time.

:o)

Alcoholism is a progressive disease, some people take longer to hit bottom then others.
I was 17 when it was first suggested to me that I might have a problem with alcohol by a Dr.
I totally blew him off and it wasn't until I was 41 that I got sober.
I could have avoided a lot of suffering if I had taken those words of advise to heart but I wasn't ready or done.
That being said I've seen young people get it and I've seen old newcomers who couldn't stay sober.
I think it boil down to how much pain a person can tolerate before they surrender and ask for help.

I was 23 when I entered AA. I am now 48. It is a little harder when you are young because you are surrounded by a bunch of folks who are.......uh.......stupid. There is still a lot of false pride at that age because you still think you are imortal and many of your peers may still be shielded by the artificiality of academia. Many youngsters here in the states have not (our brave troops excluded) seen war, job loss, forclosure, divorce, death, parenthood, etc, etc. I was able to stop (slips excluded) just before leaving college and going into the military, which was a blessing because it was a perfect transition for me to physically get away from the old and begin the new life. That is not so easy for everyone. Since the time I entered AA, I have lived a much fuller life than I could have ever imagined. I have an incredible wife (whom I still wonder why my HP decided that He would answer my prayers that she would love me) I have 2 great kids, I have flown lots of strange airplanes, been shot at in combat, faced adversity that was overcome by faith, and given me the "peace" of knowing that my HP is in my corner. You do not turn into an old man by stopping drinking as evidenced by Stpetedean's post above. Alcohol is not the exiler of youth, although that is how it is advertised. As a young single man, it was tougher to stay sober because I still wanted to be around the ladies, and lots of the ladies that were, well,....uh...."hot" or desirable wanted to drink and party and live the life of a "Captain Morgan" ad. As you have experienced, you sort of become the odd man out if you are not drinking. Thats tough. However keep the faith, because there are desirable ladies out there who realize that life is not a party and are looking for an ex (reforming) drunk because of the qualities that AA creates....namely brutal honesty, caring for others, discipline, faith, courage,...you get the picture. Once you realize that AA is really not a group of losers, but a group of "battle hardened" individuals (which I am sure you realize because you are on that journey as well) it starts to make the "party crowd" look shallow and devoid of character. Thats my take.
Excellent discussion starting thread!
Tom

-- Edited by turninggrey at 16:26, 2008-04-27

Tom, were you a AF pilot or Navy? "strange planes" sounds more like AF. My dad was a carier pilot (F4, F14) USN CDR RET RIP Arlington Nat. cemetary.

Dean

i will be 25 in july and i have been trying to get and stay sober since i was 15... i have friends in their 30s who have never had a legal drink... here in jersey we have a lot of "young people" with multiple years of sobriety... and there are always outings/ camping trips/ retreats/ lots of things to do....

seeking serenity wrote:

---

i will be 25 in july and i have been trying to get and stay sober since i was 15... i have friends in their 30s who have never had a legal drink... here in jersey we have a lot of "young people" with multiple years of sobriety... and there are always outings/ camping trips/ retreats/ lots of things to do....

---

Outstanding!  15 is a great time to join AA.  At 25, you already have 10 years of the program to fall back on! I am sure that to stop at 15 you had to start earlier, and that is pretty young, but you will have many years of sobriety and way less years of drunkenness than the rest of us when the fat lady sings!  Congrats on your maturity beyond your years!
Tom