I was just writing a paper on addiction and ran across this website. I am 21 years old and I am an alcoholic. I was reading some past posts where people say that is sucks to be so young and have a problem. I know it really sucks....but there are a lot of people out there your age tyhat are having the same problems. I have just started treatment and since I have been the sober the phone has stopped ringing. A lot of the people that I thought were my friends (since around the 3rd grade) dont call me anymore and it just proves to me that they really dont care about me as I thought they did. Ya know even if they continued drinking they can still call to ask how I am doing or at least come over and say hey. It's scary though everytime i think about calling someone there is always that trigger that makes me want to go out and have "fun" but it isnt really fun anymore. Ya know I grew up in a great family with no addiction problems. I graduated high school and was on my way to college, but I didn;t go. I couldn;t break away from my friends and most importantly my drinking. I didnt have a criminal history until I hit 18 and got a dui....and still I denied having any problems with alcohol. After many encounters with the police I was arrested for 2 felony assault charges and now I am a felon. I know that this may not happen to all of you but I would like you to consider the fact that alcohol can really mess up your life and the people around you ......trust me I have been told on many occassions that I am actually smart, but now it is hard for me to find a minumum wage job because of the one night that I thought I could go out and have fun,.....it wasnt fun. I am just now realizing that I can have fun without drinking...it's hard...I like to isolate myself a lot....and without alcohol I am very shy and it is hard for me to make friends.....anyway I will end with something that I am working on this very day.....You need to love yourself first before you can love anyone else....it sounds hard but try it.
Hi,
My ex bf is 52 yrs old....spent half his life shooting smack...and recently earned his 5th felony....he had both his Driver's license and newly acquired CDL license revoked for 3 yrs due to a misdemeanor for possession of drug paraphernalia....The only job he could get when he only had 4 felonies was a janitor's job for minimum temp wage and now that he has his 5th felony for drug possession (reduced from the original charge of drug trafficking) his chances for a decent job coupled with his age are pretty slim. Most if not all of his family have virtually disowned him.
I only tell you all this for the reason that you are so very young and still have a chance to turn it around and not make the same mistakes that my ex bf made and is still making. The fact that you have sought treatment despite having lost some so called 'friends' along the way as a result indicates to me that you are beginning to love yourself and hopefully become your own best sober friend in the end.
Best of luck to you,
MARY
My ex bf is 52 yrs old....spent half his life shooting smack...and recently earned his 5th felony....he had both his Driver's license and newly acquired CDL license revoked for 3 yrs due to a misdemeanor for possession of drug paraphernalia....The only job he could get when he only had 4 felonies was a janitor's job for minimum temp wage and now that he has his 5th felony for drug possession (reduced from the original charge of drug trafficking) his chances for a decent job coupled with his age are pretty slim. Most if not all of his family have virtually disowned him.
I only tell you all this for the reason that you are so very young and still have a chance to turn it around and not make the same mistakes that my ex bf made and is still making. The fact that you have sought treatment despite having lost some so called 'friends' along the way as a result indicates to me that you are beginning to love yourself and hopefully become your own best sober friend in the end.
Best of luck to you,
MARY
I think that it's so admirable what you are doing. It shows a strong person, especialy at your age. (sorry about the spelling) I probly knew i had a drinking problem when I was 21. But at 21, I had NO desire to do anything about it because I didnt want to give up the fun, friends, parties, etc that came along with drinking. I am now 25, and realizing that it IS a problem. I am shy, like you, without any booze in me. It's so hard to avoid situations that drinking is a factor, because what do you do then? I am working on this problem as well most days, but especially come the weekends. The fact that your getting this under control now is great!
