Young People in AA
Coming into A.A. as young people, we found that there were common challenges to face. In the beginning, we often feel we are too young to be alcoholics. Some of us didn’t drink for a long time; others didn’t drink hard liquor, stumble around, or for get what we did or said when drunk. Being young in the everyday world we face peer pressure, stressful relationships with our parents, and parties being a way of life. In A.A., we often feel different because we may be the youngest person in our group, and some have even had an uninformed older member discourage us by saying things like “I spilled more booze than you drank.”
These are hard realities for young people in A.A. On the other hand though, by sticking with it and finding younger and older members to help us, we found a solution to our drinking problems. In A.A. we’ve found a way of life that helps us deal with everyday stress and peer pressure; and that life is better and more fun without alcohol. We also see that we develop closer relationships the longer we stay sober. To us, it doesn’t matter how old you are, how much, where, or what you drink. What matters is how alcohol affects you. You are the best judge of whether or not you have a problem. And you know this from your gut — whether you feel guilty, lonely, ashamed, or whether alcohol is interfering in your life.
1. Do you lose time from school or work because of drinking?
2. Do you drink to lose shyness and build up self confidence?
3. Is drinking affecting your reputation?
4. Do you drink to escape from study or home worries?
5. Does it bother you if some body says maybe you drink too much?
6. Do you have to take a drink to go out on a date?
7. Do you ever get into money trouble over buying liquor?
8. Have you lost friends since you’ve started drinking?
9. Do you hang out now with a crowd where stuff is easy to get?
10. Do your friends drink less than you do?
11. Do you drink until the bottle is empty?
12. Have you ever had a loss of memory from drinking?
13. Has drunk driving ever put you into a hospital or a jail?
14. Do you get annoyed with classes or lectures on drinking?
15. Do you think you have a problem with liquor?
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