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Too Young? 30 or under? You are not alone.
“The only requirement for membership is a desire to stop drinking.”
“… in recent years, I have found nothing for greater inspiration than the knowledge that AA of tomorrow will be safe, and certainly magnificent, in the keeping of you who are the younger generation of AA today”.
Extract from Bill Willson’s letter to ICYPAA (International conference of young people in AA) June 1969.
Too Young?
Coming into A.A. as young people, we found that there were common challenges to face. In the beginning, we often felt we were too young to be alcoholics. Some of us didn’t drink for a long time; others didn’t drink hard liquor, stumble around, or forget 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’ve 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’ve also seen 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. (The questions at the end of this pamphlet may also help you decide.)
If drinking is causing you trouble, and you want to stop but can’t seem to do it on your own, give Alcoholics Anonymous a try — try it for 90 days, and if your life doesn’t get better, at least you’ll better understand your options.
All of us felt strange about going to A.A. But we now see that A.A. saved our lives — and is the best thing that ever happened to us. We also now know that there are many members who are our age — in fact, approximately 10% of A.A. members are under the age of 30.
A Simple 12-Question Quiz Designed To Help You Decide
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Do you drink because you have problems? To face up to stressful situations?
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Do you drink when you get mad at other people, your friends or parents?
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Do you often prefer to drink alone, rather than with others?
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Are you starting to get low marks? Are you skiving off work?
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Do you ever try to stop or drink less – and fail?
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Have you begun to drink in the morning, before school or work?
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Do you gulp your drinks as if to satisfy a great thirst?
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Do you ever have loss of memory due to your drinking?
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Do you avoid being honest with others about your drinking?
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Do you ever get into trouble when you are drinking?
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Do you often get drunk when you drink, even when you do not mean to?
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Do you think you’re big to be able to hold your drink?
International Convention of Young People in AA
(ICYPAA)
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ICYPAA was founded in 1958 for the purpose of providing a setting for an annual celebration of sobriety among young people in Alcoholics Anonymous.
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It’s a weekend event that occurs once per year and consists of panels, workshops, and speaker meetings where recovering alcoholics can share their experience about getting and staying sober.
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Attendees of all ages come from across the globe to experience this truly remarkable gathering.
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ICYPAA takes place in a different city each year.
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The location of ICYPAA is determined through a bidding process, where young AA members organize local committees to bring ICYPAA to their city.
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Over the 50+ years of ICYPAA’s existence, a network of local committees has sprung up in cities where ICYPAA has been or may go.
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This informal network collaborates actively to help young alcoholics find recovery in Alcoholics Anonymous.
