A Message to Teenagers

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A Message to Teenagers
excerpts from the G.S.O. approved literature "Young People and AA".
http://aabangalore.com/teenagers.html

Too young?

We all felt the same when we came into A.A. - that we were too young to be alcoholics. Some of us hadn't been drinking that long. Some of us didn't drink hard liquor. Some of us didn't fall down or have memory lapses.

"Just sit down and listen," we were told. "You can always go back to drinking if you want. But first try some A.A. meetings, because you wouldn't be here at all if you didn't have a drinking problem."

Soon we heard that it doesn't matter how much you drink, where you drink, what you drink, or how old you are - what matters is what alcohol does to you inside. You are the best judge of whether or not you have a prob-lem. And you know this from your gut- whether you feel guilty, lonely, ashamed; whether al-cohol is interfering in your life. (The questions at the end of this page may also help you decide.)

All of us felt strange about going to A.A. But we've come to see that A.A. saved our lives and gave us a new beginning - it is the best thing that ever happened to us. Myths and truths about alcohol and A.A.

Myth: I'm a bad, weak-willed person because I drink.

Truth: Alcoholism is an illness, not a moral weakness. Like most other illnesses, such as heart disease, diabetes, and cancer, it can strike anyone. The illness of alcoholism can't be cured. It can only be arrested. We don't take medicine to arrest this illness. Instead, we go to A.A. meetings.

Myth: I know I have a problem. But I can beat it. Truth: Alcoholism is a progressive illness, which means that if an alcoholic keeps on drink-ing, the illness will always grow progressively worse.

Myth: But I can take one drink and get away with it.

Truth: All of us can sometimes take just one drink and not drink again that night or the next day. But sooner or later, in a week or a month or a year, if we have this illness, well drink again to excess. Just the attempt alone to con-trol our drinking is a sign that there is something wrong.

Myth: I can't be an alcoholic, because I can't drink too much. I get sick.

Truth: Some of the stories in this article are about young people who kept on drinking even though their stomachs protested. They became alcoholics.

Myth: I can't be an alcoholic, because I can drink a lot. I never get sick.

Truth: Some of the stories in this article are about young people who had large capacities for alcohol. They also became alcoholics. Myth: If the party is a real success, then natur-ally nobody can remember it.

Truth: Most people do not have blank spots in their memory when they drink. These blank spots, where we walk and talk and act normally but can't remember doing so, are called "black-outs." Blackouts are not normal, and are consi-dered a symptom of alcoholism.

Myth: A.A. is for bums and old people.

Truth: The illness of alcoholism strikes people of all ages, races, and economic situations. Most alcoholics are from the mainstream of society.

Myth: A.A. teaches you to give up drinking for the rest of your life.

Truth: In A.A., we don't swear off drinking forever. We don't go on the wagon for six months. We don't take a pledge for a year. We just stay away from a drink - the next drink - for one day at a time. Just for today, we're not drinking. Who knows about tomorrow?

Myth: A.A. means rules and regulations, and people telling me what to do. I've never been a joiner. Forget it.

Truth: To join A.A., all we had to do was decide we wanted to be members. No forms to sign. No dues to pay. "Me only requirement for membership is a desire to stop drinking," we were told. And, "There are no musts in A.A." People did give us suggestions on how to stay sober which were based on their own experi-ence. These suggestions were like road maps -they pointed out how to travel to a new life.

Myth: A.A. is a religious organization.

Truth: Some of us in A.A. do have a strong faith; others have none; many are still search-ing. But we all share the feeling that our way of doing things didn't work.

Myth: A.A. members want to drink all the time. They're miserable and grumpy.

Truth: Most of us find that we are very comfort-able not drinking. And we find that we can laugh and have fun for the first time in ages. For now we have found people who understand!

How do we stay away from drinking?

We go to A.A. meetings as often as we can. There we hear personal stories like those you will read in this article. From hearing the stories, we realize we are not unique - that others have been through much of what we have been through. We learn not to compare the outer facts of our story with those we hear, but to identify with the feelings of the speakers. In many communities there are young peoples groups so we won't feel different. (Directions on how to find A.A. meetings are given at the end of this page.)

We also read A.A. literature like this one, two other brochures for young people, and the booklet Living Sober. (Other A.A. literature is listed at the end of this article.)

We change ourselves, gradually, day to day. We help other alcoholics. And, by helping, we stay sober, sane and happy. For the first time in our lives, we've found real freedom. For we have broken out of the dim prison of alcoholic drinking that was closing in around us. Now we are free to discover who we are, who we hope to become, who we were meant to be.

In this article there are ten A.A. stories, personal experiences of young members like us. We hope they will help you find your way.

Where do I find A.A.?

Many of us found A.A. in our hometowns by looking up Alcoholics Anonymous in the tele-phone book. Others got the word from a school counselor, doctor, relative, or friend. Or, we were introduced to A.A. while we were in a hospital or detox. Some of us read about local A.A. in the newspaper, or heard about it on radio or TV. And we learned that, for information about A.A. in any given area, we can write to Box 459, Grand Central Station, New York, NY 10163 (that's the A.A. General Service Office). There are several kinds of A.A. meetings: Open meetings are open to anyone, alcoholic or not, who is interested in A.A. At open meet-ings you will hear stories such as the ones in this article.

Closed meetings are limited to those who have a drinking problem themselves (or think they may have). Here, we are free to speak up and ask questions. Here we get practical sug-gestions on how to stay sober.

At beginners meetings, we discover that we are on the same level with anyone who is new to A.A. Even if there's a business executive or a grandmother next to us, we're all starting from scratch together, tackling the basics of A.A.

Some communities have young peoples groups. However, young members also attend other meetings, for, as our stories have told you, a bond of understanding links alcoholics of all ages and circumstances.
Read more: http://www.aa.org/default/en_about_aa.cfm?pageid=11