I'm 16 years old. Am I an alcoholic?

Question

I sneak out of my house at least 3 times a week, and I get TRASHED with random people. I black out sometimes too. Do you think I have a problem?

Answer 1

I started shooting dope at 13. I was an alcoholic by the time I was16. I use to carry a small bottle of tequilla to school in my purse. I was in my first rehab at 20 years old. Alcohol withdrawals are HELL. Unfortunately, I didn't stay clean and sober then. I ran the streets for another 10 years, going to jail and watching my friends die from heroin overdoses.

I now have 15 years clean and sober. Do I think you're heading down the same path I took? Yes. Do I know where you're going to end up if you continue on that same path? Yes. We all end up in the same places: you get clean and sober, you go to jail or you die.

Let me tell you something. When I was your age and I use to tell people that I was an alcoholic, they wouldn't believe me. If you're asking if you have a problem, you already know you do. Now, what are you going to do about it?

Here's a link to Alanon/Alateen: http://www.al-anon.org/

Here's a link to Alateen chat: http://www.recovery-world.com/Alateen.html

Now do me a favor. Close your eyes and try to imagine where you're going to be in 10 years. Husband? Kids? Good Job? Own your own home? Pets?

Now open your eyes and look where you're headed. Is any of that stuff down the path you're going down? No, its not.

I have a 16 year old son that goes with me to N/A meetings. Why? When he was little, I made him go with me. He goes with me now because he wants to.

Answer 2

The word alcoholic gets thrown around a lot. I was told that I was an alcoholic and went to rehab and realized that I was not! Rehab is not the answer unless you are physically addicted. The question to ask is do you need to drink or do you like to drink because you think that it is fun. Lots of kids binge drink at your age, you do need to keep a check on it or it will get bad. Drinking to the point of blacking out is never good. You should not drink at your age but if you are going to do it which I am sure that you are, try to moderate...you will have a much better time and not do something that you regret. Be honest with yourself and stop if you feel like you are getting out of control. Beware it will and can ruin your life if you let it.
One more thought. If you have a history of alcoholism in your family be extra careful.

Answer 3

in the medical field, there are a series of questions to diagnose alcoholism. They are called the CAGE questions. If you answer 2/4 with a yes, then u are an alcoholic.

C - do u feel the need to Cut down drinking?
A - you get Angry when people ask you about your drinking?
G - you feel Guilty when you drink?
E - do you need an Eye opener (drink in morning) to get your day started?

Some people might not agree with these criteria but these are the questions your doctor would ask. You said that you get trashed with random people. Just be careful about that b/c you could get robbed one day or do something you may regret later. Be safe...

Answer 4

Yes. Please stop. Blacking out gets you nowhere - you don't even remember the fun you can have with safe, responsible drinking (which you should wait a while for, anyway - you're still growing.)

Don't sneak out of your house anymore, and definitely don't get trashed. Nothing good will come of it.

Answer 5

An alcoholic, by definition, cannot stop drinking once he or she starts, and thereby ends up "TRASHED" every time he or she drinks at all. Other indications might include a craving or need to drink, and other areas of your life suffering because of it.

Try this: http://www.aa.org/en_is_aa_for_you.cfm?PageID=71

Answer 6

Yes, absolutely.

Sneaking out that much means it's a big problem.

Drinking with random strangers, big problem.

Blackouts, again, big problem.


Get help, and hurry. Good luck to you.

Answer 7

no youre probably just trying to be cool. youre probably a 1 beer 16 year old queer

Answer 8

Yes thats very dangrous. You should stop drinking now. I wish I didn't start drinking so young now I cant stop.

Answer 9

right this way ms. Lohan, try not to hit the attendant on the way into rehab

Answer 10

Ummm...the fact that you are asking this question may signal your problem, dumbass. Go talk to your parents and ask for some help.