Young People in Alcoholics Anonymous

Too Young for Alcoholics Anonymous?

No one is too young to have trouble with alcohol. Alcoholism is an illness that affects people of all ages, the rich, the poor, men and women. It doesn’t matter how long, or how much you drink. When your life seems to be going nowhere, or it feels out of control and you think drinking might have something to do with it, it usually does.

Reprinted from Too Young?… p. 2, with permission of A.A. World Services, Inc.

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.

Reprinted from Young People and A.A. p. 5, with permission of A.A. World Services, Inc.


25 and Under


A.A. Meetings With Young People

You can find young people at just about any A.A. meeting you attend. Some members say that going to a number of different meetings is the best way to find a meeting you really like. Here’s a list of meetings some younger members regularly attend.


California & International Young People In A.A. Events

ICYPAA – International Conference of Young People in A.A.

  • 63rd ICYPAA | San Francisco, CA – September 1 – 4, 2023

The International Conference of Young People in Alcoholics Anonymous (ICYPAA) was founded for the purpose of providing a setting for an annual celebration of sobriety among young people in AA.

 

ACYPAA – All California Young People in Alcoholics Anonymous

  • 51st ACYPAA Round-up | San Diego, CA, Feb 8 – 11, 2024

In 1973, the All California Young People in Alcoholics Anonymous (ACYPAA) Round-Up was established as an annual gathering in California to provide an opportunity for young AA’s to come together and share their experience, strength, and hope.