[OT] How old were you when you had your first drink?

In the womb, I'm guessing. But I can't remember.

Harder stuff? Wine in Coptic church I would guess... probably 2ish? Also can't remember.

Well done on the thirty years!

Weakness, disease, culpable part of the fallenness of man that demonstrates our need for an atonement greater than we can ever produce ourselves...
All of the above.

I was 14 or 15 and my friends and I got an older classmate with a fake ID to buy us a 30-rack of beers. Our whole plan was to drink as many as we could and then have boxing matches, and that's exactly what we did. It was a good time, but I didn't immediately fall in love with it the way you mentioned. The first time I remember really enjoying it was at a house party when I was 16. I also had a few bong rips and had never felt so incredible. 

I certainly believe in alcoholism, but I'm not sure exactly what the nature of it is. To the extent that I believe free will exists, I think alcoholics must have a measure of control over drinking, but in a practical sense that control could be so hard to exercise that it may as well be automated. I certainly have trouble cutting myself off, and I'm starting to arrive at an age where getting drunk is a bit less ubiquitous. 

There's no alcoholism in my family, to my knowledge, but I did have a close relative start a deep downward spiral that ended in suicide via substance abuse. 

22 - Very odd age to have your first drink. Was on a concert promotion tour in Winnipeg, Canada at a lingerie bar (?) attached to the arena. 

I've never had an issue with alcoholism. Gone through a couple of stages where I would say drinking wasn't serving me, but it was before I had a family of my own - Immaturity mostly. I currently drink very seldom but mostly for gut health reasons. 

I have a friend who is younger than me around 30 who as of about 4 years ago had both of her parents die from liver disease due to alcoholism - She battles with severe depression as you might not be shocked to hear. Her parents were good people, but yeah, alcohol can be a massive weakness for some. And it can very easily destroy families or even literally kill you. Moderation is very important for any of us because it is extremely difficult to realize when you have a problem. Once you realize it, it is usually because of some damage it has caused to you or someone you love. I can't speak for the science behind alcoholism, but I do know that it exists and some of it is genetic and some of it is not. 

As someone who has never had an issue with alcoholism, it's hard for me to judge or understand completely. I do have an addictive personality and have struggled with other addictions in my life, however. Super proud of you and your upcoming anniversary.

And that is my same behavior about my past addictions - I view myself more as in a recession rather than believing I have overcome it fully. So easy to slip again without the proper mindset.

First beer at 18, it was an Icehouse.  My impression of it was that beer was disgusting.

First time I got drunk was welcome week.  Binge drank my way through college and a good portion of my 20s.  

My observation is that alcoholism definitely has a genetic component.  These days I drink socially, could go a month without a drink and wouldn't think twice about it.  Not surprisingly I don't know a single person in my extended family that is an alcoholic.  I have been in quite a few relationships with women who had obvious alcohol issues, and in each case you can look to their immediate family and see a history of alcohol abuse.  Fortunately my wife rarely drinks (can't say the same about my ex wife) which is a blessing because I don't think I could take alcoholism on top of all that crazy.

Congrats on almost 30 years, stick with it, the alternative isn't worth it.

19 years old.  Not until the 2nd semester of my freshman year of college.  Weirdly, similar to BlueWolverine02, my first drink was ALSO an Icehouse.  And, yes, my first impression was that it tasted like shit!  But then I drank some more, and I started to feel that low-level buzz.  :-)

I view alcoholism as a legitimate addiction.  I don't, however, view alcoholism as either a weakness or a disease.  I view it more as an obstacle.  An obstacle that is only experienced by some.  But for those who do face that obstacle, one that can be overcome.  Not to be too spiritual, but I am a believer that there is a Creator, and that our Creator never "gives us obstacles in life that can't be overcome."

I've never felt addicted to alcohol.  Honestly, I've only been black-out drunk once ever.  A night of college excess after I turned 21.  In the 20-ish years since I just drink socially at low-to-moderate levels.  Depending on the social calendar, sometimes that is 3 times in a week, sometimes zero times in 3 months.  But I never miss it or think about it during those longer periods without.

A friend once commented to me "you have a rather extraordinary ability to reach a happy low-level steady-state buzz and maintain yourself at that plateau, never really going higher or lower."  I don't know if that is a "skill" to necessarily proud of, but I do point it out because I understand that everything I said 2 paragraphs above may be complete bullshit, just because I haven't faced that particular challenge/obstacle in life.

Congrats on nearly 30 years.  That is something to be PROUD of.  I admire you for that.  :-)

First technical drink was a Dixie cup of Budweiser on New Year's Eve when I was 4 -- I think my Dad expected me to think it was gross.

First time drinking on purpose was 4th grade, stealing alcohol from my buddy's High School aged babysitter during a sleepover that she turned into a small party.

First time getting drunk on purpose was the summer after 7th grade in the late 90s (so 12 years old, going on 13). I grew up around a chain of lakes in Indiana, that had church camps scattered around. Us local guys would steal alcohol from our parents and meet up with church camp girls we met at the beach during the day. They'd sneak out at night and meet us at the beach. Good times.

After that, typical High School athlete partier in HS -- always had fun but still made it to practice and conditioning. 

College was a blast. It was basically lift weights, play pickup ball, do homework for an hour, and go to the bar every night. I basically drank every night but Sunday (bc bars were closed). I still got nearly a 4.0 and was in great shape (mostly bc I wanted to pickup girls at the bars). Basketball always helped me sweat off the booze.

After college was where it got weird for me. Mid to Late 20s. You just keep escalating the binge drinking with your buddies. Everyone has more money to blow at the bar. I started getting hangovers that I never got before. I can definitely see why so many rock stars and stuff die in that age. You just keep pushing the limits of your partying and drinking. 

Somewhere around 27 I just decided I was done with the GUARANTEED bar nights on Friday and Saturday nights. Started "dating" more and randomly hooking up less. Hangovers from Saturdays started taking until Tues or Weds to fade out. And next thing I knew I was only really drinking when watching football and stuff.

These days I have a few beers for Michigan Football games and watching NFL on Sunday. I probably only get hammered once every other month or less. It wasn't hard at all for me to cut back. If anything, I don't understand how alcoholics can deal with the hangovers, tiredness, and so on. I have a few beers and I just want to go to bed.

As for alcoholism -- I think it's real. My Dad was only sober a few days a year, all the way until he died in his 50s. But I never have an urge to drink. For me it's completely tied to social life. It went along with daily life in college, but these days I'm not going to have a drink when I'm just sitting around watching TV at night, it'd just make me tired. My brother and sister also drink, but don't have any issues with alcoholism. If it's totally genetic, then it missed all three of us.

16.  My dad let me have a beer with him on the porch.  I got a 6-pack from my parents for Christmas when I was 17 from beers around the world.   But by then, I had already got a fake ID card and was able to buy.  Alcoholism, yes for real... and has a huge genetic component.   Good for you, Stay dry my friend!

Congrats on nearly 30 years, Zarni! 
 

My parents used to let us have tiny tastes of their alcohol from a relatively young age. When little we could just dip a finger in once, and then a bit older just a sip from a spoon. I think this likely made us more prepared for alcohol when it became available socially. It wasn’t as big a deal.

Anyway, I wanted to instead tell about the first time I saw a drunk person. My friend and I were 12 years old and went to a Cubs game by ourselves, with bleacher tickets. It was packed so we were standing in an upper aisle. At one point, a tubby Mexican guy in a tuxedo ambled up to us, put his hand on my friend’s shoulder and slurred, “Party at Murphy’s Bleachers after the game, ok?” (Did i mention we were 12?) Then he trudged along to spread his message further.

We knew right away there was something wrong with the man. Only a few years later did we realize, “Oh, he was just wasted.”

Congrats on the sobriety - stay the course!   I lost an uncle not long ago to alcoholism; he had been fighting it for as long as I'd known him.  Seems like everyone in my family had tried helping him at different  points and, for a while it looked like he had it under control (at least from outward appearances), then he started again and things went downhill from there.  He ended up destroying his kidneys  and died from kidney failure while in his early/mid 50s.

congrats on 30 years, that's awesome.  and some others on here have shared similar tales, so kudos to them as well.

i think for alcoholics its really an 'addictive' trait in their makeup, not necessarily a classic disease in that if you put them in a place without booze they obviously can't drink so the disease part goes to zero for that time.  though as you say zarni, there's still that 'dry drunk' phenomenon.  but it would be very tough to be jonesing about booze (or drugs).  i note that many alcoholics i've encountered may share some general, but certainly not universal, characteristics:  cigarettes, gambling and too much booze all seem to go together.  i worry they are in fact some version of depressed or bi-polar, and that booze only makes it all worse over time.  i am glad that many folks find the strength to overcome it.  

i'll add one other thing - that substance abuse is so incredibly present in criminal violations of all sorts.  domestic violence, shootings, even stuff you wouldn't think like a suspended license ticket or shop lifting where the background of those people includes chronic drinking/drugs.  and please don't excuse marijuana as a 'drug'.  i know it's popular now but there is a correlation between usage, chronic usage at that, and other problems and criminal acts.  it breaks down decision making ability, makes bad changes to the brain, particularly the young brain, and i think we'll find that long term use accelerates and/or exacerbates things like alzheimers and dementia. 

First drink: I think my parents let me taste some wine at like 13? My first real "drinking experience" was at 17, with some high school buddies.

I unequivocally believe in alcoholism. I know a few people who have some level of problem with alcohol (without attempting to diagnose them) and a close family member passed of cirrhosis complications / was an absolute and total alcoholic. I don't think it's "weakness," particularly.  

It’s funny to me when I hear anyone say something isn’t habit forming. If it makes you feel good, so good that you want to keep coming back for more then it can be addictive. I honestly believe people can get addicted to anything. Congrats and good luck with your recovery.

Congratulations on staying strong against something that is a struggle for you. Hang in there with your daily fight. 

I think different people have different weaknesses and can develop addictions to different things (for some it is alcohol, others drugs, others porn, others stealing, others gambling etc).

i was maybe 13 and I didn’t like the taste but drank socially until I was 23 and then quit just to simplify life (that was maybe 30 years ago).  I don’t miss it but know many folks who have the occasional drink with no issues.

Coming from an alcoholic family, getting drunk was an aspirational thing, so I got hammered for the first time when I was 13.  It was only the start of some embarrassing incidents that lasted until I was 30 or so.  Congratulations, OP, on 30 years, that's a long time to fight off the disease.  My wife just celebrated 30 years herself and it was the best thing she's ever done.  It certainly saved our marriage.  God bless the underappreaciated work of AA chapters across the nation.

As for the disease vs. will power argument, its wrong to paint it as one or the other.  Certainly, will power is required to keep the genetic disposition to process alcohol differently than 'normal' people, but at its core, alcoholism is a physiological phenomena.  I have a ready example, my brother and I.  Same upbringing, but while he was a drunk for 40 years before he sobered up, I never had the need to drink every single day and eventually lost interest in being drunk by my early 30's.  I still enjoy a drink every now and then, but only in moderation and not every day.  The real indicator of the physiological differences, though, was how just one or two beers literally changed my brother's (and my wife, for that matter) musculature, speech, and cognitive processing.  You could see it in his facial expression, his voice, and his eyes.

I would say one more thing.  After living with, and knowing many, people in recovery, I still don't know what it's like to be an alcoholic.  I mean, while I can describe some of the behavioral changes, the underlying experience is still a mystery to me.  Keep that in mind when you judge drunks.

17. I worked at a movie theater with a lot of adults and had easy access, even with over protective parents. Alcohol dependency comes in all different forms. I never was a blackout drunk (at least not regularly) but I was having 3 or 4 or 6 drinks a day for a long time. I'm talking 10 or 12 years. Never enough to get hammered (unless it was a special occasion) but enough to alter my mind. I have no memory of the 2013 PSU, despite being there with my best friend. Even after the game, 4 hours since my last drink, I could barely walk straight coming out of the stadium.

As it turned out, I was self medicating a mental illness that went undiagnosed and untreated until literally last week- ADHD. Thankfully I got smart and gave up alcohol over a year ago, after being put on a high dose anxiety medication and taking a lot of time to pray and self reflect. I do believe it was a divine intervention, as I have zero desire to even touch alcohol anymore, and the few times I do I don't even enjoy it or feel any desire to keep drinking. 

I can't imagine how anyone could think alcohol dependency isn't real. Just like any addictive substance or activity, it often starts with your first experience, getting a rush of endorphins that you're constantly chasing and never quite getting. It alters your brain and your ability to make rational decisions. My uncle died at 54 from it, knew it would kill him if he kept drinking, and died a horrible death of liver cancer brought on by Hepatitis C. My lawyer died 7 years ago, at the age of 35, because he drank too much. It destroyed all of his vital organs. 

There's absolutely no shame in looking for help.

Logged in just because this topic sounded MGoBlog-familiar. Sure enough ...

https://mgoblog.com/comment/4548416#comment-4548416

It was a can of Blatz (!) when I was ten years old.

17 - 6 pack mikes hard lemonade right after graduating and going on an overnight class trip, Because they thought if they could put together an event we wouldn’t drink HA, naive 50 year olds! it was fun but I was nervous I would get caught.

alcoholism is truly a disease, it runs in my family, my grandpa died at age 52 because of that (and smoking and being obese).  My dad has battled it, and struggles to control it.  I’ve had my bouts as well but I’m now to the point where I can control it down to 2 drinks a day at most, my goal is 1.  My dad tried to join me on the 2 beer endeavor but hasn’t gotten there yet.

I would polish off 12 craft beers (or more) frequently and few that was ok.  I started to see it affecting my family and thats when I knew something had to change.  When I reached out to a friend who had gone through AA he said one thing that will always resonate with me... “you might be having fun, but is your family?” I do get random urges for no reason, especially when my family is not around, where it is hard to tell myself no, and sometimes I can’t.  I speak to a few recovering alcoholics frequently, they’ll call me to see how I’m doing and make sure I’m staying in the right path.  Always offering support, at some point I’ll try for zero but I just love the flavor of beer, so as long as I can control it I’ll keep drinking in moderation.

I joke both here and in real life about drinking but actually don't drink that much because I can see how it easy it is to fall into to a very, very bad cycle.  In turn, that leads me to consider now and again that my jokes aren't very funny.

In answer to your questions, some beer here and there in high school.  My drinking stories are for the most part harmless and funny, but there are a couple that are...not.  I'm not qualified to clinically define alcoholism but it sure as shit ruins lives and that's enough for me to say that we have personal and societal obligations to help out.  I'm glad you found a way out and hope you continue on that path for the rest of your life.

Probably around 16 or so when I had a few drinks with my older brother and his friends.  

I'm 51 and I  still drink 2 or 3 times a week, and quite a few beers on the weekend.

Spent 20 years in the Marine Corps, and we did a lot of binge drinking back in the day, now it's just 3 or 4 beers when I drink.

Glad to hear you are doing well with your recovery.

 I have no memory of my first drink. I am sure it was cheap beer at age 18 at a house party.

I have no meaningful experience with alcoholism, thankfully.

The only thing that stops me from drinking daily is the needless caloric intake. When I do drink I usually have no more than two beers or two glasses of wine.

 The last time I got drunk as a full grown adult, it was horrible and I decided that was a young man’s game. My goal is to never be hungover ever again. 

Actually I just realized I did get hungover once more after I made that promise to myself.

Okay, never again starting...now.

Beer? Maybe 7? Maybe 6? I remember having to get a chair to reach the tap. There was always a keg in the house. We were allowed if we wanted. We drank wine at holidays, maybe. By 10 I would imagine. By 12 definitely. We had a few grape vines and made maybe 20-30 gallons of wine a year. 

Alcoholism runs in the family. I think since we were allowed, there was no stigma or feeling of rebellion so I never drank in high school or college. Just occasionally at home. I didn't like much beer and still don't like liquor. Wine is ok, I guess, but I'd rather dark red. 

16, drank 5 o'clock with OJ, which I thought was nasty, so I stole a bud light and also thought it was nasty. My buddy was drinking for the first time too, overdid it and hugged the toilet all night after hitting his head of the corner of the pool table. It all tasted too bad to me to get that drunk the first night. 

I'm definitely a binge drinker on the weekends now, but I can easily have one beer with dinner or a cigarette after work and stop from having any more.

My step mom died from complications with alcoholism almost 10 years ago, so I've seen it in person. Addiction is a disease for sure. It's not a weakness, and it shows great strength to stay away. 

When we were just kids, my parents would have friends over to play cards. My dad would ask one of us to get him another beer and would let us take the last swallow out of the previous beer. We thought that was cool. He would only have an occasional beer and none of us kids became drinkers.

My friend has a 40 year old son in hospice care. When the doctor released the son from the hospital a couple of weeks ago, he told him that if he had another drink he was a dead man. Even that warning was not enough to make him quit.

My first drink was when I was 20 or 21. I don't remember exactly, but it was with my brother and he had bought a few different beers for me to try. I didn't like any of them. Thought it was gross. Now, I will get a 6-pack of beer every now and then, but it usually takes me a few weeks to get through all 6. I have some bourbon in the cupboard too, but it's been a couple months since I last had some of that. It's expensive stuff - I want it to last! 

Looking back, I'm not sure how or why I never got into drinking earlier. Even in college, I just never had a desire to. I don't say that to appear self-righteous or anything, that was just my experience.

Regarding alcoholism, that is not something I've ever personally struggled with, or been closely impacted by others. But, I have my own demons that I battle in other areas, and I imagine the struggle is similar; just different outlets. I would agree with others who have mentioned the need for a power greater and outside of ourselves as necessary to effectively fight the fight.

15 acted like a bafoon still do

Keep up the fight. My brother in law passed last month from liver failure due to drinking. He was 42. We got a phone call last night about my wife's best friend being transported from current hospital to osu. Outlook is more than likely dire. All due to drinking. My sister is spending the rest of her life in prison for killing her husband, which was due to drinking.

So all this being said, there isn't a good side to drinking. I still will have a drink with the guys, but my limit is one. It is a horrible disease. To answer your question, I was 16 drinking MD 20/20.

It was when I was 10 visiting a Turkish prison after meeting a pilot on a flight to L.A.

I started way, way early. Thirteen? That's not the first time I tasted it, but the first time I had at least one beer if not more. As a youth I was a part of a big family with a lot of friends living in a town that was having weddings or some sort of celebration regularly that involved 100s. No one cared if the kids snuck a drink. That was the late 60's, early 70s. From there, my friends and I began to drink regularly throughout our teen years, either sneaking it from our families or stealing. By that time, drinking was a part of life, something that was socially acceptable and something I wanted to do; I loved being buzzed. That said, I didn't seek alcohol on a daily basis, though as a 30 year old I enjoyed getting on a buzz before heading off to the gym. Or studying, lol. I definitely drank too much. In my 40's I was diagnosed with a fatty liver. Fortunately by then I was getting more mature and began to drink less. Now, I hardly drink at all, though I do appreciate a microbrew or a Merlot occasionally. Do I think alcoholism is a disease? Disease to me is a process that causes harm on it's own; if alcoholics didn't drink, there would be no harm. There is an addiction, for sure. I can see how some people may be genetically inclined to want drink as a part of their lives. They function well at 'normal' buzzes, and they wish to continue to feel that way. Sobriety may be an issue with these people; maybe based on socio-economic factors these people need to continue to drink either to escape reality, feel 'real good', or both.

I was 12 when I tried my first beer and thought it was disgusting. Never cared to try it again. Then when I was 13, stayed at my friend's house for New Years and his mom bought us slurpee's and left us a pint of Mad Dog 20/20. That was a great combination to get a 13 year old to like drinking apparently. That lead to me stealing stuff out of my parents liquor cabinet for years.

Now I have a 13 year old and I watch her like a hawk knowing what I went through at that age.

Serious question. What constitutes an alcoholic? What is the difference between someone that drinks too much occasionally and an alcoholic? There are occasional drinkers that are alcoholics and people that drink everyday that aren't alcoholics. Just wondering what that delineation is.

At 16, at a friend's house who was having a keg party. It was beer and I thought it tasted so bad that I was convinced it was skunked. But it was just the taste of beer I wasn't used to. 

First off, congratulations on your continued sobriety.  Alcoholism is real and you are beating it every day.  I think it's a disease.  Your body adapts to the drink and learns to 'need' it.  I'm not an expert, but I think end up wiring your brain to point where you can't go without.

My dad drank a lot.  Mostly Stolis on ice supplemented with beer.  He told me you couldn't drink beer fast enough to get drunk.  The drinking didn't kill him though.  It was asbestosis from working in a steel factory for 33 years. Nobody else in my family was a heavy drinker.  Most of them were/are teetotal Presbyterians.

My first was a glass of sweet red wine on my 14th birthday.  Parents let me drink it.

After that it was when I was 17 and an older friend of ours gave us his DL so we could buy beer.  We'd drink a case between 5 of us in an evening.

It's definitely an acquired taste, but after you acquire it, it's all fun and games.  Fun and games for me resulting from drinking included lacerations, 3rd degree ankle sprains, one bashed up Volkswagen and waking up in my own puke.

I drank like a fish when I was in the army.  I'd drink a case of beer every weekend.  I really didn't slow down until my early 30s when my wife (she could drink and how) was pregnant with our first child.  She stopped drinking during the pregnancy and I slowed down too as it was no fun being the only person drinking.

I drink maybe a 6 pack of beer in a month or 6 weeks now.  I just don't have the hankering for it anymore.  

Given how much I drank when I was in my 20s, I'd say I was a heavy drinker, maybe borderline alcoholic.  I did look forward to getting my drink on.

Is 'once an alcoholic, always an alcoholic' true?  I suspect yes.

10th grade. There was a house party with about twenty kids. Some of them had older siblings buy, but the kid who was hosting had a mom who did not care as long as no one drove. I didn't have a license so it didn't apply to me. An evening of assorted beer, woodchuck cider, Bacardi, and southern comfort resulted in my first hangover.

Congratulations on your 30 years. While I drink regularly myself, it has been a problem in my (Irish American) family. 

I was 8 years old the first time I helped my mom pull my dad out of his T-bird in the ditch at the bottom of the hill we lived on, and I cried. I was not much older, maybe 9, the second time I helped her pull him out, and I called him an SOB (I was terrified of my dad, this took guts). He got the message and checked himself into one of those detox programs in CT that cater to wealthy businessmen and celebrities, and he's been sober for over 45 years. He's 92 and going strong. 

My uncle worked in the Rheingold brewery in Brooklyn when I was a kid, so there were always crates of Rheingold Extra Dry in the basement. I probably had my first beer when I was 10 or 11, in that basement with a friend. 

4th or 5th grade. It was all about the older influences in my life, mostly my two brothers, who were and are 5 and 6 years older than I. As 15/16-year olds, it wasn't unusual for them to be trying beer, but it was probably not ideal that they so encouraged 10-year old me to try (and I was game). I remember going out with my older next-door neighbor (friend of my brothers) and downing most of a bottle of Boone's Farm Orange 'wine' when I was still in elementary school. Threw up all over the bathroom floor and insisted to my parents I hadn't been drinking. Had several blackout and/or embarrassing experiences between then and my 40's (including my oldest brother's wedding party).

I tried pot right around the same time I first tried alcohol, and have had a lifelong relationship with the herb, which has put me into some awkward/unpleasant spots at times, including getting caught with the tiniest amount (less than a joint's-worth) during a routine traffic stop across state lines, which ended up costing me a great deal of money and my driver's license. I've learned the hard way that just a little bit of strong pot when you're already a little on the drunk side can put you right over the edge. 

Now I usually have a 1-2 drinks a day, although it's at all unusual for me to go without. Never have more than that. I also still smoke occasionally, like once every month or so. I suppose it could be some kind of mild addiction that I have. I am going to talk with my kids about this today, it's an awfully important, if difficult, topic to discuss.

Technically my first drink was when I was about 7.  I asked my dad for a beer just to get a reaction.  Turned out his reaction was "ok, here."  It tasted so bad I never touched a drink til college.  My next drink, I was a couple months shy of 19.  Mardi Gras weekend in New Orleans.  I got pretty drunk on Hand Grenades and realized this could be pretty fun.

Is alcoholism a weakness or a disease?  I dunno, both, I guess?  I'm sure there's research I don't have any clue about and I imagine there's a lot that nobody really knows at all.  Common sense suggests that there's a genetic aspect to it and that some people are just a lot more susceptible and less tolerant.  On the other hand, I've known a couple people who pretty clearly made the choice to continue pouring alcohol down their throat and if they ended up addicted, that could hardly be a surprise. 

Personally, it seems likely that I have a pretty high tolerance.  I can go weeks without drinking and not even realize how long it's been; I can have one or two and decide to stop; I can drink for hours on end, or all weekend long, and have a wide range of hangover symptoms the next day from none to "kill me now", all depending on what I was drinking and what I did to take care of myself while drinking.  What this means is that I don't have a really good idea of what it would take to turn myself into a real alcoholic, so I can't be much of an authority on the subject.

Had my first drink between 8th and 9th grade. My best friend and I went into the liquor cabinet and mixed a bunch of different stuff together. It was disgusting. Even though I continued to drink throughout high school (because I was a dumb teenager), I was fortunate in that I never really liked it, and because of that, learned how to nurse one beer over the course of an evening. I'm the same today, although I do love a good beer, but usually only one. Alcoholism is a disease, one that runs in families. Thankfully, it doesn't run in my family. Good for you for staying sober all these years. I used to smoke cigarettes, two packs a day. I quit 30 years ago, too, and sometimes I can still taste it and think that I could easily start up again. But I won't. 

I had my first beer with my dad at 15 or 16 years old.  Was on a fly-in fishing trip in Canada.  I thought it was great, mostly because we were a couple miles into the Canadian wilderness and beer was the only cold drink in the camp during a heatwave.

I do believe in alcoholism, my dad was a drunk and is more than 25 years sober.  I drink 4 to six beers each week, I can tie one on maybe once a month or so.  My problem with alcohol is that I am an avid home brewer and I like the science project of making good beer.  I am the guy to see for everyone's favorite type of beer, Free Beer. I give away about 30 to 40% of what I make to keep bottles empty to refill with the next batch.  I can be pretty popular with the neighbors.

cousin's wedding.  I was 7.  

I caught the bouquet

I was 16 when I got drunk for the first time. Sure, I had had sips of dad's beer before that, but I had never gotten drunk. My freshman year at UM was really difficult for me. I was basically drunk Thursday through Sunday and I really struggled in class because of it. Luckily I was able to pull my head out of my ass and get it under control. 

I still drink socially. Always have. However, over the past few years I have run into an issue. Several years ago I had a DVT blood clot that moved to my lungs. It all worked out just fine, but I am now on blood thinners. It definitely impacts how alcohol affects me. I can go from feeling just socially buzzed to shitfaced in a matter of a half a drink. I have to be careful.

My son is an alcoholic. He is 25. He started drinking in high school and it got worse in college. It has been crippling for him and I have, at times, felt quite helpless. He finally started going to AA about a month ago. It really seems to be helping him. He goes to several meetings a week. This has mostly come to my attention over the last few months. It has cost him jobs and opportunities for jobs. As a dad I just want to fix it, but I know I can't. That has been the hardest part for me. 

Congratulations to you on being sober going on 30 years. I can only imagine how hard it must be to resist that temptation every single day. And in these strange/stressful times it is ever harder, I would assume. Thank you for sharing your story and asking the questions. Best of luck to you!

When I was 7 my older cousin got me drunk on wine cooler during a family vacation. I don’t really count that one, though. 
 

Next time I tried was when I was 16, but the taste of the beer revolted me so much I could only have a couple and didn’t get really drunk.

first time I got truly drunk was when I was 18, the summer before college. At a wedding, same cousin, coincidentally, and my dad fed me 6-7 shots of vodka. I was hammered. Went to the car in the parking lot of the country club, and passed out. My dad and I never had much of a relationship, he is stoic and a difficult person to connect with, but I realized years later he was just getting me ready for college, knowing I hadn’t had any real experiences with alcohol on high school. 
 

Now, in my 40s, I drink maybe once or twice a month, and only a drink or two at a time. Just makes me sleepy and gives me hangovers.

Alcoholism is real.  There's nothing fake about it, nor any other addiction affliction.   30 years without a drink after battling alcoholism is an amazing accomplishment.    As much as I try to empathize, I just can't imagine the struggle.  Godspeed going forward.

I'm lucky.   I have never loved beer or alcohol enough for it to become a worrisome issue for me.  Chronic heartburn is also a fantastic alcohol intake regulator.   I had a few rip-roaring drunk sessions in college and a horrible date with Jim Beam one New Year's Eve that swore me off that stuff for the rest of my life.  On average, my typical alcohol intake is 1 or 2 beers per week.   Also a few margaritas or sangrias during the summer months when the mood strikes.