Disease versus Disgrace

In America alcoholism is regarded as a disease. In this country, however, it’s still regarded as a disgrace. So who perpetrates this shameful attitude? Is it the general public? Not a bit of it. They are fully aware that it takes courage and stick-to-itiveness to recover from alcoholism and extend an extraordinary amount of goodwill towards those who are prepared to confront their problems. Besides, they know full well from bitter experience, that there isn’t a family in this country that hasn’t in some way been affected by the misuse of alcohol and/or drugs

So who’s responsible? I’m afraid it’s some of the recovering alcoholics themselves. These are people who have misunderstood the concept of anonymity. Anonymity was never intended to protect the alcoholic. It was intended to protect the Fellowship from the alcoholic. Alas, many hide fearfully under the bushel of anonymity and their recoveries become invisible to the rest of the world. Sad that - when so many people out there need our help.

People in recovery can offer hope to a world whose peoples are becoming increasingly dependent on alcohol.

And the hope is this: that there is a way out of one of the most invidious illnesses known to mankind – one of the only illnesses that tells you there’s nothing wrong with you; that man is capable of confronting the ‘burden of being human’; is able to stay sober one day at a time, and is able to live a life beyond his wildest dreams.

Recovering alcoholics are living examples of this. We are indeed privileged people.

Please don’t invisibilize that privilege, that’s all I’m suggesting.