battling the booze how aa does the trick

In a special issue devoted to the 20th century, Time magazine selected 100 "Heroes and Icons" who exemplified "courage, selflessness, exuberance, superhuman ability and amazing grace". One of those people was Bill Wilson.

His name may not be familiar to many, but Bill W -- as he liked to be known -- has changed the lives of millions of people, many of whom were born after his death in 1971.

This week, the organisation he established, Alcoholics Anonymous, celebrates its 75th birthday. It has grown from a small group in conservative Ohio, who used Protestant ideals to help beat alcohol addiction, to a worldwide organisation whose attendees transcend religion and nationality.

"AA has its knockers, and it's not perfect, but there is no doubt that it has made a huge difference to many people's lives," says Austin Prior, director of the Dublin-based addictions clinic, The Rutland Centre.

"Much of its philosophy is embraced by addiction centres worldwide, including here. The one-day-at-a-time approach is crucial to beating alcoholism, as is total abstinence. Those actions are as relevant today as when AA was first established."

Mary -- not her real name; the last of the celebrated 12 Steps encourages anonymity -- became addicted to alcohol while still in her early 20s. She has been sober for 15 years and continues to attend AA meetings every fortnight.

She believes the organisation helped save her life. "I got into so many scrapes when drinking that were potentially life-threatening, like swimming while smashed. My drinking had taken quite a big toll physically by the time I stopped."

Initially, Mary was intimidated about going to AA. She had tried alternatives, like seeing a psychologist to help her with stress management, but nothing worked. Eventually, she agreed to go to a meeting.

"I thought it was full of crazy people at first and when I joined, there were very few women or young people there. I heard stories of hospitalisations, car accidents and jail but none of that had happened to me. It only started to work when my own willpower ran out.

"Giving up alcohol is hard but it is nowhere near as difficult as staying sober. AA became successful for me when I wanted to hear how people stayed sober. I wanted to know how to deal with Friday nights without a bottle of wine or how to go to weddings without drinking champagne. Just listening to people share their experience, how they got strength and how they still find hope helped enormously."

Alcoholics Anonymous has its detractors, not least the allegation that it is cult-like. "AA is based on spiritual principles and it is anonymous so people think of it as secretive and cult-like," Mary says, "and I suppose it does aim to brainwash you, by making you believe that drinking again will have a devastating effect. However, no money ever changes hands and the only requirement is a desire to stop drinking."

The Big Book -- as AA's 400-page "bible" is colloquially known -- has changed little since Bill W and others wrote it in 1935. Some find its message overly simple. Others baulk at the repeated references to God. Yet, the several hundred comments on Amazon attest to its power to help people stay sober.

"A lot of the language seems very dated," Mary says. "But the thinking is, 'If it ain't broke, don't fix it.' At first, I hated the language and found it very sexist, but when you don't have a better idea, you'll try anything.

"The 12-step programme is entirely 'spiritual', to use a word that's probably more appropriate than religious. It depends on a person's ability to accept the notion of a higher power, and that doesn't have to mean God. The third step asks that you accept a higher power 'of your own understanding'. I know of one person who used the 46A bus as their higher power because the bus could pass a pub and he couldn't. Essentially, AA is for people whose willpower let them down."

Today, Mary lives a happy, healthy life, is married and enjoys a successful career. She is remarkably open about her battle with alcohol and appreciates the contribution AA made.

Yet, she is cautious when asked if she would recommend AA unconditionally. "Not without guidance. It can be very frightening to go into a room full of recovering alcoholics. It's very helpful to go with someone who has been sober for a while and knows the programme."

AA Ireland can be contacted on 01-8420700 www.alcoholicsanonymous.ie

Source: The Irish Independent, 12/06/2010