Alcoholism is a serious addiction that afflicts millions of people across the globe. There have been efforts to provide these individuals with support. This support has played a critical role in promoting recovery and restoring the dignity of the addicts. However, for many addicts, help remains unavailable. Essentially, they struggle alone with little hope of recovery. Alcoholics Anonymous (AA) was established with the goal of empowering and helping such addicts. Through its 12-step program, this organization places addicts at the center of their own recovery. The program challenges the addicts to turn to their peers for support and to embrace personal accountability. After a thorough reflection of the program on which AA is established, I have found that it accurately captures the struggles of alcoholics. Step 1 which recognizes the powerlessness of alcoholics specifically reflects the hardships that they endure in their effort to abandon alcoholism.
The details are still fresh in my memory. He smelled like he had not showered in at least one week. He had a bottle in his hand and he was struggling to stay on his feet. “Nelson, you promised that last week would be the last. You are here again and my patience is running thin.” The previous week, Nelson, one of my closest friends had shown up at my door. He was drunk and in a pathetic state. This sight had become common. “I know. I know. Please let me in.” I do not understand why I always let him in. We would speak at length about his drinking and he would promise to change. However, he would be back at my door only a few days later. “What is wrong with him? I do not understand why he is unable to stop. I am sure that he understands that his drinking is to blame for his joblessness and his broken relationships.” These were my thoughts as I became increasingly frustrated. I could not continue to intervene in the life of a friend who was simply too reckless and irresponsible to fix his mess.
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Before alcoholism took over his life, Nelson was a promising young man. He was set to graduate from college and had already been promised a job with a local engineering company. His parents were immensely proud and his girlfriend loved him deeply. Then it happened. Nelson’s mother died and this marked the beginning of his decline. Initially, he only drank occasionally. However, after a few weeks, Nelson made the local bar his new home. “Hello. He is here again and he won’t leave. Please come fetch him.” This was the bartender calling at 2am on a rainy night. For two years now, Nelson has struggled with alcoholism. His health has suffered and he has been forced to drop out of college. I am probably the only friend who exhibits some sympathy and compassion. His dad cut all ties with him and Nelson has not seen him in two years. His sad and deplorable situation is despite the fact that he has sought help. There was a time when he made some encouraging progress; he remained sober for three weeks. I have never been more proud of him. Reflecting on Nelson’s struggles has challenged me to recognize that alcoholism and other addictions rob individuals of their freewill and power. Addictions render them completely unable to resist and seek treatment.
As noted earlier, the AA was set up with the primary goal of responding to the plight of alcoholics who were struggling alone. The 12-step program has empowered thousands of alcoholics to reclaim their lives and dignity. I remember that Nelson joined a local AA group. “I am very proud of you. I believe that this marks the first step towards healing and recovery for you.” I can still remember my response when he shared with me that he had decided to tackle his alcoholism. I should have known that he would be unable to stay committed to the AA program. Only a few weeks later, he was back. “I am very sorry. Please don’t give up on me. I promise that I am trying.” Nelson has exhausted my patience. It is with regret and shame that I share that I closed my door in his face. “He needs to grow up. I am not his mother and I also have other commitments that require my attention. I mean, I am also an adult who has struggles. But do they seem me taking to the bottle? No, I solve my problems like an adult.”
One of the issues that this class has tackled is how difficult the quest for sobriety can be. This difficulty is reflected in the first of the 12-step AA program. The AA understands that alcoholics have lost all power and are simply unable to tackle their addiction. They need constant support, love and understanding if they are to be successful in their effort to abandon alcoholism. I find that my realization of this truth happened rather late. I turned my back on a close friend whose struggles I did not understand. I felt that he was exploiting our friendship and that he was not committing enough effort. Thanks to this class, I now recognize that strong social support structures are vital for the recovery of alcoholics.
One of the issues that underlie the AA 12-step program is the belief that alcoholics are subject to the ravages of mental illness. Essentially, this program contends that those struggling with alcoholism have some underlying mental problem that makes it difficult for them to strive for sobriety. While I think that alcoholism somewhat strips individuals of their freewill, I do not think that mental illness plays any role. In the time that I have been friends with Nelson, he has not exhibited any symptoms that could suggest that he struggles from a mental illness. In fact, his excellent academic record and his promising future indicated that he was in perfect mental health. I think that the claim that mental illness is to blame for the struggles of alcoholics is baseless and inconsistent with my own observations. I would go as far as to argue that this claim is designed to shield alcoholics from demands that they should act like adults and demonstrate personal accountability. However, after witnessing Nelson struggle, I understand that the journey towards sobriety is daunting and rife with challenges. Having said this, I still think that some level of personal responsibility is needed for full recovery. Overall, combined with the insights that I have gained through his class, my experiences with Nelson have challenged me to be more sympathetic and to recognize that alcoholism and other addictions are complex problems that require well-designed and evidence-based interventions.
In conclusion, the importance of AA cannot be overstated. Since its establishment, this organization has helped thousands of struggling alcoholics to regain their lives. The 12-step program is among the tools that enhance the effectiveness of the AA. However, this program has failed to deliver healing for people like Nelson. Nelson continues to struggle with alcoholism despite the numerous interventions that he has adopted. He has participated in AA sessions. Through these sessions, he has been exposed to the troubles experienced by other alcoholics. I find it unfortunate that Nelson is still yet to find healing. To help alcoholics like Nelson to recover, society needs to be more accepting, forgiving and sympathetic. We need to understand that alcoholism is a serious challenge that can be tackled through strong support for alcoholics.
