Alcoholics Anonymous - Silkworth.net

1 ALCOHOLICSANONYMOUSWE, OF Alcoholics Anonymous , are more than onehundred men and women who have recovered froma seemingly hopeless state of mind and body. To showother Alcoholics precisely how we have recovered is themain purpose of this book. For them, we hope thesepages will prove so convincing that no further authenti-cation will be necessary. We think this account of ourexperiences will help everyone to better understand thealcoholic. Many do not comprehend that the alcoholic isa very sick person. And besides, we are sure that ourway of living has its advantages for is important that we remain Anonymous because weare too few, at present to handle the overwhelming num-ber of personal appeals which may result from this pub-lication.

2 Being mostly business or professional folk, wecould not well carry on our occupations in such an would like it understood that our alcoholic work is writing or speaking publicly about alcoholism,we urge each of our Fellowship to omit his personal name,designating himself instead as a member of AlcoholicsAnonymous. Very earnestly we ask the press also, to observe thisrequest, for otherwise we shall be greatly are not an organization in the conventionalxiiiFOREWORD sense of the word. There are no fees or dues only requirement for membership is an honest desireto stop drinking. We are not allied with any particularfaith, sect or denomination, nor do we oppose simply wish to be helpful to those who are shall be interested to hear from those who are get-ting results from this book, particularly from those whohave commenced work with other Alcoholics .

3 We shouldlike to be helpful to such by scientific, medical, and religious societieswill be welcomed. Alcoholics OF Alcoholics Anonymous believe that thereader will be interested in the medical estimate ofthe plan of recovery described in this book. Convincingtestimony must surely come from medical men who havehad experience with the sufferings of our members andhave witnessed our return to health. A well-known doc-tor, chief physician at a nationally prominent hospitalspecializing in alcoholic and drug addiction, gave Alco-holics Anonymous this letter:To Whom It May Concern:I have specialized in the treatment of alcoholism formany late 1934 I attended a patient who, though he hadbeen a competent businessman of good earning capac-ity, was an alcoholic of a type I had come to regard the course of his third treatment he acquired certainideas concerning a possible means of recovery.

4 As partof his rehabilitation he commenced to present his con-ceptions to other Alcoholics , impressing upon them thatthey must do likewise with still others. This has becomethe basis of a rapidly growing fellowship of these menand their families. This man and over one hundred oth-ers appear to have personally know scores of cases who were of the typewith whom other methods had failed facts appear to be of extreme medical impor-tance; because of the extraordinary possibilities of rapidTHE DOCTOR S OPINION xviiigrowth inherent in this group they may mark a newepoch in the annals of alcoholism.

5 These men may wellhave a remedy for thousands of such may rely absolutely on anything they say truly yours, William D. Silkworth, DOCTOR S OPINIONThe physician who, at our request, gave us this letter,has been kind enough to enlarge upon his views in anotherstatement which follows. In this statement he confirmswhat we who have suffered alcoholic torture must be-lieve that the body of the alcoholic is quite as abnormalas his mind. It did not satisfy us to be told that we couldnot control our drinking just because we were maladjustedto life, that we were in full flight from reality, or wereoutright mental defectives.

6 These things were true to someextent, in fact, to a considerable extent with some of we are sure that our bodies were sickened as well. Inour belief, any picture of the alcoholic which leaves outthis physical factor is doctor s theory that we have an allergy to alcoholinterests us. As laymen, our opinion as to its soundnessmay, of course, mean little. But as ex-problem drinkers,we can say that his explanation makes good sense. Itexplains many things for which we cannot otherwise we work out our solution on the spiritual aswell as an altruistic plane, we favor hospitalizationfor the alcoholic who is very jittery or befogged.

7 Moreoften than not, it is imperative that a man s brain becleared before he is approached, as he has then a bet-xxivter chance of understanding and accepting what we haveto doctor writes:THE DOCTOR S OPINIONxxvThe subject presented in this book seems to me to be ofparamount importance to those afflicted with say this after many years experience as Medical Di-rector of one of the oldest hospitals in the country treat-ing alcoholic and drug was, therefore, a sense of real satisfaction whenI was asked to contribute a few words on a subject whichis covered in such masterly detail in these doctors have realized for a long time that someform of moral psychology was of urgent importance toalcoholics.

8 But its application presented difficulties be-yond our conception. What with our ultra-modern stan-dards, our scientific approach to everything, we are per-haps not well equipped to apply the powers of good thatlie outside our synthetic years ago one of the leading contributors to thisbook came under our care in this hospital and while herehe acquired some ideas which he put into practical appli-cation at , he requested the privilege of being allowed to tellhis story to other patients here and with some misgiving,we consented. The cases we have followed through havebeen most interesting; in fact, many of them are amaz-ing.

9 The unselfishness of these men as we have come toknow them, the entire absence of profit motive, andtheir community spirit, is indeed inspiring to one whohas labored long and wearily in this alcoholic field. Theybelieve in themselves, and still more in the Power whichpulls chronic Alcoholics back from the gates of course an alcoholic ought to be freed from his physicalcraving for liquor, and this often requires a definite hos-pital procedure, before psychological measures can be ofmaximum believe, and so suggested a few years ago, that theaction of alcohol on these chronic Alcoholics is a mani-festation of an allergy; that the phenomenon of cravingis limited to this class and never occurs in the averagetemperate drinker.

10 These allergic types can never safelyuse alcohol in any form at all; and once having formedthe habit and found they cannot break it, once havinglost their self-confidence, their reliance upon things hu-man, their problems pile up on them and become aston-ishingly difficult to emotional appeal seldom suffices. The mes-sage which can interest and hold these alcoholic peoplemust have depth and weight. In nearly all cases, theirideals must be grounded in a power greater than them-selves, if they are to re-create their any feel that as psychiatrists directing a hospital foralcoholics we appear somewhat sentimental, let them standwith us a while on the firing line, see the tragedies, thedespairing wives, the little children.