Anonymous No More!

Since Alcoholics Anonymous was founded back in 1935, it has provided a philosophical foundation for millions of addicts trying to get their behavior under control. Used to be, alcoholism (and substance dependency in general) was a shame, and something to hide. Society just didn't want to "see" alcoholics - and so in order for a single individual to acknowledge and address their problems, they had to remove the connection between their bad behavior and their public face.

The world has moved on. Being in recovery isn't a stigma like it used to be - and dozens of different books have been written about the process of kicking substance dependency. If you find yourself addicted to meth, you aren't alone. It is a shame for you, but not a shame in general - there are thousands of other meth addicts out there, self-identified and ready to talk about what worked for them in the struggle to free themselves from the pipe. People who were once meth-addicted are now functioning and productive members of society. If they can do it, so can you!

Humans have always used mind-altering substances. Ancient Egyptians and Mesopotamians brewed beer, Greeks and Romans used opium, and the history of cannabis is found in archaeological sites all over the near East. Each encounter with a chemical that alters perception is like a dance with a demon; depending on your psychological history and your metabolism, you may find it easy to say no to that second glass of wine and quit the dance floor gracefully, or you may become so enraptured by the experience that you'll let that demon dance you to death. Collectively closing our eyes and covering our ears and shouting "LA LA LA LA LA LA LA I CAN'T HEAR YOU!" does not make this fundamental aspect of human behavior any less fundamental; for our own good we should be dealing with it openly so that we can see what the mechanisms of addiction really are. Too many people have danced themselves to death already. Anonymity is very often the first door to recovery, but maintaining it across the board, far beyond its utility, is destructive. My respects to those who have been brave enough to talk about their journey openly.

Read more here: Challenging the Second ‘A’ in A.A. via NYTimes.com