AA stands for alcoholics ANONYMOUS
Member
Join Date: Mar 2011
Location: CAPE COD, MA
Posts: 1,020
I understand some not wanting attendance or membership in AA. For myself it's OK as I feel it's a hard fought for accomplishment and perhaps I might help someone if others know I'm in. We never know. I've always found it interesting that when drinking and were a public AH that wasn't as bad as going to AA which helps fix us. BE WELL
Member
Join Date: Sep 2010
Location: Mgm, AL
Posts: 1,000
Everyone knew what I was when I was drinking. Everyone knows I'm sober.
"I am responsible. Whenever anyone reaches out for help, I want the had of AA to always be there, and for that, I am responsible." Responsibility Declaration, read at every Happy Hour meeting in Montgomery, Alabama.
"Those who mind don't matter and those who matter don't mind." Seuss.
I wish I had known about the wisdom in AA long before it became my last chance...
"I am responsible. Whenever anyone reaches out for help, I want the had of AA to always be there, and for that, I am responsible." Responsibility Declaration, read at every Happy Hour meeting in Montgomery, Alabama.
"Those who mind don't matter and those who matter don't mind." Seuss.
I wish I had known about the wisdom in AA long before it became my last chance...
Member
Join Date: Mar 2013
Posts: 126
It's how you look at the problem. If you don't drink alcohol, what's the problem? The people who drink alcohol and can't control their drinking are the ones with the problem. So I don't think you lied on your application.
Life Health Prosperity
Join Date: Sep 2011
Location: Louisana
Posts: 6,752
I should have been a little clearer about, "To Thine On Self Be True". That means to take care of you first and above all else. Risking my lively hood by admitting that I am an alcoholic is out of the question. I don't recommend anybody do it. 
Behold the power of NO
Join Date: Jan 2013
Location: WA
Posts: 7,764
I drank alone and I do not publicize being in recovery (except with my 2 best friends). It's just nobody's business. Now that being said, I will break my anonymity when needed to reach out to the still suffering and do 12 steps work.
I also concur with Neferkamichael, the OP should not be risking his livelihood. Yes, recovery is great but prejudices still exist and we need to be pragmatic: the local AA group will not pay his rent if he gets terminated because someone broke his anonymity.
I also concur with Neferkamichael, the OP should not be risking his livelihood. Yes, recovery is great but prejudices still exist and we need to be pragmatic: the local AA group will not pay his rent if he gets terminated because someone broke his anonymity.
12 Step Recovered Alcoholic
Join Date: Apr 2012
Location: New Zealand
Posts: 6,613
An individual AA member ought to be as anonymous as they wish and I would never disclose the membership of another without their permission. If I am asked where I met someone in AA, I have to quickly cook up a story to put them off the scent. This would be one of the few occasions where telling the truth would be more harmful than telling a lie.
Also, if I call an AA member on the phone, or return a 12 step call, if I am not talking to the specific person and have to leave a message, I do not say anything about AA.
That said, being a recovered alcoholic means I have taken all the steps, including making amends to those I have harmed and that automatically means my anonymity is out the window. Employers, workmates, friends all knew what a hopeless drunk I was. I didn't have to tell them that.
Now they know I have recovered, and they know how I was able to recover. In later years this resulted in one of their friends, someone I didn't know, coming to AA and recovering also. He told me that when he was trying to decide what to do, my name came up as an example of what AA can do and that helped him decide.
Dr Bob once wrote of anonymity something along the lines that we need always maintain personal anonymity at the level of press, radio, tv and films, but to maintain it at any other level was just as much a breach of the traditions. We ought not be so anonymous that the still suffering alcoholic can't find us.
From another point of view the principle of anonymity tends to prevent the stronger personalities running the show, and keeps us all pretty much on the same level. It would be dreadful if we had a bunch of celebrity spokespeople to whom the rest of the fellowship was expected to give the red carpet treatment.
Also, if I call an AA member on the phone, or return a 12 step call, if I am not talking to the specific person and have to leave a message, I do not say anything about AA.
That said, being a recovered alcoholic means I have taken all the steps, including making amends to those I have harmed and that automatically means my anonymity is out the window. Employers, workmates, friends all knew what a hopeless drunk I was. I didn't have to tell them that.
Now they know I have recovered, and they know how I was able to recover. In later years this resulted in one of their friends, someone I didn't know, coming to AA and recovering also. He told me that when he was trying to decide what to do, my name came up as an example of what AA can do and that helped him decide.
Dr Bob once wrote of anonymity something along the lines that we need always maintain personal anonymity at the level of press, radio, tv and films, but to maintain it at any other level was just as much a breach of the traditions. We ought not be so anonymous that the still suffering alcoholic can't find us.
From another point of view the principle of anonymity tends to prevent the stronger personalities running the show, and keeps us all pretty much on the same level. It would be dreadful if we had a bunch of celebrity spokespeople to whom the rest of the fellowship was expected to give the red carpet treatment.
Member
Join Date: Nov 2007
Posts: 26,425
Originally Posted by Ryno03272009 
Hello, my name is "Ryno" and I am a Alcoholic.
Recently, I have moved back to my home state and I have beome afraid to make friends and share my experience strength and hope in AA. I fear that some people do not value or rather forgt that AA stands for Alcoholics ANONYMOUS and the people you meet and hear speak should remain with that meeting room.
Already, in my 4 years sobriety I have had 2 ocassions where someone inmet in sobriety at AA has blabbed to another person outside of AA that I am in AA. "Hey this is 'Ryno,' I met him in AA." Its a odd, awkward and almost angry feeling to me when I findout someone blabbed to another person I am in AA.
The jobs I currently work in and are pursuing - I could legitimately lose if my emoyers found out I am a recovering alcoholic. Even having been sober 4 years, my employers would not recogize my accomplishments and instead would focus on the fact that I lied on my government applications about having a problem with alcohol - "I didnt have problem with alcohol. Alcohol had a problem with me." Lol
But this is not a laughing matter - today I see people driving around with AA stickers on their cars, wearing AA convention t-shirts and talking about it openly. I think thats great for THEM - but keep me out of it!!
Has anyone else experienced these concerns regarding AA not being so Anonymous anymore?
Recently, I have moved back to my home state and I have beome afraid to make friends and share my experience strength and hope in AA. I fear that some people do not value or rather forgt that AA stands for Alcoholics ANONYMOUS and the people you meet and hear speak should remain with that meeting room.
Already, in my 4 years sobriety I have had 2 ocassions where someone inmet in sobriety at AA has blabbed to another person outside of AA that I am in AA. "Hey this is 'Ryno,' I met him in AA." Its a odd, awkward and almost angry feeling to me when I findout someone blabbed to another person I am in AA.
The jobs I currently work in and are pursuing - I could legitimately lose if my emoyers found out I am a recovering alcoholic. Even having been sober 4 years, my employers would not recogize my accomplishments and instead would focus on the fact that I lied on my government applications about having a problem with alcohol - "I didnt have problem with alcohol. Alcohol had a problem with me." Lol
But this is not a laughing matter - today I see people driving around with AA stickers on their cars, wearing AA convention t-shirts and talking about it openly. I think thats great for THEM - but keep me out of it!!
Has anyone else experienced these concerns regarding AA not being so Anonymous anymore?
I absolutely do not discuss alcoholism at work, and as far as I know no one at my current department knows of my alcoholism. I don't want them to know. But I am an alcoholic, and if it comes out...I just have to deal with it. I made a choice to not tell my workplace about it, and if they find out from some other source...well it will be a concequence of my own choices as well as other's actions.
Bring it up at a meeting. There were times when we had so many meetings on anonymity I got really tired of hearing about it
Member
Join Date: Apr 2012
Location: northern michigan. not the U.P.
Posts: 15,281
what I had to do when it started bothering me is work the steps. im not God and have no power over other people to protect my anonymity.
I have no fear today whether anyone knows I am in recovery or not as God is my employer and He is in control, not me. wouldn't it be a great world if everyone did as I said they should?
some are sicker than others and still suffer from pride,ego, and selfishness.
I have no fear today whether anyone knows I am in recovery or not as God is my employer and He is in control, not me. wouldn't it be a great world if everyone did as I said they should?
some are sicker than others and still suffer from pride,ego, and selfishness.
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