JOY1975

Im reading a book called Drink by Ann Dowsett Johnston and i have just got to the chapter on Stigma. It says that your not allowed to speak of your own membership? I have never heard this before, obviously the yellow card - what you see here, what you hear here, let it stay here is a must, but surely its up to you if you want to tell people you go to AA?

Anna

My understanding (though I don't use AA) is that you don't talk about other people you see there.

Mirage74

I've seen where people simply say they quit drinking and don't mention AA. I know someone else who practically has AA emblazoned on her forehead (figuratively) and brings it up all the time. I prefer the former approach, find the second annoying. I think it's ok to confide in someone and tell them you go, Id just be selective and careful about it. My 2 cents

I also think not speaking of others you saw there or what was said goes without saying.

LBrain

it most certainly is up to you.

but when you leave a meeting leave the meeting, the sanctity of a meeting is just that - anonymity. that is the most important concept of it. It is a safe place for people to share knowing that whatever they say will not leave the room. It is vital to allow people to be able to open up. IT IS SACRED.

See the post on "The Anonymous People" - see the film if you can.

Interesting tidbit. I ran into to someone today - never met the guy - and he mentioned a pizza place in a near town. I asked if it was the one across from where they had meetings. He said are you in recovery too? Out of the blue I met someone who does bike rides and is in recovery.

Joe Nerv

Edit: Ahhh... Decided I'm gonna stay outta this one .

PaperDolls

I can break my own anonymity, I just can't break yours.

Gottalife

Anyone attending AA is entitled to remains anonymous if they wish.

Any AA member addressing a public gathering ought to introduce themselves by first name only.

There is also a tradition that AA members always maintain personal anonymity at the level of press, radio, TV and films. This is to guard against the celebrity AA.

We shouldn't be anonymous to each other, but again that is individual choice.
Private disclosure of AA membership is also individual choice. Motives have to be questioned, in my experience. I have no problem making my membership known if it will be helpful to someone, there is no point in being so anonymous that no one can find you when they need help. But if I am looking for some personal advantage, that would not be the right reason for me.

The two key things around anonymity is the protection of the privacy of the newcomer, and the concept of principles before personalities. The latter means that, though we have plenty of famous people in AA, in AA they are just ordinary AA members the same as everyone else. There is only one class of membership.

NoelleR

"what you see here; what you hear here; when you leave here, let it stay here."

I'm a firm believer in this, however, it can depend on how one defines the term 'here' in that statement.

1) Some folks define 'here' as the the four walls and the folks at a particular meeting.

2) Some folks define 'here' to be here in recovery (AA, at least), not a specific meeting or group, but the whole of recovery (AA).

I, personally, am a member of the second group.

(o:
NoelleR

Gottalife

Discretion in what you share is also important. A large number of meetings are open meetings which anyone can attend including non AA members. They are not bound by the same principles.

Bu the same token, the traditions and spiritual principles by which is is suggested we maintain anonymity are not laws, there are no police to encore them. However experience shows that people and groups that stray too far from the traditions tend to bring consequences upon themselves. That's really what the traditions are about, giving us an idea of what works and what we need to avoid, having made plenty of mistakes in the past.