Introduction By Steve K The following personal account is an excerpt from Darren McGarvey’s 2022 Reith Lecture Freedom from Want.In it, McGarvey recalls his early sobriety in “the rooms” of mutual-aid recovery meetings, describing the community, accountability, and principles that helped him get well. Although he doesn’t specify the name of any particular fellowship, his […]
By Professor David Best Substance addiction is a hugely damaging experience for individuals, families and communities, whether it is caused by alcohol, heroin, cocaine or any range of other substances. On average, the duration of an addiction ‘career’, as it is known, is estimated at 28 years, typically with an onset age of around 11 […]
By Steve K. “Our common welfare should come first; personal recovery depends upon A.A. unity.” The 12 Traditions of Alcoholics Anonymous serve as guiding principles to ensure the unity, stability, and effectiveness of the AA Fellowship. While the 12 Steps focus on individual recovery, the Traditions focus on the collective health and well-being of the […]
By Steve K. “The word shame is derived from the Indo-European ‘skein’, which means to hide. Shame makes us want to hide from ourselves, and our peers – making shame an existentially isolating state of mind. Feeling shame makes a person dejection-based, passive, or helpless, causing the ashamed person to focus more on devaluing or […]
By Steve K. I recently spent some time listening to someone who suffers from an alcohol use disorder describing their internal struggle, triggered by anxiety and stress, that takes place before they start drinking again after a period of abstinence. As they were describing their experience Freud’s model of personality came to mind, which is […]
12-STEP PHILOSOPHY 