Stigma Creates Resistance: Learning the Truth About Alcoholics

When I first publicly admitted that I was an alcoholic, and after I published my memoir, friends and colleagues told me I was brave. I suppose many people think that I should have shame around my alcohol use disorder, but I do not. I’m conscious now and a person in long-term recovery. It takes courage to look within and be honest with ourselves. Many people are ashamed or unwilling to see their addiction, partly because of the stigma that exists in our society.

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Four years

For the longest time, I didn’t believe alcoholism was a disease. I thought it was a moral failing and a choice. But experience has shown me otherwise. Those that I judged when I was younger because I thought they were out of control or morally inept were struggling with something far more real than I ever imagined. For the past four years, I’ve stayed sober. After years of emotional suffering and excessive wine drinking, I took responsibility for my alcoholism and asked for help from people who knew better than me. I am grateful that I didn’t have to experience huge consequences to see the truth of my ailment. Some people never get the gift of self reflection. It is not their fault. They may not have the psychological make up or be at the point where they can honestly look at themselves. Let’s be patient with them (that’s really really hard to do). I want to help create the kind of world where it’s OK to say I’m an alcoholic without being judged, scorned or stigmatized. (That’s really hard for society to do, too.) It can happen. It is happening. If you or someone you know is struggling, take heart. There is help. We do recover.

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The dam at Still Waters Pond.