AA Anonymity Protects the Newcomer
Tradition 12 of Alcoholics Anonymous - Anonymity is the spiritual foundation of all our traditions, ever reminding us to place principles before personalities.
Anonymity Protects the Newcomer
On the practical level, anonymity protects the newcomer. In a society that regarded alcoholism as a moral issue and scorned the weak-willed drunkard, the founding members clung to anonymity as their lifeline. Today, even though alcoholism is recognized as an illness and the stigma has lessened greatly, the individual alcoholic’s own feelings of fear, shame, and guilt are as strong as ever. A.A.’s promise of anonymity may be the only thing that allows a sick and shaking alcoholic to feel safe enough to pick up the phone or walk into an A.A. meeting and take the first halting steps toward recovery. Without it, many who need A.A. might never enter the door.
The individual alone decides just how much personal anonymity to observe with family, friends and employers, and with other A.A. members as well as.
As a rule, the average newcomer wanted his family to know immediately what he was trying to do. He also wanted to tell others who had tried to help him - his doctor, his minister, and close friends. As he gained confidence, he felt it right to explain his new way of life to his employer and business associates. When opportunities to be helpful came along, he found he could talk easily about A.A. to almost anyone. These quiet disclosures helped him to lose his fear of the alcoholic stigma, and spread the news of A.A.’s existence in his community.
What happens if I meet people I know?
They will be there for the same reason you are there. They will not disclose your identity to outsiders. At A.A. you retain as much anonymity as you wish. That is one of the reasons we call ourselves Alcoholics Anonymous.
A.A.’s co-founder, Bill W., affirmed the ongoing importance of anonymity in his “last message†to the Fellowship in October 1970. “If I were asked which of these blessings I felt was most responsible for our growth as a fellowship and most vital to our continuity, I would say, the ‘Concept of Anonymity.’…A.A. must and will continue to change with the passing years. We cannot, nor should we, turn back the clock. However, I deeply believe that the principle of anonymity must remain our primary and enduring safeguard.â€
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