Recovered alcoholics raise a toast to life

Nestled in the foothills of the Shivaliks, the sprawling Premnagar Ashram on the banks of the Ganges in Haridwar played host to an unusual gathering in the mid-November balmy weather, ideal for an afternoon drink for many. Hundreds of members of Alcoholics Anonymous (AA), a worldwide fellowship of over 20 lakh recovering alcoholics, raised a toast over a cup of coffee or tea instead — reaffirming their faith that a sober and normal life was possible without that ‘Patiala peg’ which virtually destroyed their lives once.

With gratitude in the heart and a prayer on the lips, enthusiastic recovering alcoholics shared their experience, strength and hope at the 5th AA Haridwar Convention on an apt theme — “towards spiritual awakening”.

“The convention is a thanksgiving event at the serene, tranquil retreat to renew our sobriety ‘one day at a time’, and pass on the message to the still-suffering alcoholics that a sober and useful life is possible without a drink,” says Suryakant, one of the organisers.

AA, according to him, is a fellowship of men and women who come together to solve their common drinking problem. Founded by two alcoholics, Dr Bob and Bill W, on June 10, 1935, in Akron (Ohio) in the US, the AA boasts of over 1.23 lakh groups across 180 countries. In India, AA has over 900 groups, comprising over 40,000 sober members.

Free membership is open to anyone who wants to do something about his or her drinking problem, Suryakant says, underlining that AA’s primary purpose is to help alcoholics achieve sobriety.

The fellowship’s book, titled ‘Alcoholic Anonymous’, outlines AA’s 12 Steps, a set of spiritual principles. When practised as a way of life, these can root out the obsession to drink and enable a suffering alcoholic to recover from alcoholism.

The stories of the recovering alcoholics are nothing short of miracles. “Meri kahani arsh se farsh tak aur phir arsh tak ki hai (Mine is a riches to rags and back to riches story),” says Amulya, a recovering alcoholic with over 10 years’ sobriety.

The only child of a well-to-do family from Delhi, Amulya had his first taste of beer in the starting year of professional college. Along with graduating in computer science, he soon graduated from beer to hard drinks — vodka during the day and whisky in the evening. By the time he got married at 25, he was a full-blown 24X7 alcoholic despite vociferous protests from his parents and his wife.

On the professional front, he was the star employee with an MNC. “The birth of a daughter and a well-deserved early promotion called for a big bash at our house in Delhi. While other guests enjoyed their drinks followed by sumptuous food, I was drinking well into the wee hours, embarrassing myself and my family,” he recalls, adding that he assaulted his parents and wife in full public view when asked to stop.

“With no love life at home, secondary addictions, especially paid sex, soon took over my life. For the next almost 10 years, I made life hell for my parents, wife and kid. Cheap whisky on the rocks and sexual escapades culminating into binge drinking put my personal and professional life also on the rocks,” he says.

“Divorce and job loss pushed me into self-pity and a morass of uncontrolled drinking. The death of my parents in a car accident proved to be the proverbial last straw. Such was my moral and spiritual bankruptcy that I showed up to lit the funeral pyre sozzled. Holed up in my room, I wished for the end, even making a feeble suicide attempt. It was a hopeless state of mind and body,” quips Amulya, as his eyes well up.

However, an AA pamphlet offering help to problem drinkers provided him a ray of hope. “Hoping against hope, I strayed into an AA meeting where I found unconditional love. After a few weeks of my last experiments with alcohol, I started staying sober through AA’s 12 Steps,” he asserts.

Ultimately, he was re-united with his family. “By God’s grace and to my utter surprise, my wife and daughter accepted me. I, along with my wife, started a small business. My relations with my daughter and other near and dear ones have shown a marked improvement. I am trying to be a useful member of the family. Finally, I am at peace with myself and the world around,”Amulya signs off.

At Haridwar, there was no dearth of such stories — resonating hope amidst gloom.

Got an alcohol problem? Get in touch

Helplines

Punjab

94178-37531/

73800-93946

Haryana

94666-35492

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94170-37538

Shakti Group

(women’s helpline)

98107-91518

Website: www.aa.org/ www.aagsoindia.org