Problem Drinker in Employment - The AA Solution
What is a problem drinker?
Not too long ago alcoholism was viewed as a moral problem. Today many regard it a primary health problem. To the problem drinker, it will always remain an intensely personal matter. Most of us have been unwilling to admit we were real alcoholics. No person likes to think he is bodily and mentally different from his fellows. Therefore, it is not surprising that our drinking careers have been characterized by countless vain attempts to prove we could drink like other people. The idea that somehow, someday he will control and enjoy his drinking is the great obsession of every abnormal drinker. The persistence of this illusion is astonishing. Many pursue it into the gates of insanity or death. We learned that we had to fully concede to our innermost selves that we were alcoholics. This is the first step in recovery .
(Taken from the book Alcoholics Anonymous, page 30)
Members of Alcoholics Anonymous regard themselves to be suffering from an illness, a progressive illness, which can never be cured but which, like some other illnesses, can be arrested. For them the illness consists of a physical allergy to alcohol, coupled with a mental obsession with drinking, which regardless of consequences cannot be broken by will power alone.
The Work Situation
It is the experience of AA that some of the difficulties created for employers by problem drinkers can be reflected in declining standards of work, lower output, excessive absenteeism, higher levels of sick leave, increased number of accidents in the workplace and strained relationships with fellow employees.
The very size of the problem, particularly its cost in human as well as economic terms, is such that neither management nor team leaders can afford to ignore it. However, the problem for them is how to recognise the person with a drinking problem - and having done so, what they should do about it. Arising from our drinking experience, AA members often refer to alcoholism as the disease of "DENIAL". The alcoholic is usually the last person to admit and accept that they have a drinking problem. Until he/she is able to make such an admission, it is unlikely that they will be willing to seek or accept the help which is available. The attitude is often compounded by management, team leaders and fellow workers. Apart from the fact that many of them do not recognise the problem drinker as a sick person, they believe that in any case a person's health problem is a private matter.
The fact, that like any other illness alcoholism is no respecter of persons is reflected in the diversity of the AA membership. At any meeting, you may find the storekeeper, the sales manager, the shorthand typist, the managing director, the office cleaner, the process worker, the clergyman, the police officer, and the company accountant sharing what drink did to them after they had taken the first drink. Their stories often reveal the appalling physical, moral and mental degradation which they and their families suffered as the result of their alcoholic drinking. When they go on to share what they are like today - good fathers or mothers, husbands or wives, respected as valued fellow workers and colleagues, citizens of the world once more - they frequently talk of their gratitude to an understanding employer, a caring fellow worker or a supportive team leader, who first helped them face up to their problem and directed them to Alcoholics Anonymous.
Today in many companies, increased understanding and co-operation between representatives of the team leader and management have enabled them, within the spirit of the Health and Safety at Work Act, to regard the problem drinker in employment as a sick person rather than a bad employee. Thus, enlightened management deal with such cases within the sickness instead of the disciplinary code, through the establishment of employee alcoholism recovery programmes. AA does not establish such programmes - but will co-operate with these programmes in any way it can.
The AA Solution
The AA Fellowship is non-professional and its primary purpose is the personal recovery and continued sobriety of those who it helps. As one of a number of organisations who will co-operate with management and team leaders, with the sole purpose of helping any employee who has a drinking problem; AA offers the experience, strength and hope of more than 2,200,000 recovering alcoholics in 134 countries world wide. Members meet in Groups of which there are more than 3,000 in Great Britain alone. The AA Fellowship's unique contribution and approach lies in its capacity and willingness to share the personal experience of its members who once drank to excess, but who now pursue productive lives without the use of alcohol in any form.
How then has AA helped so many problem drinkers to recover? The Fellowship of AA and its recovery programme are described in detail in the basic text of our Society, "Alcoholics Anonymous", and in other AA literature.
For the purpose of this pamphlet, the programme can be summarised in the following terms:-
The alcoholic-
admits he needs help to solve his drinking problem; accepts the fact that, as an alcoholic, he cannot use alcohol in any form;
associates himself/herself with other recovering alcoholics, sharing their experience with them.
This is only a brief outline of the AA solution to the problem drinker in employment.
We would welcome to opportunity to:-
1. Present public information meetings to describe the AA programme to employees.
2. Work with your HR department or any anyone else you may designate to work out how AA can be of assistance.
3. Accompany alcoholic employees who require help to AA meetings.
For further information please E Mail TVIAAEMPLOYMENT@Aol.com