Recognising the Disease of Addiction

When social drinking takes a downward spiral into addiction, help is available. You only have to reach out and call to Alcoholic Anonymous/AA.

For many years I could not stand the smell of alcohol. As a school child, it used to be two things for me. Either the “older people’s soft drink” that my father, and other uncles and aunties, would have at parties. Or the thing that some of my favourite heroes would have in order to fire off the best dialogues, sing amazing songs or break into some “dhinchak” dancing. Throughout college, alcohol was something I could not stand as I thought people would not have control on how they behaved or spoke in front of girls. Never thought that it was the “mark of mardaangi” to down booze and boast about it.

But in my late twenties, things took a complete turn…rapidly spiralling me downward towards a life full of terrible damages than dreams. What started off as a social pleasure soon became a sadistic dictatorship. Weekends became my drinking time. The kick would invite me back during the weekdays as well. Each day had to be ended with alcohol, and I would take more of alcohol than food. Soon, I was enjoying the continuous binge covering many days and nights. I would start drinking in the morning, continue during the day and be ‘passed out’ by the end of day…all along thinking of the next drink.

It made me disregard the love I had for my wife, my family, my friends, my career, my society, my dreams, my ambitions, my beliefs, my ideals, my very thinking…and most sadly, the love I had for myself. For me, there was only one remote controlled action. That was to open the bottle and not close it with any leftover. And, when one was done, it was time for the other, and then the other, and so on and so forth.

I am an Alcoholic.

My name is Anonymous.

The above is a true testimonial. Alcohol and drug addiction is one of the fastest and deadliest spreading diseases across the world. Yes, a disease. The World Health Organisation (WHO) has certified the chronic dependency on alcohol to be a life threatening disease causing physical, emotional and mental damages eventually to result in definite death. But there is help.

Alcoholics Anonymous is a voluntary, worldwide fellowship of men and women, from all walks of life, who meet together to attain and maintain sobriety. The only requirement for membership is a desire to stop drinking. No membership fees. And it’s absolutely free for all.

It is a network of individuals that share their experience, spread strength and hope in order to live happily and die sober. Till date, this fellowship has opened its doors to over 30, 00,000 members in approximately 180 countries…whilst strictly adhering to the primary principle of anonymity.

NEED HELP?

If you need help or know of someone who needs it, dwell on it no longer. Just call 9666806333 (Vizag), 96668049444 (North Andhra), 9666679466 (Guntur), 9666679566 (Vijayawada), 9666466118 (Hyderabad), 9666466119 (Secunderabad), 09022771011 (National Helpline) or log on to www.aagsoindia.org.