“Hi,” we start off, “My name is _____ and I’m an alcoholic.”
I’m an addict, I’m a gambling addict, I’m a sex addict, I’m a love addict, I’m a sex and love addict, I’m codependent, I’m an overeater, I have an eating disorder. When we introduce ourselves at twelve step meetings of any kind, we introduce ourselves in this way. We state our name and we follow it by identifying ourselves. Some people see the identification in twelve step meetings as a helpful tool for their personal program of recovery. Others see it as an intimidation or as unnecessary.
“Having had a spiritual awakening as the result of these steps, we tried to carry this message to alcoholics, and to practice these principles in all our affairs,” reads the twelfth step. More commonly discussed, the twelfth step is about “carrying the message to the newcomer”. Each twelve step meeting includes “newcomers” or people in their first few days, if not first few hours, of sobriety. Identifying as an alcoholic is a way of carrying the message to them that there is no shame in identifying as an alcoholic, and that by doing so, living a happy life of recovery is possible.
Smarmore Castle Private Clinic offers residential treatment programmes for detox and inpatient to men and women. Welcome drug and alcohol addiction, gambling addiction, and sex addiction, our proven model provides each client with a program of recovery. For information, speak with one of our caring staff members today by calling +353 41 214 5111.
