Why Do I Have to Call Myself an Alcoholic?
Question by Sammie: Why do I have to call myself an alcoholic?
I was sentenced to attend AA meetings. In AA, everyone is prompted to call themselves alcoholics. They go around in a circle in which every member says “I am ***** and I am an alcoholic.”
I had a drinking problem my freshman year of college. I drank 10-15 times. I have not drank since my alcohol citation (two years ago)
I do not like to refer to myself as an alcoholic. I had an abusive boyfriend and endured years of slanderous insults….slut, whore, skank etc, fatass, etc. Since then, I have gained self-esteem and self-respect. My therapist says I should no longer give into these labels.
Refering to myself as an alcoholic makes me depressed. I no longer attend AA, but it still upsets me when I think of how I had to declare myself an alcoholic over and over again. I have been sober two years.
The term “alcoholic” is not even an accepted psychological term. The DSM-IV uses “alcohol dependence” and “alcohol abuse”
I understand they want people to use the term so they acce
pt that they absolutely cannot drink again, but aren’t the majority of people in AA depressed and it wears on their self-esteem?
pt that they absolutely cannot drink again, but aren’t the majority of people in AA depressed and it wears on their self-esteem?
Best answer:
Answer by albrightlesa
stop beating yourself up over this just like the drinking put the meetings out they are just a mass program that works for most people so when you put into its perspective of the good it has done others then you can leave it where you left the drinking in your past If you want to start a support group with those very thoughts then go for it otherwise listen to your therapist labels are for cans ,box’s ,not you so put your hand out and gently blow all that away.
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