By Radhika Nagrath
Haridwar, 14 Nov: The pain for their fellow alcoholic brothers and sisters was well written on their faces. They want to extend a helping hand to all those who have forgotten their families, career and society and fallen prey to some kind of addiction, be it alcohol, drugs or narcotics.
The Fifth Alcoholics Anonymous National Convention kicked off on 13 November at Prem Nagar Ashram in Haridwar where over four hundred members of AA from all over the country gathered to share their strengths, hopes and experiences with others. The four-day long convention from 13 to 16 November will foresee interesting sessions by eminent speakers who want to stay anonymous for a reason.
Vijay, an engineer by profession from Haridwar, shares, “I am a member of AA and am proud to say that today I am leading a useful life for my family, folks and society. I was a habitual alcoholic for 22 years, but now I have not touched this destructive thing for the past 12 years. The alcohol had destroyed me completely; I had started its intake as a hobby but never realised that it would become a problem for me.” Discussing the role of AA, Vijay said, “Alcoholics Anonymous was started in the year Haridwar in 2013 and internationally in Ohio in 1935. Now its presence is in 198 countries worldwide. More than 50 lakh families have taken its benefit till date.”
AA members from all walks of life gather and share strength, hope and experiences with the community members. One of the inspiring speakers, Vishnu Agarwal who now runs Sai Veda Wellness Centre and Deepkunj Ayurveda shared in the morning session, “Surrendering to the higher power is always a bottom line to succeed in life and lead a self-reliant life. The habit of drinking alcohol to the extent that one becomes habitual to it can be overcome when one surrenders to God, and feels that He is ruling our movements and thoughts. Then perfection in our personalities is bound to come.”
“In our convention, we celebrate the milestones of sobriety, enjoy cultural programmes and participate in powerful workshops. Those who have gone through the traumas of being alcoholic, share their tips to overcome the tantrums of alcoholism. Alcoholism is a disease, and the alcoholic needs to be treated with affection. We help the patient in every way to come out of the habit,” says Prince, one of the speakers.
Alcoholics Anonymous (AA) is a global, peer-led mutually aided fellowship focused on abstinence-based recovery from alcoholism through its spiritually inclined Twelve Steps programme. AA holds its regular weekly meetings in various hospitals of the city including Ramakrishna Mission Sevashrama, Haridwar. The helpline numbers are displayed in every hospital.
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