Breaking new ground

Mona

God, grant me the Serenity, to accept the things I cannot change, Courage to change the things I can, and Wisdom to know the difference... chants out the motley crowd, Aisha, (27) is holding hands with Nimisha (31) who is joined by Vaneet (25), Vinod (42)... and so on.

In today’s world when we talk of diminishing bonds, individuals becoming lonelier...this group that belongs to a cross-section of society, they form a strong support.

‘I am Nehal and I am an alcoholic,’ says a woman in her late 30s, sharing her tale of loneliness; this is followed by ‘Main Suresh hoon aur main ek sharabi hoon’... a man revealing his inhibition of joining the group... no scene from sitcom Mom this is, but one of our many chapters from Alcoholics Anonymous — a group that meets every evening, shares its joys and sorrows, small victories and failures...lending support to each other.

Loneliness pangs

Nehal’s story is that of a woman having made her children centre of her world. As her son entered his teens and daughter joined hostel, she suddenly felt lost. Giving company to her husband on night-outs for a drink became the only ‘high’ of her life, “Before I knew, I was not only gulping down my drinks but also finishing my husband’s,” she admits right in your face. And then she became dependent on anti-depressant till her doctors put her in touch with AA. “Here, I got to know I am not the only one and that there is help.”

Fighting back

“In the society that I come from, alcohol is freely available,” says the tall and slender Niharika. When this fun turned into an obsession, she never realised. Educated in the finest university abroad, moving in circles where liquor is essential part of social life, she is trying taking the reins of life in her own hands. Niharika is banking on exercise and meditation to break her addiction. A tough journey, she feels fortunate that her sponsor (mentor from AA) is standing by her in her fight every single minute. Accompanying this young girl is Suhana, her first day at AA. “I have been trying to come here for last 15 year.” Touched by the support she got on her first day, super-inspired by Bhagwan Das, who celebrated his 18th birthday (18 years of being sober) she knows she is home.

Loss & gain

Not all here at this meeting in a prestigious institution are this privileged. Naresh, when he made to his first AA meeting, was just off the street in stinking clothes and womens’ slippers, which he had no memory where he picked from! Seven years sober, he gets welled-up sharing his story, “These very people welcomed me with open hearts. No judgements, no blame game; they helped me to get back home and reunite with my wife.”

Celebrating life

Meanwhile, the birthday card for Bhagwan circulates and members write messages; a white transparent plastic box for donation takes rounds too. This being the opening evening, those who have their birthdays (having completed a fixed number of years remaining sober) cut the cake as their families join in. A tall, old lady draws our attention. “Her husband was a member of AA; she lost him few years back but has continued to come and mentor families,” we are told. Amen!

Noble cause

Alcoholics Anonymous (AA) originated in 1935 in America. Since then this mutually funded support group has spread across the world. It works in a 12-step programme along with daily meetings. The only requirement to join AA is the desire to stop drinking. One can reach out to AA website.

(Names have been changed to protect identities.)

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