Why does everyone in Al-Anon practice “anonymity” as they do in Alcoholics Alcoholism?
A. Even today, the disease of alcoholism is widely misunderstood. In fact, many people still do not regard alcoholism as a disease even though the American Medical Association officially declared it as such in 1952. Many still consider alcoholics and drug addicts weak-willed, immoral, dysfunctional and bordering on insane, so the principle of anonymity protects families from public scrutiny. But it also does another important thing. It helps everyone in Al-Anon-rich and poor minority. Young and old-identify and share their experiences on an equal footing, eyeball to eyeball, with love and respect regardless of their backgrounds and where they came from.
