Commemoration and the Healing of Memories in Alcoholics Anonymous

Abstract

Alcoholism is an affliction that severely damages human memory and human social relations. The doctrine and practices of Alcoholics Anonymous (AA) heal memory damaged by alcoholic drinking. First, meetings and other social interactions with other AA members provide the participant with a "therapeutic reminder" of his or her affliction. Second, AA's concept of the affliction of alcoholism coupled with its practice of recounting life stories gives the alcoholic a sense of self‐continuity that may have been interrupted by years of heavy drinking. Third, AA's program for recovery provides a confessional practice (the Fourth and Fifth Steps) that allows for a life accounting for the alcoholic, giving the alcoholic's life meaning and coherence. Finally, by placing the alcoholic's experiences and self‐understandings in a broader framework, the individual's own story is made part of the larger story of the fellowship and a positive part of a tradition of mutual aid.