ALCOHOLICS’ QUALITIES

Press, Volume CI, Issue 29911, 27 August 1962, Page 11

ALCOHOLICS’ QUALITIES

“High Salvage Value”

The type of personality generally associated with alcoholism contained numerous admirable qualities. The alcoholic was thus considered to have a ‘‘high salvage value,” said Dr. F. O. Bennett, speaking at a public meeting of Alcoholics Anonymous on Saturday evening. Recovering alcoholics were progressive. individualistic, self-deprecating and adopted a positive attitude to life, he said. Individualism, aggressiveness, ambition and awareness that he was unable to achieve his ideals were often the basic reasons for a man becoming dependent on liquor. Once an alcoholic had taken the hardest of all steps, that of sublimating his introverted personality and recognising a reason for existence outside of himself, he acquired the serenity, and subsequently the confidence, to meet his major problem. Dr. Bennett said. Three members of Alcoholics Anonymous described their experiences. The realisation of their powerlessness to control their lives properly while liquor was a paramount interest, and the recognition of a need to take positive action against the addiction, was a fundamental step towards rehabilitation. But it was a difficult one and many persons refused to face the truth in this respect, one speaker said. “There was no cure for alcoholism, but it could be arrested.” The struggle against it could not be successful without help. One speaker said once he had accepted his failing, and gained a full realisation of the harm it had been to himself and his family he had had little difficulty in rejecting liquor. The others said the recovery, still in progress, was a gradual, but very edifying process. The city council realised the social importance of the task undertaken by Alcoholics Anonymous, said the Deputy Mayor (Mr H. P Smith) at the opening of the meeting. He assured the organisation of any practical support which could be given by the council. Alcoholism was not just an individual, but a social problem and many members of the public were not aware of the effect of this failing on the community, he said.