BellaOnline Forums Family 12 Step Recovery Anonymity

In answer to both Frank and Sierra..our "social" lives changed in the past few years for many reasons, not necessarily negative. So, the old "friends" have no clue there is/was any type of recovery going on with us. We will not be entertaining at our home and I have a clue this couple may actually know I'm in the program but not ask. They had a wine party a couple of years ago and only me and a pregnant girl didn't drink. It did not go unnoticed but no one made a big deal out of it either. Anyway, it is true that if I don't want the rest of the world to know, I shouldn't say a thing. No one in the past has required an explanation. I'm not uncomfortable with this at all. Just kind of throwing the anonymity question out there. Thanks!

Cool! Its great to know that there are others out there!

I am going to keep this forum open in the hope that some of you viewing will add to it. Anonymity is important in different ways to all of us. And with that let me add that I am not all that conscious about anonymity as it might sound but I think this is reflective of how society deals with different addictions. After a hundred years of smoking, I celebrated 9 mos. smoke free on Oct. 11. I would have been comfortable shouting from the rooftops. Hmmm? What about sobriety dates? Doubt it.

if anyone had followed this last week, I mentioned I was having dinner with friends who were part of my drinking years but that I had not seen in a while. Of course, I do not drink. Was it noticed? Yes it was and the female of the couple said, "you stopped drinking a number of years ago, didn't you?" I replied, yes I did and I stopped smoking, too. End of conversation.

In other words, for the most part if you really feel it is important to be anonymous, even for that one time, say only what is required of you and that's that!

I'm hoping some of you will continue with your own stories of anonymity.