Advocates and diplomats are needed to help make a difference

PREFACE: This is the fourth of six articles that I wrote as a guest columnist for the Anchorage Daily News "Voices from the Community" series, it was printed Wednesday, January 8, 1992 (http://www.adn.com/). The pictures weren't included in the article.

“There’s a quit revolution slowly, but surely, gaining popularity in Alaska – sobriety. As times have changed, more people are open to sobriety’s virtues, and the derogatory sentiment that shrouded it for years is eroding. However, before sobriety can become a fully intrinsic part of any community it’ll have to be role-modeled into existence.

There are many misconceptions about sobriety. Often it’s a strained topic of debate among friends, family members and associates.

Some refer to [sobriety] as drinking responsibly, drinking less, never drinking before noon, or drinking only on weekends. Others think sobriety is a curse of being dull, boring, and glum.

For [me] and others that I know, sobriety refers to being happy, joyous, and free. It’s having a quality of life worth living, healthy and whole-heartily in total abstinence, yet understanding of others who choose to drink.

Many of us know people who drink and who don’t seem to have any problems, which is OK. But many of us also know people who drink and have episodic problems in varying degrees. You’d think they’d recognize that the link between them and their problems was alcohol? But, no!

People are different: different looking, different in size, weight, height, and most of all, different in genetic metabolic makeup. People have different tolerance levels to alcohol. The lower the tolerance level, the higher the risk of becoming addicted to and suffering from the multifaceted disease of alcoholism. Some people essentially become allergic to [alcohol: break out symptoms include, but are not limited to]…fighting, [getting arrested]…, and accidents throughout their drinking career.

How do I know? I suffer from this disease of alcoholism. It’s akin to having cancer that has no cure. I also know because I tried all [the misconceptions about sobriety] – I am living proof that they don’t work. The only thing about suffering from a disease like this, and not cancer, is that alcoholism can be arrested by simply not drinking one day at a time.

Sober now for 3 ½ years, I still remember moments when I worshipped a porcelain god (the toilet), praying to be anywhere than where I already was (eeeurrrope). Not to mention some of the embarrassing and compromising moments, broken promises and artificial relationships at routine weekend parties with my ‘friends.’ Those days I DO NOT MISS! Thank God for sobriety!

No doubt that without alcohol, sobriety wouldn’t be an issue: it’s the oldest universal and recreational drug in existence. Alcohol’s roots go so far back that families spanning generations, even cities and countries attribute their identities, traditions, festivals, ceremonies and their economies to it. Today, alcohol is so institutionalized in our society that we impose taxes on it to supplement rehabilitation programs.

Talk about [a] not winning for losing scheme and a dog that’s obsessed with chasing its own tail!

For sobriety to be felt enough to make a difference in our families and communities across the state, it’ll have to be exemplified by its strongest supporters. This will challenge every social and civil servant in every area of health, prevention, and safety to walk their talk. To do otherwise would be as effective and as hypocritical as an obese P.E. instructor coaching the merits of physical fitness.

Presently the most popular role models depicting healthy alternatives for children are athletes, because of their high visibility. However, this is grossly contradicted by alcohol advertisements displayed at, or during, many athletic events.

What’s working to keep sobriety moving forward are continued conferences like the Alaska Councils Prevention Symposium, RurAL CAP’s Rural Providers Conference, KANA’s Annual Gathering and Elders Conference, and YKHC’s Elders Conference, to name few.

We could use more diplomats like those on the Alaska Native Blue Ribbon Commission on Alcohol and drug abuse [aka Alaska Federation of Natives Sobriety Movement Council], as well as people like Mike Williams, 1992 Iditarod Musher for Sobriety. Finally, we can recognize efforts like Dennis Lake and the children of Hooper Bay who wrote letters asking parents to stay sober over the holidays.

Because of people like these, sobriety is given hope – and hope is a legacy children deserve to have a brighter future.”

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