Friends Of Bill W (Alcoholics Anonymous) Quiz

Answer: Alcoholics Anonymous

The "Big Book" is a commonly held misconception. "Big Book" is actually a nickname given to the volume in the years between the publications of the first and second editions. The phenomenon is somewhat akin to Christians referring to the Bible as "The Good Book", though far more prevalent in AA.

The name "Big Book" is actually referenced in the "Foreword To The Second Edition", but is acknowledged as a nickname only. Nowhere on the title page do the words "Big Book" appear.

Answer: Smith and Wilson

Dr. Robert Smith and William Wilson; AKA Dr. Bob and Bill W.

Answer: Six

Although AA is the original "Twelve Step" program, AA originally had only Six Steps. The "Six Steps" contain the same basic prescription for sobriety as today's Twelve do. The Twelve Steps are merely a more detailed road map, with an added emphasis on continued moral inventory.

The original Six Steps were: "1) Complete Deflation. 2) Dependence and guidance from a Higher Power. 3) Moral inventory. 4) Confession. 5) Restitution. 6) Continued work with other alcoholics." These steps were reportedly taken from a group called the "Oxford Group" which was a quasi-religious association of people who met to help each other with various problems. Why the Oxford Group did not meet with the same success that AA has is a mystery.

Some speculate that it is because they took a more "preachy" approach than AA did with slightly more emphasis on dogmas.

Answer: False

This is a misconception propagated by several "for-profit" organizations which find themselves in direct competition with AA and the like. The data they use are unscientific polls conducted by AA of its membership. The assertion is put forth that because as length of sobriety increases, the number in membership drops proportional to that of so-called "spontaneous recoveries" that AA does not actually work.

The problem with the assertion is that (contrary to what these for-profit organizations say) many recovered AA's (with multiple years of sobriety) do not "religiously" attend meetings.

Some come every month or so, some just to celebrate sobriety anniversaries, and some find ways to live the AA principles without attending meetings at all! This being said, a small percentage of recovered alcoholics continue to attend meetings regularly for a lifetime. Because of this, when AA conducts its informal polls every five years or so, people with five-plus years are underrepresented as they may attend only a few meetings a year and miss the poll altogether.

While newcomers are over represented as they frequently will attend ninety (or more) meetings in ninety days. (AA does not take the position that AAs should or should not attend meetings for the rest of their lives but STRONGLY recommends living the Twelve Steps as a means to sobriety. Meetings are just one possible way for an old-timer to carry the message of recovery.) All this being said, AA's success rates are significantly lower than they were in they thirties. There are a number of possible reasons for this: In the thirties AA only sought out "hopeless alcoholics", or those who were in the latter-stages of the disease, and thus more willing to surrender completely to a program that requires a TOTAL cognitive restructuring and openness to living a spiritual (not necessarily religious) life. Today courts order many front-end sufferers into meetings, many of whom are not yet ready or capable of grasping and living the Twelve Steps. Further, there is a tendency in today's AA to take more time in working the Steps, sometimes years. Whereas, in the early days, an initial run-through of the Steps took months or even weeks, while the subject was still most receptive to the changes necessary for sober living. Despite the lower success rates overall, success among those who have actually worked ALL Twelve Steps (not just attended meetings) remains astronomically high. Indeed, it is near impossible to find someone who thoroughly worked all Twelve Steps, and continued actively to live by them who did not stay sober. Despite the rhetoric some organizations put forth, AA did not attain its current level of acceptance in the medical and treatment communities by NOT working.

Answer: False

NOWHERE does AA claim to be the ONLY way. AA merely offers those who have exhausted all other means of sobriety a way out. AA believes that those who are not "constitutionally incapable of being honest with themselves" can recover through the Twelve Steps of AA even where other methods have failed.

Many programs seem to be very effective with front-end problem drinkers. AA neither endorses nor opposes any of these programs. However, no program has stood the test of time or seen the miraculous results to the extent that that AA has among those deemed "hopeless" by the medical establishment, or those in the latest, stages of alcoholism.

Answer: False

While it is true that AA's founders were Christian men, Steps 3 and 11 make clear that the individual alcoholic's God must be one of his or her own understanding. The "Foreword To The Second Edition" (1955) in the "Big Book" acknowledges membership as varied as Christians, Jews, Hindus, Muslims, and Buddhists. According to the "Alcoholics Anonymous" book, one's personal understanding of God can be as vague as a "Spirit of the Universe" with no dogmas attached at all. Seemingly the only requirement for a belief in a Higher Power be that it can keep you sober.

Answer: Bill D

His personal story appears in the "Big Book" under the heading "Alcoholic Anonymous Number Three".

Answer: Bill W

"Bills Story" is the first chapter in the Big Book after the Preface, all the Forewords (past and present) and "The Doctor's Opinion" (Which are all listed as preamble). "Doctor Bob's Nightmare" always leads off the personal stories.

Answer: Bill W

Bill W was sober before AA started. AA was born when he carried his message of sobriety to Dr. Bob while on a business trip to Akron, Ohio. (Bill believed he had to help others to stay sober.) On June 10, 1935, a short number of days after their initial conversation, Dr. Bob sobered up permanently and AA was born. Bill D attained sobriety shortly after Dr. Bob and is considered to be AA's third member. Jimmy K is the well-known member of AA who is also credited as being the main founder of Narcotics Anonymous in 1953. (AA neither endorses nor opposes NA).

Answer: A heroin addict who suffers specifically from alcoholism as well

All of these people are welcome as observers in open meetings, and may work the Steps if they wish. ONLY alcoholics are allowed as members. Although alcohol addiction is probably a specific form of drug addiction, AA limits its membership to alcoholics only, in order to preserve the integrity of the original AA message.

There are various other organizations open to those with other maladies or with family members who are alcoholic. However, it should be noted that, according the Third Tradition, "The only requirement for AA membership is a desire to stop drinking." The long form of this tradition makes it clear that "anyone" means "any alcoholic".

They beauty part is that there is no litmus test. ANYONE who believes that they are alcoholic in ANY phase of the disease may join AA. NO ONE gets to decide whether or not someone else is alcoholic.