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In 1935 stock 
broker and 
reformed 
alcoholic, Bill 
Wilson realised 
the key to 
beating the 
demon drink was 
mutual help. Only 
other alcoholics 
could truly 
understand the 
illness and offer 
the support 
needed to return 
to sobriety - and 
helping others 
would, in turn, 
help themselves 
stay off the bottle
#
In 1939 Wilson 
formed Alcoholics 
Anonymous and 
within a couple of 
years it had 
several thousand 
members. By 
1947 it had 
spread to Britain, 
where its policy
of anonymity
led some  to
describe it as
a 'secret society'
#
Treatment of 
alcoholics is 
based on group 
meetings where 
individuals talk 
about their 
addiction. AA
estimates that
two out of every 
three people 
achieve some 
level of recovery 
- with alcoholics, 
the word "cure" is 
never used
#
Alcoholism can 
befall people of 
any class, gender, 
age or race - 
anyone can 
become addicted 
to drink. Wilson 
made it clear that 
anyone, however 
hopeless a case, 
could join AA
#
By the Seventies, 
Bill Wilson's 
proselytising 
methods and 
brash style led 
some critics to 
regard him as a 
self-publicist 
motivated by a 
desire for fame. 
Whatever the 
truth of that 
assertion, few 
deny that Wilson 
and Alcoholics 
Anonymous have 
saved thousands 
of lives
#
In 1985 AA
celebrated its
50th anniversary 
in Akron, Ohio. All 
over the world, 
glasses of soft 
drinks were 
raised to Bill 
Wilson, the man 
who has given 
hope to millions
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