BRATTLEBORO — As a 30-year-old woman in recovery living in Brattleboro, I cannot help but feel compelled to respond to the Feb. 29 column concerning the controversy over Nicole Charlebois's previous Viewpoint.
Step 11 states that “Our public relations policy is based on attraction rather than promotion; we need always maintain personal anonymity at the level of press, radio and films.”
Let's be objective and realistic. The keywords here are “our” and “we.” Ms. Charlebois in absolutely no way jeopardized the sobriety or identity of any other member of a 12-step program.
I know numerous persons involved in the meetings (myself included) who are proud of my sobriety and of the fact that I am working the steps. This pride goes beyond simply “keeping it to myself.” I will often inform people that I am in a drug- and alcohol-treatment program. Does this mean that I am either jeopardizing or soliciting others? I think not!
For anyone who has never seen a sobriety medallion, you will find the words “honesty,” “openmindedness,” and “willingness” engraved on the back. I believe that Ms. Charlebois's story encompassed not only these qualities, but courage as well!
I am a resident of the Phoenix House Program, and although I am in a therapeutic treatment program, I identify myself as living in such when I enter into the community ( enrolling at Community College of Vermont, entering the job force, etc.). Does this mean that I, too, am jeopardizing not only my recovery, but also the recovery of other addicts and alcoholics in the program?
I look at it as me practicing what the back of my medallion reminds me of every day: to be honest, to carry an open mind, and to always be willing (to try something new).