It is around 9.45 p.m. and Palani*, a resident of Melur in Madurai, speaks during an Alcoholics Anonymous (AA) session held through a virtual audio conference call. “Hello, naan oru kudi noyali (I am person with alcohol addiction),” he begins.
“With the closure of liquor shops and the restriction to stay indoors to contain the spread of COVID-19 pandemic, the past one week has indeed been a difficult journey. But, regularly attending AA sessions through calls keeps me motivated to stay away from alcohol and helps me sail through the period. In fact, I helped my wife clean the house today and played carrom with my children,” he says.
Ever since the lockdown, like Mr. Palani, hundreds of AA members from across the State are encouraging themselves to remain sober by regularly attending these virtual sessions. Senior members say that many new alcoholics are also attending their sessions to find psychological support at a time when liquor outlets are closed.
Gaurav*, chairman of the AA group in Madurai, says that initially one session was introduced for each day in the region and the number of one-hour sessions got increased, as more number of people started attending these meetings.
“Currently, we have sessions from 6.30 a.m. to 10 p.m. People from various parts across the State now speak during these sessions and the number is only increasing. In Madurai, we have even had more than 70 people participating during one session,” he says.
“In every sitting, we observe that many alcoholics, who are attending the session for the first time, are sharing their experiences on how they are coping during this time when access to liquor is restricted,” says Anab*, a senior member from Madurai AA group.
“I feel positive when I speak in the conference group as they can understand what I go through in the current crisis. When senior members share their success stories in giving up alcohol, I get inspired to follow suit,” says Jagdishor*, an alcoholic from Valayankulam, who has been attending the virtual meetings for the past one week.
Realising that the 21-day lockdown period can be best used to help the alcoholics to recover from addiction, the AA members are individually calling up alcoholics from the region and are encouraging them to attend the sessions, says Mr. Anab.
“Those alcoholics who do not require medical treatment, can make use of the psychological support from the members and recover during this period. The only thing that is required is the individual’s desire to give up alcohol,” he says.
The members say that they are also working towards having a virtual conference call facility to connect all Tamil-speaking AA members from across the globe.
For those from Madurai region who are interested to take part in the meetings can contact the following numbers: 9080028119; 7305149112; 7305149113.
They can also visit www.aagsoindia.org
(*All names have been changed based on request)
