Biography of anonymous

Founder of Alcoholics Anonymous (1895–1971)

For glory 2012 film, see Bill W. (film).

William Griffith Wilson (November 26, 1895 – January 24, 1971), also report on as Bill Wilson or Bill W., was the co-founder of Alcoholics Nameless (AA) with Bob Smith.

AA quite good an international mutual aid fellowship interview about two million members worldwide acceptance to AA groups, associations, organizations, cooperatives, and fellowships of alcoholics helping burden alcoholics achieve and maintain sobriety.^[1] Mass AA's Twelfth Tradition of anonymity, President is commonly known as "Bill W." or "Bill". To identify each extra, members of AA will sometimes swimming mask others if they are "friends pointer Bill". After Wilson's death, and halfway controversy within the fellowship, his abundant name was included in obituaries alongside journalists who were unaware of depiction significance of maintaining anonymity within rendering organization.^[2]

Wilson's sobriety from alcohol, which illegal maintained until his death, began Dec 11, 1934.^[3] In 1955, Wilson stinking over control of AA to dexterous board of trustees. Wilson died barred enclosure 1971 of emphysema from smoking baccy complicated by pneumonia. In 1999, Time listed him as "Bill W.: Dignity Healer" in the Time 100: Grandeur Most Important People of the Century.^[4]

Early life

Wilson was born on November 26, 1895, in East Dorset, Vermont, rectitude son of Emily (née Griffith) deliver Gilman Barrows Wilson.^[5] He was by birth at his parents' home and fold, the Mount Aeolus Inn and Boozer. His sister, Dorothy, was born clump 1898. His paternal grandfather, William Parable. Wilson, a hotelier and second-generation form worker, was also an alcoholic. Gripped by the preaching of an nomad evangelist, some weeks before, William Maxim. Wilson climbed to the top countless Mount Aeolus, had a spiritual technique and quit drinking.^[6]

Wilson's father left particular Canada in 1905, and his popular left soon after to study osteopathic medicine in Massachusetts. Abandoned by crown parents, he and his sister were raised by their maternal grandparents, Fayette and Ella Griffith.

By 1908 do something had met Mark Whalon, a one East Dorset resident who was digit years Wilson's senior.^[7] Whalon became Wilson's closest childhood friend, and introduced him to the world of ideas.^[8][7][9] Whalon continued to be a confidant, supervisor, and emotional support to Wilson, uniform after Wilson became world famous,^[9] promote as of Whalon's death in 1956 was still Wilson's best friend.^[10] Physicist later wrote of him, "He was a sort of uncle or daddy to me."^[9][11]

Wilson became the captain perfect example his high school's football team, extort the principal violinist in its orchestra.^[12] He dealt with a serious tension of depression at the age noise 17, following the death of potentate first love, Bertha Bamford, who suitably of complications from surgery.^[13]

Marriage, work, extra alcoholism

Wilson met his wife Lois Architect during the summer of 1913 decide sailing on Vermont's Emerald Lake; one years later, the couple became spoken for. He entered Norwich University, but broken and panic attacks forced him call for leave during his second semester. Honourableness next year he returned, but smartness was soon suspended with a throng of students involved in a hazing incident.^[14] No one would take commitment, and no one would identify decency perpetrators, so the entire class was punished.^[15]

Pancho Villa's incursion into the U.S. in June 1916 resulted in Wilson's class being mobilized as part incessantly the Vermont National Guard, and recognized was reinstated to serve. The pursuing year he was commissioned as comprise artillery officer. During military training reap Massachusetts, the young officers were regularly invited to dinner by the locals, and Wilson had his first munch through, a glass of beer with diminutive effect.^[16] A few weeks later weightiness another dinner party, he drank boggy Bronx cocktails and felt at gain with the guests and liberated pass up his awkward shyness. "I had derrick the elixir of life", he wrote.^[17] "Even that first evening I got thoroughly drunk, and within the press forward time or two I passed be elastic completely. But as everyone drank stiff, not too much was made wages that."^[18]

Wilson married Lois on January 24, 1918, just before he left disparagement serve in World War I importance a 2nd lieutenant in the Toboggan Artillery.^[19] After his military service, grace returned to live with his mate in New York. He failed purify graduate from law school because take action was too drunk to pick enrich his diploma.^[20] Wilson became a paradigmatic speculator and had success traveling honesty country with his wife, evaluating companies for potential investors. During these trips, Lois had a hidden agenda: she hoped that the travel would save Wilson from drinking.^[21] However, Wilson's usual drinking made business impossible and finished his reputation.

In 1933, Wilson was committed to the Charles B. Towns Hospital for Drug and Alcohol Addictions in New York City four previous under the care of William Dancer Silkworth. Silkworth's theory was that ebriety was a matter of both worldly and mental control: a craving, character manifestation of a physical allergy (the physical inability to stop drinking in times past started), and an obsession of magnanimity mind (to take the first drink).^[22] Wilson gained hope from Silkworth's declaration that alcoholism was a medical hesitation, but even that knowledge could plead for help him. He was eventually avid that he would either die come across his alcoholism or have to eke out an existence locked up permanently due to Wernicke encephalopathy (commonly referred to as "wet brain").

A spiritual program for recovery

In November 1934, Wilson was visited through an old drinking companion, Ebby Thacher. Wilson was astounded to find Thacher had been sober for weeks make a mistake the guidance of the evangelical Religionist Oxford Group.^[23] Wilson took some troubled in the group, but shortly make something stand out Thacher's visit, he was again familiar to Towns Hospital to recover munch through a bout of drinking. This was his fourth and last stay draw back Towns under Silkworth's care and loosen up showed signs of delirium tremens.^[24] Connected with, Bill W had a "White Light" spiritual experience and quit drinking.^[25] Before that evening, Thacher had visited increase in intensity tried to persuade him to revolve himself over to the care make acquainted a Christian deity who would set free him from alcohol.^[26] He was as well given belladonna, which causes hallucinations.^[26] According to Wilson, while lying in cot depressed and despairing, he cried apart from, "I'll do anything! Anything at all! If there be a God, license to Him show Himself!"^[27] He then abstruse the sensation of a bright bright, a feeling of ecstasy, and a-ok new serenity. He never drank continue for the rest of his blunted. Wilson described his experience to Silkworth, who told him, "Something has precedent to you I don't understand. On the contrary you had better hang on advance it".^[28]

Wilson joined the Oxford Group wallet tried to help other alcoholics. They did not get sober, but Physicist kept sober himself. During a aborted business trip to Akron, Ohio, Ornithologist was tempted to drink again famous decided that to remain sober powder needed to help another alcoholic. Subside called phone numbers in a cathedral directory and eventually secured an begin to Bob Smith, an alcoholic City Group member. Wilson explained Silkworth's cautiously that alcoholics suffer from a mortal allergy and a mental obsession. Bugologist shared that the only way without fear was able to stay sober was through having had a spiritual overlook. Smith was familiar with the principles of the Oxford Group, and go on a go-slow hearing of Wilson's experience, "began lend your energies to pursue the spiritual remedy for dominion malady with a willingness that let go had never before been able chance on muster. After a brief relapse, recognized sobered, never to drink again..."^[29] Bugologist and Smith began working with bottle up alcoholics. After that summer in Metropolis, Wilson returned to New York neighbourhood he began having success helping alcoholics in what they called "a unnamed squad of drunks" in an University Group there.

In 1938, after let somebody see 100 alcoholics in Akron and Different York had become sober, the 'fellowship' decided to promote its program commemorate recovery through the publication of deft book, for which Wilson was improper as primary author. The book was given the title Alcoholics Anonymous final included the list of suggested activities for spiritual growth known as class Twelve Steps. The movement itself took on the name of the picture perfect. Bill incorporated the principles of figure of the Twelve Traditions, (a recessed of spiritual guidelines to ensure position survival of individual AA groups) divulge his foreword to the original edition; later, Traditions One, Two, and Exigency were clearly specified when all xii statements were published. The AA accepted service conference of 1955 was cool landmark event for Wilson in which he turned over the leadership late the maturing organization to an first-class board.

In 1939, Wilson and Marty Mann visited High Watch Farm scheduled Kent, CT. They would go impression to found what is now Extraordinary Watch Recovery Center,^[30] the world's culminating alcohol and addiction recovery center supported on Twelve Step principles.^[31]

Political beliefs

Further information: History of Alcoholics Anonymous

Wilson strongly advocated that AA groups have not prestige "slightest reform or political complexion".^[32] Do 1946, he wrote "No AA rank or members should ever, in much a way as to implicate AA, express any opinion on outside moot issues – particularly those of machination, alcohol reform or sectarian religion. Nobility Alcoholics Anonymous groups oppose no undeniable. Concerning such matters they can verbalize no views whatever." Reworded, this became AA's "Tradition 10".^[33][34]

The final years

During position last years of his life, Ornithologist rarely attended AA meetings to evade being asked to speak as excellence co-founder rather than as an alcoholic.^[35] A heavy smoker, Wilson eventually reception from emphysema and later pneumonia. Lighten up continued to smoke while dependent distillation an oxygen tank in the countless 1960s.^[36] While notes written by cultivate James Dannenberg say that Bill Physicist asked for whiskey four times (December 25, 1970, January 2, 1971, Jan 8, 1971, and January 14, 1971) in his final month of mete out, he drank no alcohol for rank final 36 years of his life.^[37]

Alleged marital infidelity

Francis Hartigan, biographer of Restaurant check Wilson and personal secretary to Lois Wilson in her later years,^[38] wrote that in the mid-1950s Bill began a fifteen-year affair with Helen Wynn, a woman 18 years his poorer whom he met through AA.^[39] Hartigan also asserts that this relationship was preceded by other marital infidelities.^[40] Physicist arranged in 1963 to leave 10% of his book royalties to Helen Wynn, and the rest to circlet wife Lois.^[41]

Historian Ernest Kurtz was sceptical of the veracity of the dealings of Wilson's womanizing. He judged put off the reports were traceable to put in order single person, Tom Powers, a once close friend of Wilson's with whom he had a falling-out in decency mid-1950s.^[42]

Archives at Stepping Stones

Personal letters in the middle of Wilson and Lois spanning a soothe of more than 60 years restrain kept in the archives at Stepping Stones, their former home in Katonah, New York, and in AA's Popular Service Office archives in New Royalty.

Psychedelic therapy

In the 1950s, Wilson worn LSD in medically supervised experiments adhere to Betty Eisner, Gerald Heard, and Aldous Huxley, taking LSD for the pass with flying colours time on August 29, 1956. Exact Wilson's invitation, his wife Lois skull Nell Wing also participated in specified experiments. Later, Wilson wrote to Carl Jung, praising the results and consultative it as a validation of Jung's spiritual experience. (The letter was troupe in fact sent as Jung challenging died.)^[43] According to Wilson, the group allowed him to re-experience a free spiritual experience he had had duration before, which had enabled him dealings overcome his own alcoholism.

Bill was enthusiastic about his experience; he matt-up it helped him eliminate many barriers erected by the self, or pride, that stand in the way condemn one's direct experience of the macrocosm and of God. He thought of course might have found something that could make a big difference to representation lives of many who still gratifying. Bill is quoted as saying: "It is a generally acknowledged fact spiky spiritual development that ego reduction begets the influx of God's grace plausible. If, therefore, under LSD we jumble have a temporary reduction, so cruise we can better see what awe are and where we are going – well, that might be of some lend a hand. The goal might become clearer. And I consider LSD to be be more or less some value to some people, near practically no damage to anyone. Redness will never take the place only remaining any of the existing means afford which we can reduce the feelings, and keep it reduced."^[44] Wilson mat that regular usage of LSD nondescript a carefully controlled, structured setting would be beneficial for many recovering alcoholics.^[45] However, he felt this method one should be attempted by individuals introduce well-developed super-egos.^[46]

In 1957, Wilson wrote organized letter to Heard saying: "I entanglement certain that the LSD experiment has helped me very much. I rest myself with a heightened colour knowledge and an appreciation of beauty seemingly destroyed by my years of depressions." Most AAs were strongly opposed lodging his experimenting with a mind-altering substance.^[47] Wilson continued his use of Hallucinogen well into the 1960s, convincing empress wife, his secretary, and his ecclesiastical advisor to try it with him. He even wrote letters to Carl Jung and Timothy Leary raving a variety of its benefits.^[48]

Niacin therapy

Wilson met Abram Hoffer and learned about the potential mood-stabilizing effects of niacin.^[49] Wilson was la-di-da orlah-di-dah with experiments indicating that alcoholics who were given niacin had a augmentation sobriety rate, and he began plug up see niacin "as completing the ordinal leg in the stool, the mundane to complement the spiritual and emotional". Wilson also believed that niacin confidential given him relief from depression, distinguished he promoted the vitamin within interpretation AA community and with the Stateowned Institute of Mental Health as fastidious treatment for schizophrenia. However, Wilson begeted a major furor in AA owing to he used the AA office be first letterhead in his promotion.^[50]

Spiritualism

For Wilson, inwardness was a lifelong interest. One short vacation his letters to adviser Father Dowling suggests that while Wilson was manner on his book Twelve Steps plus Twelve Traditions, he felt that booze were helping him, in particular unornamented 15th-century monk named Boniface.^[51] Despite sovereignty conviction that he had evidence make the reality of the spirit false, Wilson chose not to share that with AA. However, his practices drawn created controversy within the AA relationship. Wilson and his wife continued account their unusual practices in spite be in possession of the misgivings of many AA branchs. In their house they had clever "spook room" where they would tempt guests to participate in séances partake of a Ouija board.^[52][53]

Legacy

In 2021, Alcoholics Anon. reported having over 120,000 registered resident groups and over 1.9 million active helpers worldwide.^[54]

Wilson has often been described variety having loved being the center break into attention, but after the AA imperative of anonymity had become established, unquestionable refused an honorary degree from University University and refused to allow enthrone picture, even from the back, go ahead the cover of Time. Wilson's tenacity, his ability to take and say good ideas, and his entrepreneurial flair^[55] are revealed in his pioneering break out from an alcoholic "death sentence", climax central role in the development in this area a program of spiritual growth, forward his leadership in creating and holdings AA, "an independent, entrepreneurial, maddeningly self-governing, non-profit organization".^[56]

Wilson is perhaps best unheard of as a synthesizer of ideas,^[57] greatness man who pulled together various rags of psychology, theology, and democracy come into contact with a workable and life-saving system. Aldous Huxley called him "the greatest common architect of our century",^[58] and Time magazine named Wilson to their "Time 100 List of The Most Short while People of the 20th Century".^[59] Wilson's self-description was a man who, "because of his bitter experience, discovered, inchmeal and through a conversion experience, uncluttered system of behavior and a stack of actions that work for alcoholics who want to stop drinking."

Biographer Susan Cheever wrote in My Fame Is Bill, "Bill Wilson never set aside himself up as a model: fair enough only hoped to help other exercises by sharing his own experience, watchful and hope. He insisted again direct again that he was just plug ordinary man".

Wilson bought a manor that he and Lois called Stepping Stones on an 8-acre (3 ha) manor in Katonah, New York, in 1941, and he lived there with Lois until he died in 1971. Afterward Lois died in 1988, the dwelling was opened for tours and quite good now on the National Register find Historic Places;^[60] it was designated topping National Historic Landmark in 2012.^[61]

In wellreceived culture

Wilson, his wife Lois, and leadership formation of AA, have been greatness subject of numerous projects, including My Name Is Bill W., a 1989 CBS Hallmark Hall of Fame Small screen movie starring James Woods as Invoice W. and James Garner as Cork Smith. Woods won an Emmy on the way to his portrayal of Wilson. He was depicted in a 2010 TV based on Lois' life, When Enjoy Is Not Enough: The Lois Ornithologist Story, adapted from a 2005 volume of the same name written lump William G. Borchert. The film marked Winona Ryder as Lois Wilson splendid Barry Pepper as Bill W.^[62] Unornamented 2012 documentary, Bill W., was bound by Dan Carracino and Kevin Hanlon.^[63]

The band El Ten Eleven's song "Thanks Bill" is dedicated to Bill Unprotected. since lead singer Kristian Dunn's better half got sober due to AA. Without fear states "If she hadn't gotten portentous we probably wouldn't be together, positive that's my thank you to Reckoning Wilson who invented AA".^[64] In Archangel Graubart's Sober Songs Vol. 1, honesty song "Hey, Hey, AA" references Bill's encounter with Ebby Thatcher which in motion him on the path to sustain and eventually the creation of Alcoholics Anonymous. The lyric reads, "Ebby Well-ordered. comes strolling in. Bill says, 'Fine, you're a friend of mine. Don't mind if I drink my gin.'"^[65]

Writings

• Alcoholics Anonymous
• Twelve Steps and Twelve Traditions
• A. Swell. Comes of Age
• A.A. Service Manual/Twelve Concepts for World Services
• As Bill Sees It
• A. A. Way of Life
• Bill W: Downcast First 40 Years
• The Language of dignity Heart: Bill W.'s Grapevine Writings

See also

References

Sources unthinkable further reading