Episode 205: Brendan from Rainham Freethinkers

In this episode, I spoke with Brendan from the Rainham Freethinkers Group located in London, England. I met Brendan at the online International Conference of Secular AA where I was working behind the scenes and he was participating in the panel about The ‘God’ Word Pamphlet.  Brendan shares his story of recovery and his experience as a secular person in Alcoholics Anonymous.

Key points discussed

    • Brendan’s story.
    • Suicide attempts.
    • Initial positive impressions of AA.
    • Opinion about the Big Book.
    • Influence of Common Sense of Drinking, by Richard Peabody on the Big Book.
    • Importance of peer support in recovery.
    • Learning about secular AA meetings.
    • The upcoming online conference hosted by the London groups.

Memorable Quotes

It was a shock, really that I actually picked up a drink. It was on a school trip. My first trip away from Ireland, to Amsterdam.

That was it, I was away, once I started. To me, it was as if I was keeping my drinking a secret, which was impossible really because when I drank, I drank to excess and when you do that, things happen.

My last drink was on the 31st of May ’93. It was a bank holiday and I went on a binge. I took some pills. I really genuinely don’t know how many pills I had taken. I think the vodka knocked me out

I loved AA. It was everything the counselor told me it would be. My first meeting was on the 22nd of July 1993 at St. Paul’s Cathedral in London.The stories helped.

Resources