What About My Privacy?

Protecting individual privacy during the recovery process is so important that it is sometimes referred to as the “spiritual foundation” of the entire 12 Step recovery program. 12 Step groups typically call themselves “anonymous” for this very reason — as in Alcoholics Anonymous, Narcotics Anonymous, Overeaters Anonymous, and so on.

Privacy and confidentiality are important because substance use and mental health disorders remain stigmatized in our society, particularly in licensed health professions. Fear of exposure is a major barrier to seeking help and it takes courage to overcome. Therefore, privacy is assured through the tradition of anonymity that restricts not only person-to-person disclosures about who was at a meeting and what they said, but also communication through television, radio, Internet, Facebook, Twitter and other traditional and social media outlets.

Read more on this topic with this brochure from Alcoholics Anonymous:
Understanding Anonymity (PDF) >>