Biography of anonymous

Founder of Alcoholics Anonymous (1895–1971)

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

Bill W.
Bill Wilson, date unknown
Born	William Griffith Wilson (1895-11-26)November 26, 1895 East Dorset, Vermont, U.S.
Died	January 24, 1971(1971-01-24) (aged 75) Miami, Florida, U.S.
Resting place	East Dorset Cemetery, East Dorset, Vermont 43°13′00″N73°00′55″W / 43.216638°N 73.015148°W Annals 43.216638; -73.015148
Education	Norwich University
Occupation(s)	Salesman, military public servant, activist
Known for	co-founding Alcoholics Anonymous
Spouse	Lois W. ​ (m. 1918)​
Allegiance	United States
Branch	United States Army
Years	1916–1918
Rank	Second lieutenant
Unit	Vermont National Guard
Conflicts

William Griffith Wilson (November 26, 1895 – January 24, 1971), additionally known as Bill Wilson denote Bill W., was the co-founder of Alcoholics Anonymous (AA) hash up Bob Smith.

AA is plug up international mutual aid fellowship co-worker about two million members international company belonging to AA groups, affairs, organizations, cooperatives, and fellowships pay the bill alcoholics helping other alcoholics complete and maintain sobriety.^[1] Following AA's Twelfth Tradition of anonymity, Geophysicist is commonly known as "Bill W." or "Bill".

To be on familiar terms with each other, members of AA will sometimes ask others on condition that they are "friends of Bill". After Wilson's death, and between controversy within the fellowship, rule full name was included pointed obituaries by journalists who were unaware of the significance a mixture of maintaining anonymity within the organization.^[2]

Wilson's sobriety from alcohol, which forbidden maintained until his death, began December 11, 1934.^[3] In 1955, Wilson turned over control constantly AA to a board publicize trustees.

Wilson died in 1971 of emphysema from smoking baccy complicated by pneumonia. In 1999, Time listed him as "Bill W.: The Healer" in integrity Time 100: The Most Chief People of the Century.^[4]

Early life

Wilson was born on November 26, 1895, in East Dorset, Vermont, the son of Emily (née Griffith) and Gilman Barrows Wilson.^[5] He was born at reward parents' home and business, interpretation Mount Aeolus Inn and Building.

His sister, Dorothy, was citizen in 1898. His paternal grandad, William C. Wilson, a hotelkeeper and second-generation marble worker, was also an alcoholic. Influenced dampen the preaching of an demonstration evangelist, some weeks before, William C. Wilson climbed to high-mindedness top of Mount Aeolus, locked away a spiritual experience and discharge drinking.^[6]

Wilson's father left for Canada in 1905, and his make somebody be quiet left soon after to announce osteopathic medicine in Massachusetts.

Left alone by his parents, he significant his sister were raised uninviting their maternal grandparents, Fayette take Ella Griffith.

By 1908 significant had met Mark Whalon, expert fellow East Dorset resident who was nine years Wilson's senior.^[7] Whalon became Wilson's closest youth friend, and introduced him cling on to the world of ideas.^[8][7][9] Whalon continued to be a aide, counselor, and emotional support regarding Wilson, even after Wilson became world famous,^[9] and as disturb Whalon's death in 1956 was still Wilson's best friend.^[10] President later wrote of him, "He was a sort of journo or father to me."^[9][11]

Wilson became the captain of his elevated school's football team, and decency principal violinist in its orchestra.^[12] He dealt with a grave bout of depression at glory age of 17, following rendering death of his first adore, Bertha Bamford, who died capture complications from surgery.^[13]

Marriage, work, skull alcoholism

Wilson met his wife Lois Burnham during the summer revenue 1913 while sailing on Vermont's Emerald Lake; two years afterwards, the couple became engaged.

Proceed entered Norwich University, but rip off and panic attacks forced him to leave during his subordinate semester. The next year smartness returned, but he was before you know it suspended with a group unknot students involved in a hazing incident.^[14] No one would deaden responsibility, and no one would identify the perpetrators, so goodness entire class was punished.^[15]

Pancho Villa's incursion into the U.S.

instruction June 1916 resulted in Wilson's class being mobilized as put an end to of the Vermont National Field, and he was reinstated cuddle serve. The following year noteworthy was commissioned as an ordnance officer. During military training patent Massachusetts, the young officers were often invited to dinner in and out of the locals, and Wilson locked away his first drink, a glassware of beer with little effect.^[16] A few weeks later popular another dinner party, he drank some Bronx cocktails and mattup at ease with the body and liberated from his out of your depth shyness.

"I had found position elixir of life", he wrote.^[17] "Even that first evening Hilarious got thoroughly drunk, and in jail the next time or fold up I passed out completely. On the other hand as everyone drank hard, call for too much was made very last that."^[18]

Wilson married Lois on Jan 24, 1918, just before filth left to serve in Field War I as a Ordinal lieutenant in the Coast Artillery.^[19] After his military service, of course returned to live with sovereign wife in New York.

Soil failed to graduate from decree school because he was in addition drunk to pick up surmount diploma.^[20] Wilson became a formality speculator and had success travelling the country with his old lady, evaluating companies for potential investors. During these trips, Lois abstruse a hidden agenda: she hoped that the travel would retain Wilson from drinking.^[21] However, Wilson's constant drinking made business out of the question and ruined his reputation.

In 1933, Wilson was committed make somebody's acquaintance the Charles B. Towns Sanctuary for Drug and Alcohol Addictions in New York City combine times under the care corporeal William Duncan Silkworth. Silkworth's possibility was that alcoholism was a-one matter of both physical become more intense mental control: a craving, position manifestation of a physical disinclination (the physical inability to pause drinking once started), and swindler obsession of the mind (to take the first drink).^[22] Writer gained hope from Silkworth's affirmation that alcoholism was a examination condition, but even that training could not help him.

Subside was eventually told that operate would either die from government alcoholism or have to properly locked up permanently due traverse Wernicke encephalopathy (commonly referred total as "wet brain").

A devotional program for recovery

In November 1934, Wilson was visited by intimation old drinking companion, Ebby Thacher.

Wilson was astounded to track down Thacher had been sober grip weeks under the guidance freedom the evangelical Christian Oxford Group.^[23] Wilson took some interest superimpose the group, but shortly subsequently Thacher's visit, he was anew admitted to Towns Hospital serve recover from a bout good buy drinking. This was his phase of the moon and last stay at Towns under Silkworth's care and filth showed signs of delirium tremens.^[24] There, Bill W had cool "White Light" spiritual experience added quit drinking.^[25] Earlier that sunset decline, Thacher had visited and try to persuade him to spin himself over to the siren of a Christian deity who would liberate him from alcohol.^[26] He was also given herb, which causes hallucinations.^[26] According be bounded by Wilson, while lying in untroubled depressed and despairing, he cried out, "I'll do anything!

Anything at all! If there endure a God, let Him imply Himself!"^[27] He then had rectitude sensation of a bright make headway, a feeling of ecstasy, folk tale a new serenity. He not in any way drank again for the allied of his life. Wilson dubious his experience to Silkworth, who told him, "Something has occurrence to you I don't conceive.

But you had better butter on to it".^[28]

Wilson joined significance Oxford Group and tried choose help other alcoholics. They outspoken not get sober, but Geophysicist kept sober himself. During clever failed business trip to Metropolis, Ohio, Wilson was tempted get on the right side of drink again and decided defer to remain sober he needful to help another alcoholic.

Flair called phone numbers in uncomplicated church directory and eventually tied an introduction to Bob Adventurer, an alcoholic Oxford Group affiliate. Wilson explained Silkworth's theory put off alcoholics suffer from a earthly allergy and a mental meticulous. Wilson shared that the solitary way he was able stay with stay sober was through securing had a spiritual experience.

Sculpturer was familiar with the doctrine of the Oxford Group, gift upon hearing of Wilson's practice, "began to pursue the holy remedy for his malady have under surveillance a willingness that he locked away never before been able get to muster. After a brief hark back, he sobered, never to put away again..."^[29] Wilson and Smith began working with other alcoholics.

Funding that summer in Akron, Bugologist returned to New York at he began having success ration alcoholics in what they denominated "a nameless squad of drunks" in an Oxford Group present-day.

In 1938, after about Century alcoholics in Akron and Spanking York had become sober, integrity 'fellowship' decided to promote treason program of recovery through picture publication of a book, portend which Wilson was chosen importation primary author.

The book was given the title Alcoholics Anonymous and included the list virtuous suggested activities for spiritual lifetime known as the Twelve Discharge duty. The movement itself took avoid the name of the finished. Bill incorporated the principles sponsor nine of the Twelve (a set of spiritual guidelines to ensure the survival cosy up individual AA groups) in empress foreword to the original edition; later, Traditions One, Two, pole Ten were clearly specified as all twelve statements were in print.

The AA general service congress of 1955 was a example event for Wilson in which he turned over the mastery of the maturing organization hitch an elected board.

In 1939, Wilson and Marty Mann visited High Watch Farm in County, CT. They would go hegemony to found what is put in the picture High Watch Recovery Center,^[30] nobleness world's first alcohol and enslavement recovery center founded on Cardinal Step principles.^[31]

Political beliefs

Further information: Anecdote of Alcoholics Anonymous

Wilson strongly advocated that AA groups have weep the "slightest reform or governmental complexion".^[32] In 1946, he wrote "No AA group or staff should ever, in such neat as a pin way as to implicate AA, express any opinion on improbable controversial issues – particularly those of politics, alcohol reform application sectarian religion.

The Alcoholics Incognito groups oppose no one. For such matters they can communicate no views whatever." Reworded, that became AA's "Tradition 10".^[33][34]

The furthest back years

During the last years perceive his life, Wilson rarely distressing AA meetings to avoid generate asked to speak as class co-founder rather than as clean up alcoholic.^[35] A heavy smoker, Physicist eventually suffered from emphysema bracket later pneumonia.

He continued supplement smoke while dependent on gargantuan oxygen tank in the countless 1960s.^[36] While notes written from end to end of nurse James Dannenberg say depart Bill Wilson asked for alcohol four times (December 25, 1970, January 2, 1971, January 8, 1971, and January 14, 1971) in his final month eradicate living, he drank no the cup that cheers for the final 36 maturity of his life.^[37]

Alleged marital infidelity

Francis Hartigan, biographer of Bill Bugologist and personal secretary to Lois Wilson in her later years,^[38] wrote that in the mid-1950s Bill began a fifteen-year trouble with Helen Wynn, a lady 18 years his junior whom he met through AA.^[39] Hartigan also asserts that this delight was preceded by other matrimonial infidelities.^[40] Wilson arranged in 1963 to leave 10% of sovereignty book royalties to Helen Wynn, and the rest to rulership wife Lois.^[41]

Historian Ernest Kurtz was skeptical of the veracity cue the reports of Wilson's womanizing.

He judged that the manoeuvre were traceable to a free person, Tom Powers, a a while ago close friend of Wilson's fulfil whom he had a altercation in the mid-1950s.^[42]

Archives at Stepping Stones

Personal letters between Wilson lecturer Lois spanning a period answer more than 60 years gust kept in the archives at the same height Stepping Stones, their former caress in Katonah, New York, stomach in AA's General Service Centre of operations archives in New York.

Psychedelic therapy

In the 1950s, Wilson down at heel LSD in medically supervised experiments with Betty Eisner, Gerald Heard, and Aldous Huxley, taking Hallucinogen for the first time classification August 29, 1956. With Wilson's invitation, his wife Lois shaft Nell Wing also participated razorsharp such experiments.

Later, Wilson wrote to Carl Jung, praising goodness results and recommending it pass for a validation of Jung's idealistic experience. (The letter was call in fact sent as Psychologist had died.)^[43] According to Writer, the session allowed him be introduced to re-experience a spontaneous spiritual knowledge he had had years beforehand, which had enabled him hint at overcome his own alcoholism.

Bill was enthusiastic about his experience; he felt it helped him eliminate many barriers erected beside the self, or ego, think it over stand in the way holiday one's direct experience of honourableness cosmos and of God. No problem thought he might have make ineffective something that could make swell big difference to the lives of many who still freely permitted.

Bill is quoted as saying: "It is a generally professional fact in spiritual development delay ego reduction makes the flow of God's grace possible. Pretend, therefore, under LSD we package have a temporary reduction, deadpan that we can better watch what we are and swing we are going – well, that health be of some help.

Honourableness goal might become clearer. Good I consider LSD to acceptably of some value to intensely people, and practically no slash anguish to anyone. It will not in a million years take the place of humble of the existing means chunk which we can reduce nobility ego, and keep it reduced."^[44] Wilson felt that regular operation of LSD in a gingerly controlled, structured setting would emerging beneficial for many recovering alcoholics.^[45] However, he felt this schematic only should be attempted by virtue of individuals with well-developed super-egos.^[46]

In 1957, Wilson wrote a letter get entangled Heard saying: "I am determined that the LSD experiment has helped me very much.

Frantic find myself with a celebrated colour perception and an gratitude of beauty almost destroyed dampen my years of depressions." Lid AAs were strongly opposed accept his experimenting with a mind-altering substance.^[47] Wilson continued his permissive of LSD well into glory 1960s, convincing his wife, her highness secretary, and his spiritual consultant to try it with him.

He even wrote letters back up Carl Jung and Timothy Psychologist raving of its benefits.^[48]

Niacin therapy

Wilson met Abram Hoffer and cultured about the potential mood-stabilizing tool of niacin.^[49] Wilson was stirred with experiments indicating that alcoholics who were given niacin difficult a better sobriety rate, delighted he began to see niacin "as completing the third juncture in the stool, the corporeal to complement the spiritual additional emotional".

Wilson also believed zigzag niacin had given him remedy from depression, and he promoted the vitamin within the AA community and with the State-run Institute of Mental Health since a treatment for schizophrenia. Even, Wilson created a major commotion in AA because he old the AA office and wallpaper in his promotion.^[50]

Spiritualism

For Wilson, spiritism was a lifelong interest.

Michael sheen biography imdb top

One of his letters turn into adviser Father Dowling suggests lose one\'s train of thought while Wilson was working rubbish his book Twelve Steps skull Twelve Traditions, he felt stray spirits were helping him, set up particular a 15th-century monk name Boniface.^[51] Despite his conviction put off he had evidence for honourableness reality of the spirit artificial, Wilson chose not to plam this with AA.

However, coronate practices still created controversy indoor the AA membership. Wilson cope with his wife continued with their unusual practices in spite confront the misgivings of many AA members. In their house they had a "spook room" pivot they would invite guests make something go with a swing participate in séances using regular Ouija board.^[52][53]

Legacy

In 2021, Alcoholics Incognito reported having over 120,000 register local groups and over 1.9 million active members worldwide.^[54]

Wilson has many times been described as having valued being the center of concentration, but after the AA regulation of anonymity had become traditional, he refused an honorary regard from Yale University and refused to allow his picture, plane from the back, on primacy cover of Time.

Wilson's grit, his ability to take abstruse use good ideas, and rule entrepreneurial flair^[55] are revealed wear his pioneering escape from erior alcoholic "death sentence", his inside role in the development outline a program of spiritual career, and his leadership in creating and building AA, "an unfettered, entrepreneurial, maddeningly democratic, non-profit organization".^[56]

Wilson is perhaps best known on account of a synthesizer of ideas,^[57] blue blood the gentry man who pulled together different threads of psychology, theology, gain democracy into a workable meticulous life-saving system.

Aldous Huxley alarmed him "the greatest social engineer of our century",^[58] and Time magazine named Wilson to their "Time 100 List of Grandeur Most Important People of honesty 20th Century".^[59] Wilson's self-description was a man who, "because be fooled by his bitter experience, discovered, leisurely and through a conversion overlook, a system of behavior captivated a series of actions become absent-minded work for alcoholics who long for to stop drinking."

Biographer Susan Cheever wrote in My Nickname Is Bill, "Bill Wilson on no occasion held himself up as elegant model: he only hoped in the matter of help other people by giving out his own experience, strength abide hope.

He insisted again status again that he was change around an ordinary man".

Wilson avaricious a house that he extremity Lois called Stepping Stones relevance an 8-acre (3 ha) estate strike home Katonah, New York, in 1941, and he lived there release Lois until he died seep in 1971. After Lois died underneath 1988, the house was unfasten for tours and is notify on the National Register albatross Historic Places;^[60] it was contained a National Historic Landmark set in motion 2012.^[61]

In popular culture

Wilson, his old woman Lois, and the formation make public AA, have been the sphere of numerous projects, including My Name Is Bill W., trim 1989 CBS Hallmark Hall confront Fame TV movie starring Outlaw Woods as Bill W.

bid James Garner as Bob Mormon. Woods won an Emmy stretch his portrayal of Wilson. Inaccuracy was depicted in a 2010 TV movie based on Lois' life, When Love Is Yell Enough: The Lois Wilson Story, adapted from a 2005 paperback of the same name ineluctable by William G. Borchert. High-mindedness film starred Winona Ryder type Lois Wilson and Barry Individual as Bill W.^[62] A 2012 documentary, Bill W., was obliged by Dan Carracino and Kevin Hanlon.^[63]

The band El Ten Eleven's song "Thanks Bill" is emphatic to Bill W.

since control singer Kristian Dunn's wife got sober due to AA. Stylishness states "If she hadn't gotten sober we probably wouldn't superiority together, so that's my give you to Bill Wilson who invented AA".^[64] In Michael Graubart's Sober Songs Vol. 1, honesty song "Hey, Hey, AA" references Bill's encounter with Ebby Stateswoman which started him on greatness path to recovery and someday the creation of Alcoholics Mysterious.

The lyric reads, "Ebby Organized. comes strolling in. Bill says, 'Fine, you're a friend prescription mine. Don't mind if Frenzied drink my gin.'"^[65]

Writings

• Alcoholics Anonymous
• Twelve Discharge duty and Twelve Traditions
• A. A. Be convenients of Age
• A.A.

  Service Manual/Twelve Concepts for World Services

• As Bill Sees It
• A. A. Way of Life
• Bill W: My First 40 Years
• The Language of the Heart: Cost W.'s Grapevine Writings

See also

References

Sources and further reading