In 1944, Margaret ("Marty") Mann founded the National Committee for Education on Alcoholism (today the National Council on Alcohol and Drug Dependence), an educational and public health organization designed to publicize and popularize the "disease model" of alcoholism formulated by research scientists, psychiatrists, and Alcoholics Anonymous. Arguing that alcoholism should be viewed as a disease, not a sign of moral weakness or a simple lack of willpower, Mann, who claimed to be the first woman member of Alcoholics Anonymous, declared that alcoholism was a public health problem and therefore a public responsibility. She sought to spearhead a grass-roots public health movement, establishing local committees throughout the country which would sponsor information centers about alcoholism and treatment facilities. Marshaling her formidable public-relations skills, she offered herself as living proof of the NCEA doctrine that alcoholics can be helped and are worth helping. After half a century, Mann’s campaign clearly has realized success. Yet while the medical establishment and the wider society seem to have accepted the disease model of alcoholism, ambivalence remains at the end of the twentieth century. Further, a double standard persists in the treatment of female alcoholics. Mann is one of the most significant yet least-studied figures in twentieth-century public health. A close analysis of her campaign provides insights regarding the gendering of addiction, the role of the celebrity confessional in addiction advocacy, and the cultural, economic, and political constraints that limit public-health efforts regarding controversial substances or behaviors.
Learning Objectives: At the conclusion of this session, the participant will be able to: 1. Describe the development of the disease model of alcoholism and the definition of alcoholism as a public-health problem. 2. Recognize gender-role stereotypes in the use of the disease model in alcoholism treatment. 3. Construct a more effective and nuanced approach to alcoholism treatment for women
Keywords: Alcoholism, Gender
Presenting author's disclosure statement:
Organization/institution whose products or services will be discussed: None
I do not have any significant financial interest/arrangement or affiliation with any organization/institution whose products or services are being discussed in this session.