Marty Mann
Encyclopedia
Marty Mann was any early female member of Alcoholics Anonymous
and author of the chapter "Women Suffer Too" in the second through fourth editions of the Big Book of AA
. In part because of her life's work, alcoholism
became seen as less a moral issue and more a health issue.
It is a common error that Marty Mann was the first woman in AA. The first woman to seek help from Alcoholics Anonymous was "Lil", who relapsed and later got sober outside A.A., and the first woman who attained any length of sobriety (although she later relapsed) was Florence R., author of the chapter "A Feminine Victory", in the first edition of the book Alcoholics Anonymous.
She was also the first lesbian member of Alcoholics Anonymous at a time when gay and lesbians were not accepted by society.
family in Chicago
. She attended private school
s, traveled extensively, and was a debutante
. The social circle in which she moved was a fast-living one and Mann was known for her capacity to drink without apparent effect (often a sign of alcoholism). She married into a wealthy New Orleans family; when in her late twenties, due to financial reverses, she had to go to work, her social and family connections made it easy for her to launch a career in public relations
.
Mann's drinking, however, grew to the point where it endangered not only her business but her life, including at least one suicide attempt. In 1939 her psychiatrist
, Dr. Harry Tiebout
, gave her a manuscript
of the book Alcoholics Anonymous, and persuaded her to attend her first AA meeting (at the time there were only two AA groups in the entire United States). Despite several relapse
s during her first year and a half, Mann succeeded in becoming sober
by 1940 and, apart from a brief relapse nearly 20 years later, remained so for the rest of her life.
and ignorance regarding alcoholism, and to encourage the "disease model" which viewed it as a medical/psychological problem, not a moral failing. She helped start the Yale School of Alcohol Studies (now at Rutgers), and organized the National Council on Alcoholism (now the National Council on Alcoholism and Drug Dependence
or NCADD).
Three ideas formed the basis of her message:
In the 1950s Edward R. Murrow
included her in his list of the 10 greatest living Americans. Her book New Primer on Alcoholism was published in 1958.
at home and died soon after. Many histories of Alcoholics Anonymous make only passing mention of Mann, perhaps because NCEA had no formal relationship to AA. However, Mann's public admission of her own alcoholism, her successful experience with AA, and her encouragement of others — especially women — to get help contributed substantially to AA's growth.
http://www.aa.org/bigbookonline/en_pioneers3.pdf
Alcoholics Anonymous
Alcoholics Anonymous is an international mutual aid movement which says its "primary purpose is to stay sober and help other alcoholics achieve sobriety." Now claiming more than 2 million members, AA was founded in 1935 by Bill Wilson and Dr. Bob Smith in Akron, Ohio...
and author of the chapter "Women Suffer Too" in the second through fourth editions of the Big Book of AA
AA
AA may refer to:- Organizations and businesses :* Architectural Association School of Architecture, the prestigious London based School of Architecture* Architects' Association of Denmark...
. In part because of her life's work, alcoholism
Alcoholism
Alcoholism is a broad term for problems with alcohol, and is generally used to mean compulsive and uncontrolled consumption of alcoholic beverages, usually to the detriment of the drinker's health, personal relationships, and social standing...
became seen as less a moral issue and more a health issue.
It is a common error that Marty Mann was the first woman in AA. The first woman to seek help from Alcoholics Anonymous was "Lil", who relapsed and later got sober outside A.A., and the first woman who attained any length of sobriety (although she later relapsed) was Florence R., author of the chapter "A Feminine Victory", in the first edition of the book Alcoholics Anonymous.
She was also the first lesbian member of Alcoholics Anonymous at a time when gay and lesbians were not accepted by society.
Background
Marty Mann came from an upper middle classUpper middle class
The upper middle class is a sociological concept referring to the social group constituted by higher-status members of the middle class. This is in contrast to the term "lower middle class", which is used for the group at the opposite end of the middle class stratum, and to the broader term "middle...
family in Chicago
Chicago
Chicago is the largest city in the US state of Illinois. With nearly 2.7 million residents, it is the most populous city in the Midwestern United States and the third most populous in the US, after New York City and Los Angeles...
. She attended private school
Private school
Private schools, also known as independent schools or nonstate schools, are not administered by local, state or national governments; thus, they retain the right to select their students and are funded in whole or in part by charging their students' tuition, rather than relying on mandatory...
s, traveled extensively, and was a debutante
Debutante
A débutante is a young lady from an aristocratic or upper class family who has reached the age of maturity, and as a new adult, is introduced to society at a formal "début" presentation. It should not be confused with a Debs...
. The social circle in which she moved was a fast-living one and Mann was known for her capacity to drink without apparent effect (often a sign of alcoholism). She married into a wealthy New Orleans family; when in her late twenties, due to financial reverses, she had to go to work, her social and family connections made it easy for her to launch a career in public relations
Public relations
Public relations is the actions of a corporation, store, government, individual, etc., in promoting goodwill between itself and the public, the community, employees, customers, etc....
.
Mann's drinking, however, grew to the point where it endangered not only her business but her life, including at least one suicide attempt. In 1939 her psychiatrist
Psychiatrist
A psychiatrist is a physician who specializes in the diagnosis and treatment of mental disorders. All psychiatrists are trained in diagnostic evaluation and in psychotherapy...
, Dr. Harry Tiebout
Harry Tiebout
Harry M. Tiebout M.D. was an American psychiatrist who promoted the Alcoholics Anonymous approach to the public, patients and fellow professionals...
, gave her a manuscript
Manuscript
A manuscript or handwrite is written information that has been manually created by someone or some people, such as a hand-written letter, as opposed to being printed or reproduced some other way...
of the book Alcoholics Anonymous, and persuaded her to attend her first AA meeting (at the time there were only two AA groups in the entire United States). Despite several relapse
Relapse
Relapse, in relation to drug misuse, is resuming the use of a drug or a dependent substance after one or more periods of abstinence. The term is a landmark feature of both substance dependence and substance abuse, which are learned behaviors, and is maintained by neuronal adaptations that mediate...
s during her first year and a half, Mann succeeded in becoming sober
Sobriety
Sobriety is the condition of not having any measurable levels, or effects from, alcohol or other drugs that alter ones mood or behaviors. According to WHO "Lexicon of alcohol and drug terms..." sobriety is continued abstinence from alcohol and psychoactive drug use...
by 1940 and, apart from a brief relapse nearly 20 years later, remained so for the rest of her life.
Encouraging a change in viewpoint
In 1945 Mann became inspired with the desire to eliminate the stigmaSocial stigma
Social stigma is the severe disapproval of or discontent with a person on the grounds of characteristics that distinguish them from other members of a society.Almost all stigma is based on a person differing from social or cultural norms...
and ignorance regarding alcoholism, and to encourage the "disease model" which viewed it as a medical/psychological problem, not a moral failing. She helped start the Yale School of Alcohol Studies (now at Rutgers), and organized the National Council on Alcoholism (now the National Council on Alcoholism and Drug Dependence
National Council on Alcoholism and Drug Dependence
The National Council on Alcoholism and Drug Dependence was founded in 1944 by the first female member of Alcoholics Anonymous , Marty Mann . It has a nationwide network of 95 affiliates around the United States...
or NCADD).
Three ideas formed the basis of her message:
- Alcoholism is a diseaseDiseaseA disease is an abnormal condition affecting the body of an organism. It is often construed to be a medical condition associated with specific symptoms and signs. It may be caused by external factors, such as infectious disease, or it may be caused by internal dysfunctions, such as autoimmune...
and the alcoholic a sick person. - The alcoholic can be helped and is worth helping.
- Alcoholism is a public health problem and therefore a public responsibility.
In the 1950s Edward R. Murrow
Edward R. Murrow
Edward Roscoe Murrow, KBE was an American broadcast journalist. He first came to prominence with a series of radio news broadcasts during World War II, which were followed by millions of listeners in the United States and Canada.Fellow journalists Eric Sevareid, Ed Bliss, and Alexander Kendrick...
included her in his list of the 10 greatest living Americans. Her book New Primer on Alcoholism was published in 1958.
Legacy
In 1980 Marty Mann suffered a strokeStroke
A stroke, previously known medically as a cerebrovascular accident , is the rapidly developing loss of brain function due to disturbance in the blood supply to the brain. This can be due to ischemia caused by blockage , or a hemorrhage...
at home and died soon after. Many histories of Alcoholics Anonymous make only passing mention of Mann, perhaps because NCEA had no formal relationship to AA. However, Mann's public admission of her own alcoholism, her successful experience with AA, and her encouragement of others — especially women — to get help contributed substantially to AA's growth.
External links
- Marty Mann's New Primer on Alcoholism, reviewed by John Philip, http://www.pubmedcentral.nih.gov/articlerender.fcgi?artid=1372822
- Marty Mann Papers at Syracuse University http://library.syr.edu/digital/guides/m/mann_m.htm
- Marty Mann's Story Women Suffer Too, Big Book (Alcoholics Anonymous, 4th ed.} Online,
http://www.aa.org/bigbookonline/en_pioneers3.pdf