As the number of Covid-19 cases tops 200 and social distancing regulations see the cancellation of many regular events and church services, it is unsurprising that the contact-based fellowships of Alcoholics Anonymous (AA) and Narcotics Anonymous (NA) have been significantly affected.

Many AA and NA communities have shut down operations and attendance at the few remaining meetings is dwindling. 

Competing fears

While many recovering addicts are scared of catching the Covid-19 virus, many are also frightened of how they’ll cope without regular support meetings.

Sarah* has been clean of drugs for almost two months and attends an NA or AA meeting every day — following the recommendation to do 90 meetings in 90 days.

On Thursday afternoon, she checked the NA website to find a meeting and decided to go to a LGBTQ meeting in Northcliff, Johannesburg. While getting into her car that evening, she checked the website, only to find that the meeting listing had been removed due to Covid-19 concerns.

Changing plans, Sarah made her way to a 7.30pm meeting at St Francis Church in Forest Town.

When Sarah arrived, the church’s caretaker Grant Roth was informing arrivals of the facility’s new rules and precautionary measures to limit the spread of the virus.

“We’ve closed all church services, but we don’t want to chase you guys out. There shouldn’t be more than 60 people at the meeting, chairs need to me a metre apart, and if anyone is sick they need to please go home,” he said.

On Monday last week, when there were just 62 confirmed local cases, “Anonymous” groups were already taking precautionary measures. The Monday evening meeting at North Parkwood Methodist Church began with a Covid-19 announcement.

“Meetings are important. They keep us clean. But, if you are sick, please don’t come to meetings. Please don’t be offended if people refuse to hug you – we don’t prohibit hugging but it’s a good idea to limit contact,” announced chairperson Francois.

No holding hands

It is customary for all recovering addicts in attendance to hold hands at the end of a gathering while saying the Serenity Prayer.

“It’s messed up, but we are not going to hold hands when we pray,” announced Francois.

“These are strange times we live in,” he added as a bottle of hand sanitiser made its way around the circle of people.

Both NA and AA have circulated guidance on how meetings, if they continue to be held, should change to accommodate Covid-19 concerns, including no physical contact and distancing chairs. 

Cancelled meetings

All regular meetings at rehabilitation and mental health institutions have been cancelled.

In Gauteng, a staggering 28 regular NA meetings had been cancelled by the weekend, including those at Akeso Randburg Crescent Clinic, at the Sharp Foundation Clinic in Oaklands and at Tranquillity Home Rehabilitation Clinic in Linden.

Organisers of the Tranquility group got together at McDonald’s in Linden to discuss finding an interim venue. The team discussed the fact that, since the outbreak, many addicts had accessed online meetings and it was suggested that they might do the same.

“There’s nothing like a face-to-face meeting. And initially, I was all for finding a new venue, but I think we should take the lead from our government and close the meeting for the meantime,” said meeting chairperson Garth. “I never thought I would say the words ‘take the lead from our government’.”

Garth stressed the importance of face-to-face interaction for addicts, especially those newly in recovery. Addiction is largely a “disease of isolation” with people withdrawing from society in order to continue abusing drugs and alcohol. This makes the opposite of isolation – connection – such an important part of staying clean.

Worst nightmare

“This situation is essentially forcing isolation, which is every recovering addict’s worst nightmare,” admitted Garth, who has been clean for three years.

“But if I had just been discharged from treatment and doing a 90-in-90 I would go to meetings come hell or high water.”

Despite this, the group voted to temporarily suspend their meeting and convene again in a month’s time to reassess the situation. 

Sixty-year-old Jack, who has just celebrated two years clean, has chosen to continue to attend five NA meetings a week.

“Being connected under a common cause or objective is a fundamental property of the fellowships of NA and AA,” noted Jack. “The reasons addicts go is to solicit a knowledge and understanding of how best to change from a life as a self-indulged addict to a clear-minded thinker.

“As addicts, we really do need the help of other recovering addicts – to see us, hear us and embrace us. These are all very primal needs that bind us in the mutual pursuit of sobriety and meetings are a starting point and foundation for this journey with the single objective – to stay clean,” he said.

Jack now brings a bottle of hand sanitiser to all meetings and offers it to those he comes into contact with. 

“The absence or modification of this nurturing environment is a devastating notion to any recovering addict. But, unfortunately, this is precisely the diabolic affliction Covid-19 has brought about,” added Jack, a retired scientist. 

Lower attendance

Back at the Thursday evening meeting in Forest Town, there were 21 recovering addicts in attendance, instead of the usual 40-plus. 

Tendai, a 54-year-old recovering prescription pill addict who has just celebrated 60 days clean, said though she is “terrified” of becoming ill with Covid-19, she is still attending meetings.

“For me, meetings are more important than my fears about the virus. Addiction is a 24-hour disease and meetings keep me focused on the solution,” she said.

The Thursday meeting was Alan’s first out of a rehabilitation centre as he was discharged that morning. He agreed with Tendai: “I have been a drug addict for years and I didn’t die. There’s no way in hell corona is going to stop me from coming to meetings.”

Chairperson of the Forest Town meeting, Baruch – clean for more than 19 years – announced a “business meeting” after the official NA meeting to decide on this group’s future in the context of Covid-19.

“To stay clean we need to open up and share. But I’m scared. I’m imagining I’m sick. I’ve stopped looking at the news. I feel stressed and uncomfortable in my skin. I’m locked in my house and I feel abandoned and lost. This hiding from society is exactly like using drugs for me. I’m grateful to be at this meeting,” he said.

The group voted unanimously to keep going on the basis that gettong together was of greater importance to recovering addicts than concerns about Covid-19. 

One of the voters, 46-year-old Thabo, said that he was not too worried about becoming sick because he was taking the necessary precautions. 

“Also, if I get it, I will most probably recover,” he said.

While Covid-19’s mortality risk is still unclear, it does seem that older people are at a much higher risk of dying.

A March 2020 study in Lancet medical journal estimates the Covid-19 mortality rate to be 5.7%. According to the US’s Centers for Disease Control, for those aged 85 and older the risk of dying from Covid-19 is as high as 27%, up to 11% for those aged 65 to 84, about 3% for those aged 55 to 64 and below 1% for those aged between 20 and 54. 

During the post-meeting discussion, Mike – a recovering addict with almost two decades clean time – said: “This virus induced fear, but the reality is that even if we do get it we’re not going to die – with the exception of Gunther.” 

Gunther, who turns 82 in May and is over 28 years clean, smiled in response.

Asked if this risk will keep him from attending meetings, he said, “Not at all.

“I still go to gym but I do what they ask me to do in terms of sanitising. I’m not worried, I’m not that sort of person. I am not asking for it either, but I believe what will happen will happen and it’s no use disrupting my life in the meantime.” DM

* No full names are used because of NA and AA anonymity traditions.

List of NA meetings in Gauteng that have been suspended to date 

• Saturday morning meeting at Tara Psychiatric Hospital 
• Tuesday evening meeting in Braamfontein
• Sunday Randburg Ladies meeting
• Thursday evening LGBTQ meeting in Northcliff 
• Monday evening Blacksheep meeting in Weltevreden Park 
• Tuesday evening meeting in Kyalami 
• Monday evening meeting in Westbury 
• Wednesday evening meeting in Northcliff
• Wednesday evening meeting in Parkhurst 
• Saturday evening Bonfire meetings at the SHARP Foundation Clinic 
• Wednesday evening Sundowner meeting in Randburg 
• Sunday evening meeting in Boskruin, Akeso Randburg
• Tuesday evening meeting at Tranquillity Home Rehabilitation Clinic
• Friday evening meeting at Tranquillity Home Rehabilitation Clinic 
• Tuesday evening Daxina meeting in Lenasia 
• Sunday morning meeting in Sydenham 
• Wednesday evening meeting in Fourways 
• Sunday evening meeting in Parkhurst 
• Wednesday evening Soldiers in Recovery meeting in Lenasia
• Thursday evening meeting in Lenasia South 
• Tuesday evening meeting in Waverly 
• Thursday evening meeting in Primrose 
• Thursday evening meeting in Midrand 
• Sunday afternoon meeting in Sunninghill 
• Friday evening meeting in Roosevelt Park
• Wednesday evening meeting in Riverlea
• Monday to Friday meetings at Alberton Civic Centre 
• Saturday evening meeting in Boskruin, Akeso Randburg

** This article was produced by Spotlight – health journalism in the public interest.