Scarface: Unmasking the Stigma
An Interview with William C. Moyers

The bright light of my father’s success did cast a long shadow over my life. It fed what I call the hole in my soul that ached because of my sense I wasn’t good enough, or perfect, or publicly admired. And only when I used alcohol and other drugs did the pain from that hole go away for awhile. But being the "son of" is no more the reason why I became addicted than if my father had been an obscure truck driver, or hadn’t been in my life at all.

Of course, I recognize that my last name does peak some interest (witness this interview). So to the extent that being my father’s son is newsworthy, I am sensitive to the opportunities that this familial tie has to share my own story about addiction and recovery.

Which drugs do you feel are the ones we need to pay the most attention to over the next few years?

To me, a drug is a drug is a drug. Epidemics of this drug or that drug come and go, but always the problem is the same: people get addicted, they and their families need help, and more often than not what they need or deserve is not what they get. Let me also add that the most used and abused drug in America is alcohol, so it will probably always be the substance that causes the most problems for our big cities and small towns across the country.

Are you in active in 12 step programs?

Yes. I was introduced to the 12-steps in August of 1989, when I was admitted to a psych ward in New York City at the start of my long road into recovery. From that day to this moment I have found these steps remarkably helpful in living my life, far beyond drugs and alcohol. For me, it was easy to stop using. It was tough to stay stopped. Without these steps I think I’d be dead, because it isn’t treatment that keeps me sober. It is my program of recovery.

I relapsed in 1994 while working as a journalist at CNN in Atlanta. In detox I had a spiritual awakening which led me to abandon journalism and move back to Saint Paul with Allison and our kids, and from there a series of "coincidences" led me to a job as a public policy analyst at Hazelden. Early on in my job there I realized that addiction treatment was the exception rather than the rule, that the stigma of addiction resulted in discrimination against addicted people who oftentimes could not access treatment, either because it wasn’t available or they were too afraid to ask for help. This was unfair, it was wrong, and yet it was grounded in public misperceptions about addiction and recovery that was due in part to the fact the people in recovery don’t stand up and speak out. At Hazelden, we realize it is vital to put a face on recovery not only to humanize this illness, but also to highlight that recovery is possible, it’s real. Today there are thousands of people doing what I do—leading by example. The Art of Recovery Expo taking place September 16th in Phoenix is proof of that.

How has being in recovery affected your parenting and what is the most important message parents can give their children today?

I wouldn’t be a parent if I wasn’t in recovery. I am an imperfect parent. But I am a sober one, and that’s the bottom line. Both my wife Allison and I are in long-term recovery, and we’ve never been reticent to share this with our three children, especially given the genetic predisposition that makes them at a greater risk to develop problems. Our kids are on the cusp of those challenging teenage years. So we’ve talked to them about what could happen if they experiment with illegal or legal substances, we urge them to avoid using, and we’ve set a clear expectation that no substances will be tolerated in our home. But Allison and I are no dummies, either. We understand peer pressure and the realities of growing up in today’s world. It’s tough for children. That’s why we’ve told our kids that should they chose to experiment and if they develop a problem, it is okay to ask for help. This is a key message for all parents to convey—there is nothing wrong with asking for help.

How has your conception of God changed over the years? What was it like before and after your recovery?

When I was born in 1959 my father was an ordained Southern Baptist minister in Texas and both he and my mother raised me to believe in God. We went to church together, I was active in Sunday school, prayer was a cornerstone of our family life, and my parents never shied away from answering my questions about God. So my challenge wasn’t about believing in a higher power. Through my struggles with addiction it came down to trusting in this higher power trusting that God could do for me what I could not do for myself. In the end it worked out for me. But it wasn’t easy. I stumbled a lot in this long journey to understand my relationship with God. I am still learning.

What attracted you to the Art of Recovery Expo in Phoenix?

I’m in Arizona along with some of my colleagues at Hazelden to support an event that celebrates out in the open for all to see the power and possibility of recovery. It’s happening here and all over the country, and I am fortunate to be part of it.

I want to help people. Mine is a story of hope, for addicts and alcoholics struggling to overcome their problems. For families who don’t know what to do or where to turn. For churches and schools and civic groups and even policy makers who are dealing with drugs and alcohol all the time. By sharing my story, I hope others will be inspired to get help. And in the end, I hope people in recovery will be inspired to share their stories too.

We must never forget that treating addiction and transforming lives means addressing the mind, body and spirit. For sure, neuroscience is helping us to understand that addiction has origins in the brain, and new medications are being developed that can help lead people into early recovery. But treating the whole person is what leads to lasting, long-term recovery for people like me.

How can the government take on a more leadership role?

By recognizing that problems caused by alcoholism and drug dependence are everyone’s problem, and that only a comprehensive approach that balances interdiction and law enforcement with effective prevention, scientific research and treatment programs will achieve sustainable, measurable results. Addiction does not discriminate. Neither should opportunities for recovery.