(South Middlesex Intergroup)
It has been brought to our attention by a number of Ealing members that Dennis F (so called “Happy” Dennis) may not be as “happy” as he makes himself out to be. According to a few ex-sponsees, Dennis can sound rather depressed when speaking on the phone. “He was speaking extremely slowly, and sounded like he was in a lot of pain” said one disillusioned ex-sponsee. “It was hard to make out what he was actually saying, he sounded so miserable. I don’t trust him anymore” said another. “Some members of his family were in the house when I visited him and they told me that he is certainly not happy all the time….”
At
his meetings Happy Dennis is the ultra-happy attention-seeking
control freak. He speaks almost breathlessly fast and uses highly
exaggerated language. Here are some examples of his sharing - “I’m
very very very very very very happy…. and I’m even happier than
that”. He displays a childish use of adjectives “I’m
supercalifragilisticexpialidociously happy” and “the very
very lovely gorgeous beautiful lovely stupendous marvelous fantastic
Big Book etc…” And so he goes on, exaggerating and repeating
himself (he repeats himself a lot). Yet at other times, when he is
not at meetings, he can hardly speak at all he is so “down”.
He also disappears out of the country quite frequently, going to
Ireland, and no one is able to contact him there at all. No
explanation is given as to what he is doing there or why he has to
go. He just suddenly disappears off to Ireland with no explanation.
His hapless sponsees are referred to a bewildered deputy, while
Dennis is strictly incommunicado and absent from his home-groups
sometimes for weeks at a time. Now Ireland isn’t exactly the
other side of the world, so one is left wondering what is going on.
Furthermore, this is the same man who sets up meetings, then abandons
them. Then sets up more, then closes them down, without explanation.
Then he sets up even more meetings, and then runs away to Ireland
again when Intergroup try to hold him to account over complaints
about his outlandish behaviour. Strange indeed. However there
is one mental condition that may possibly explain the actions of this
bizarre and ridiculous man - manic depression, sometimes
called bi-polar disorder. Let us quote from the wikipedia article on
this illness.
Bipolar
disorder or bipolar affective
disorder,
historically known as manic–depressive disorder, is a psychiatric
diagnosis
that
describes a category of mood
disorders
defined
by the presence of one or more episodes of abnormally elevated energy
levels, cognition,
and mood
with
or without one or more depressive episodes. The elevated moods are
clinically referred to as mania
or,
if milder, hypomania.
Individuals who experience manic episodes also commonly experience
depressive
episodes,
or symptoms, or a mixed
state
in
which features of both mania and depression are present at the same
time. These events are usually separated by periods of "normal"
mood;
but, in some individuals, depression and mania may rapidly alternate,
which is known as rapid
cycling.
Severe manic episodes can sometimes lead to such psychotic
symptoms
as delusions
and
hallucinations.
For
more information see
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bipolar_disorder
So
there you have it. Clearly, by any standards “happy” Dennis
is a case for the psychiatrist’s chair. Of course we can all
have empathy for someone who is suffering from a mental illness.
However, when this disturbed individual is playing at God, messing
around with vulnerable people’s lives - telling then what job they
can or cannot do; where they can or cannot live; what they can or
cannot say in meetings; who they can or cannot have as a partner;
what medications they must not take etc, then this is not an
acceptable state of affairs at all. It is downright dangerous,
irresponsible, and indeed, outrageous.
Finally
let us remind ourselves that Dennis F takes his inspiration and
direction, not from AA conference approved literature, but from a
website concocted by his sponsor, David C – the infallible Icon.
The infallible Icon knows nothing about psychology, and cares even
less, so poor old Dennis will not be directed to seek the treatment
he clearly needs, and vulnerable newcomers in the Ealing area will
continue to be confused, abused and manipulated by this dangerously
unhinged man.
Comment:
a case of the inmates taking over the asylum perhaps?
Cheerio
The
Fellas (Friends of Alcoholics Anonymous)
