Alcoholics Anonymous (AA) 12-Step Recovery Program
What is Alcoholics Anonymous - AA

Alcoholics Anonymous is a voluntary, 12-step recovery program, a worldwide fellowship of men and women from all walks of life who meet together to attain and maintain sobriety. The only requirement for membership is a desire to stop drinking. There are no dues or fees for A.A. membership. The program is focused on taking positive action using the >Big Book of Alcoholics Anonymous, to heal to heal their spirit and get their lives back in order.

Through the example and friendship of the recovered alcoholics in A.A., new members are encouraged to stay away from a drink "one day at a time," as everyone in A.A. does. Instead of "swearing off forever" or worrying about whether they will be sober tomorrow, people in A.A. concentrate on not drinking right now - today. AA is completely confidential, and it is assumed that all participants will remain anonymous. No participant is supposed to discuss others outside the group, and this is for safety and reputation's sake.

By keeping alcohol out of their systems, newcomers take care of one part of their illness - their bodies have a chance to get well. There is another part. If they are going to stay sober, they need healthy minds and healthy emotions, too. So they begin to straighten out their confused thinking and unhappy feelings by following A.A.'s "Twelve Steps" to recovery. These Steps suggest ideas and actions that can guide alcoholics toward happy and useful lives.

Alcoholics Anonymous has helped millions of people since it was founded in 1935, but exactly how does A.A. help people stop drinking? By taking the 12 steps and working the principles of the steps into all parts of their lives, A.A. members find they can develop the tools and attitudes they need to remain sober. To be in touch with other members and to learn about recovery, new members go to A.A. Meetings regularly.

The History of Alcoholics Anonymous – AA’s Origin

The origins of Alcoholics Anonymous can be traced to the Oxford Group, a religious movement popular in the United States and Europe in the early 20th century. Members of the Oxford Group practiced a formula of self-improvement by performing self-inventory, admitting wrongs, making amends, using prayer and meditation, and carrying the message to others.

In the early 1930s, a well-to-do Rhode Islander, Rowland H., visited the noted Swiss psychoanalyst Carl Jung for help with his alcoholism. Jung determined that Rowland’s case was medically hopeless, and that he could only find relief through a vital spiritual experience. Jung directed him to the Oxford Group.

Rowland later introduced fellow Vermonter Edwin (“Ebby”) T. to the group, and the two men along with several others were finally able to keep from drinking by practicing the Oxford Group principles.

One of Ebby’s schoolmate friends from Vermont, and a drinking buddy, was Bill W. Ebby sought out his old friend at his home at 182 Clinton Street in Brooklyn, New York, to carry the message of hope.

Bill W. had been a golden boy on Wall Street, enjoying success and power as a stockbroker, but his promising career had been ruined by continuous and chronic alcoholism. Now, approaching 39 years of age, he was learning that his problem was hopeless, progressive, and irreversible. He had sought medical treatment at Towns Hospital in Manhattan, but he was still drinking.

Bill was, at first, unconvinced by Ebby’s story of transformation and the claims of the Oxford Group. But in December 1934, after again landing in Towns hospital for treatment, Bill underwent a powerful spiritual experience unlike any he had ever known. His depression and despair were lifted, and he felt free and at peace. Bill stopped drinking, and worked the rest of his life to bring that freedom and peace to other alcoholics. The roots of Alcoholics Anonymous were planted and the History of Alcoholics Anonymous had its roots.

Whether or not you've struggled with an addiction of your own, chances are that you've heard about Alcoholics Anonymous (AA). AA is considered to be the grandfather of all group support groups for people recovering from addictions. It's been around for a long time, it’s been studied for its effectiveness, and it continues to help people overcome their addictions.

People who have struggled with addiction often report that AA or any of the other meetings are one of the most effective methods of staying sober. What is it about these support meetings that makes them so effective, though? That's the question that we aim to answer today.

What is AA?

Alcoholics Anonymous is a group support group for recovering addicts. These groups enable recovering addicts to open up and share information, advice, and stories about their experiences in an effort to help each other overcome and beat their addictions.

The groups are not a part of an actual organization, but AA has a website online that has information about the organization and the way meetings are generally run. Each individual AA meeting is run by its own person, and may have different rules or regulations than other AA meetings.

Alcoholics Anonymous groups are known as chapters, and there are different chapters in different locales. The website for AA might give suggestions about how to run a new group, but these rules are not always set in stone and do not reflect the actual goings-on at all the AA meetings in the world.

Who Needs AA?

Alcoholics Anonymous and the other support groups are helpful because addicts often lack the necessary social supports to actually overcome their addiction. Addiction is a very difficult thing to overcome, and it’s especially difficult to overcome on your own. Unfortunately, it’s really hard for a lot of addicts to find social supports because drugs and drug users have a very harsh stigma surrounding them.

Because of the stigma that surrounds drugs and drug users, most addicts aren't able to openly communicate about their addiction. This creates a number of barriers in seeking treatment.

They may not be open to their families, for fear of being rejected or losing privileges. This means that they may not have the financial means necessary to seek help for their addiction.

They may not be open and honest with their friends about their addiction. This will make it much more difficult for someone to actually understand where they stand with their addiction and how severe it is. If a drug addict can't express themselves, they often end up living a life of deception that prevents them from fully understanding their addiction and deciding when they need help.

Drug addicts usually have to keep their addictions hidden from work and school, which can make it difficult for them to attend their studies or their work on a consistent basis.

Do I need AA?

Not everybody needs to go to AA when they struggle with alcohol addiction. However, a lot of rehab facilities will recommend that somebody attends AA as part of an aftercare plan, to help them avoid relapsing and prevent falling back into behaviors that could lead them to relapse.

If you have struggled with alcoholism, and you have tried to quit before and have relapsed, you might need to go to AA. A lot of alcoholics have reported that they relapsed continually, no matter how many methods of rehabilitation they tried. They report that the group environment gives them a purpose and a sense of belonging that encourages them to abstain from alcohol.

Having a group of caring, loving people who are willing to help walk you through your recovery is one of the best ways for you to overcome an addiction. No longer will the problem rest on your shoulders alone - you will have other people counting on you and urging you towards recovery.

This is helpful for another reason - you have people depending on you. If you relapse, you won't only be disappointing yourself, but you'll be disappointing a group of people who have your best intentions at heart and want you to do good for yourself.

What happens at AA?

There are many group supports and they all follow a very similar formula. Alcoholics Anonymous, Narcotics Anonymous, Heroin and Cocaine Anonymous, and the majority of group supports that are related to addiction tend to have an itinerary as followed.

Meetings are often facilitated by a group leader, though this leader doesn't actually have a different status than anyone else in the group. They may be the individual who organized the support group, or the person who owns the building that the group is hosted in.