This Is A A. An introduction to the A.A. recovery program Alcoholics Anonymous

Is not allied with any sect, denomination, political beliefs, organization, or other institution. Is to help its members find sobriety. As a result, the fellowship does not engage in controversy and does not endorse or oppose any causes. Has a common goal, but many members also share similar feelings and experiences. This ability to relate to one another may be the first time an individual struggling with addiction has felt heard in their struggle.

• But Tradition 11 was also developed by the founders of the 12 step programs in order to avoid other potentially damaging situations.
• A 2020 review looked at 27 studies involving a total of 10,565 participants and noted that A.A.
• Alcoholics Anonymous has no opinion on outside issues; hence the AA name ought never be drawn into public controversy.
• Meetings are typically listed as “open” or “closed” meetings.
• At most meetings you will hear members talk about what drinking did to them and to those around them.

Sobriety in AA: We made changes to stop drinking

The 12 traditions of AA help individual members and groups relate to one another effectively. This can help maintain anonymity, ensure privacy, and keep the group focused on assisting people to recover from alcohol misuse. These traditions are essential in AA, as well as other groups that are modeled on the same principles. Twelve-Step meetings are considered the “fellowship” part of the AA mutual support groups, where people come together and share their experiences. Kelly and his team examined studies published in the past couple of decades in which people were randomly assigned to AA or other 12-step programs by health professionals. Other studies have analyzed the effectiveness of peer support, in general, during substance use recovery and found that it contributed to a variety of improved outcomes.

The AA program

Background for many topic meetings derives from A.A. Literature, such as Alcoholics Anonymous (Big Book), Twelve Steps and Twelve Traditions, As Bill Sees It, Daily Reflections, and from AA Grapevine. Group meetings are conducted by A.A. Members who determine the format of their meetings. We admitted we were powerless over alcohol — that our lives had become unmanageable.

• The findings also revealed that 27 percent of participants had achieved sobriety for less than a year.
• Continued to take personal inventory and when we were wrong promptly admitted it.
• This information is both for people who may have a drinking problem and for those in contact with people who have, or are suspected of having, a problem.
• There must also be a desire to get well.

Ready for your first Meeting?

Meetings are held in-person, online, or on the telephone. The members of each meeting decide when, where, and how often they will meet. The purpose of 12-step groups is for one member to help another and to be responsible for being the attraction to the program.

How Many People Die From Alcohol?

Anytime a newcomer reaches out for help, they will receive it, free what does aa stand for alcohol of charge. In turn, as members freely share their own experiences, strength, and hope with the newcomer, they help themselves and reinforce their own recovery. Though the original Twelve Steps of AA have been adapted over time, the premise of each step remains the same for all recovery programs that use a 12-step model. For many people, these groups may serve as their primary resource for changing their behavior, but they also often augment formal treatment. Such programs can also be helpful for long-term support and care.