Vivian Marlowe
Alcoholics Anonymous (AA) is a global, peer-led fellowship with the primary purpose of helping alcoholics achieve sobriety. It was founded in 1935 by Bill Wilson and Dr. Bob Smith, two individuals who shared a desire to address their struggles with alcoholism. AA's Twelve Steps and Twelve Traditions form the basis of its recovery program, emphasizing rigorous honesty, acceptance of powerlessness over alcohol, and spiritual growth. AA meetings vary in format and are open to anyone seeking to quit drinking, regardless of their religious or spiritual beliefs. While AA has been criticized for certain aspects of its program, empirical evidence supports its efficacy in achieving higher rates of continuous abstinence compared to alternative treatments.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Cost of meetings | Free |
| Membership requirement | Desire to stop drinking |
| Religious beliefs requirement | None |
| Medication recommendation | None |
| Funding | Self-supporting through member contributions |
| Success rates | Anonymous |
| Addressing mental illness | No |
| Science-backed | No |
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What You'll Learn
- AA is a global, peer-led fellowship focused on an abstinence-based recovery model from alcoholism
- AA's Twelve Traditions stress anonymity, lack of hierarchy, non-professionalism, and being unaffiliated and apolitical
- AA meetings differ in format, with personal storytelling, readings from the Big Book, and open discussions
- AA does not impose their experience with problem drinking on others
- AA is self-supporting through member donations and literature sales, and does not accept external funding
AA is a global, peer-led fellowship focused on an abstinence-based recovery model from alcoholism
Alcoholics Anonymous (AA) is a global fellowship with a presence in approximately 180 countries and a membership of over
The twelve steps are a set of spiritual principles that, when practiced as a way of life, can help expel the obsession to drink and enable recovery from alcoholism. The first step is admitting powerlessness over alcohol and the unmanageability of life due to alcoholism. Subsequent steps include rigorous honesty, acknowledging character defects, making amends to individuals harmed, and engaging in prayer or meditation to seek guidance from a higher power. The final step involves maintaining recovery principles, sharing the message with other alcoholics, and participating in "12th Step work", such as peer sponsorship and organizing meetings.
The Twelve Traditions guide the functioning of individual AA groups and emphasize anonymity, lack of hierarchy, non-promotion, non-affiliation, non-denominationalism, apolitical stance, and free attendance. AA meetings vary in format, including personal storytelling, readings from the Big Book, and open discussions. While some meetings cater to specific demographic groups, attendance is generally open to anyone seeking to address their drinking problem.
AA is self-supporting through member donations and literature sales, and it does not accept external funding or contributions. Its organizational structure follows an "inverted pyramid", granting local groups significant autonomy. AA's governance model ensures that the fellowship itself has direct oversight of its trusteeship, and each AA group is self-governing, with AA World Services acting only in an advisory capacity. This structure has been key to the organization's resilience and adaptability.
Empirical evidence supports the effectiveness of AA's program. A 2020 Cochrane review found that AA and Twelve-Step Facilitation (TSF) therapy demonstrated higher rates of continuous abstinence compared to alternative treatments, such as cognitive-behavioral therapy, with added healthcare cost savings over time. Additionally, a comprehensive analysis by a Stanford School of Medicine researcher and his collaborators found that AA was more effective than psychotherapy in achieving abstinence.
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AA's Twelve Traditions stress anonymity, lack of hierarchy, non-professionalism, and being unaffiliated and apolitical
Alcoholics Anonymous (AA) is a fellowship of people who share their experience, strength, and hope to recover from alcoholism. The Twelve Traditions of AA provide guidelines for relationships between the groups, members, and society at large. These traditions foster an altruistic, unaffiliated, non-coercive, and non-hierarchical organization.
Anonymity
Anonymity is the spiritual foundation of all AA traditions, reminding members to place principles before personalities. Each member of Alcoholics Anonymous is but a small part of a great whole. The organization emphasizes that individual welfare is important, but common welfare comes first.
Lack of Hierarchy
AA's Twelve Traditions discourage hierarchies and emphasize that leaders are but trusted servants who do not govern. The organization promotes rotating leadership, where even the trustees of the General Service Board are considered custodians of the AA tradition and receivers of voluntary contributions.
Non-Professionalism
AA should remain forever non-professional, according to its Twelve Traditions. While service centers may employ special workers, the usual AA "12th Step" work is never to be paid for. AA defines professionalism as the occupation of counseling alcoholics for fees or hire, which is not in line with their mission to help alcoholics at a non-professional level.
Unaffiliated and Apolitical
The Traditions stress that AA groups should be autonomous and unaffiliated with any other organizations or outside enterprises. They should also remain apolitical and avoid public controversies, prioritizing their primary purpose of carrying their message to alcoholics who are still suffering.
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AA meetings differ in format, with personal storytelling, readings from the Big Book, and open discussions
AA meetings vary in format, with some focusing on personal storytelling, readings from the Big Book, or open discussions. AA meetings are gatherings where recovery from alcoholism is discussed. One perspective sees them as "quasi-ritualized therapeutic sessions run by and for alcoholics". AA meetings are free to attend and open to anyone who wants to address their drinking problem. There are no age or education requirements to participate.
Speaker meetings, for example, feature one or more members who share their personal stories of recovery, fostering connection and understanding among participants. These meetings often follow a specific format, with speakers selected beforehand and sharing their experiences in a structured manner.
On the other hand, Big Book meetings focus on reading and discussing passages from the foundational text of AA, known as the "Big Book." The Big Book, first published in 1939, outlines the AA program for recovery from alcoholism and is considered the basic text of AA. It includes stories from the co-founders and other members detailing their journeys to sobriety. Meetings often begin with readings from Chapter 5 ("How It Works") or Chapter 3 ("More About Alcoholism").
Additionally, there are sharing meetings, which provide an open platform for members to speak freely about their experiences, with or without a predetermined topic. These meetings allow members to share their thoughts and feelings in a supportive environment, fostering a sense of community and understanding.
The variety of meeting formats ensures that members can find the support they need in a way that suits them. AA's Twelve Traditions emphasise anonymity, a lack of hierarchy, and staying non-promotional and non-professional. The voluntary nature of AA meetings is essential, and members are encouraged to attend and continue their recovery journey through regular attendance or contact with other AA members.
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AA does not impose their experience with problem drinking on others
Alcoholics Anonymous (AA) is a global, peer-led fellowship that helps people address their drinking problems through an abstinence-based recovery model and a spiritually inclined twelve-step program. The twelve steps are a set of spiritual principles that, when practised as a way of life, can help expel the obsession to drink and enable recovery from alcoholism.
AA meetings differ in format, with variations including personal storytelling, readings from the Big Book, and open discussions. While certain meetings may cater to specific demographic groups, attendance is generally open to anyone with a desire to stop drinking alcohol. AA does not impose their experience with problem drinking on others, but they do share their experiences when asked. This sharing of experiences is vital for maintaining sobriety, as connecting with other alcoholics is key to the recovery process.
The twelve steps begin with an acknowledgment of powerlessness over alcohol and the unmanageability of life due to alcoholism. Subsequent steps emphasize rigorous honesty, including the completion of a "searching and fearless moral inventory", acknowledging "character defects", sharing the inventory with a trusted person, making amends to individuals harmed, and engaging in regular prayer or meditation to seek "conscious contact with God" and guidance in following divine will.
The final step, the twelfth step, focuses on maintaining the principles of recovery, sharing the message with other alcoholics, and participating in "twelfth-step work," such as peer sponsorship, organizing meetings, and outreach to institutions like hospitals and prisons.
The twelve traditions of AA, besides emphasizing anonymity, stress a lack of hierarchy, staying non-promotional, and non-professional. AA is unaffiliated, non-denominational, apolitical, and free to all. The organization is self-supporting through member donations and literature sales and does not accept external funding or contributions.
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AA is self-supporting through member donations and literature sales, and does not accept external funding
Alcoholics Anonymous (AA) is a global, peer-led fellowship with a shared desire to stop drinking. It is a mutual-aid group with an abstinence-based recovery model for alcoholism. AA is unique in that it does not mandate any specific religious beliefs, nor does it require members to discontinue any medications prescribed by their healthcare providers. This flexibility allows for a diverse range of participants from various backgrounds. The only requirement for membership is a desire to stop drinking.
AA is entirely self-supporting through member donations and literature sales. It does not accept external funding or contributions, including from federal or governmental sources. This independence allows AA to maintain its autonomy and ensure that its philosophy aligns with its members' interests. The organization follows an inverted pyramid structure, granting local groups significant autonomy.
AA's primary purpose is to help alcoholics achieve sobriety and maintain it through the Twelve Steps. These steps are a set of spiritual principles that, when practiced, can expel the obsession to drink and enable recovery from alcoholism. The Twelve Traditions, associated with the Twelve Steps, are general guidelines for healthy relationships between the group, members, and other groups. They emphasize anonymity, a lack of hierarchy, non-promotion, non-professionalism, and unaffiliated, non-denominational, apolitical, and free participation.
The Twelve Steps begin with an acknowledgment of powerlessness over alcohol and the unmanageability of life due to alcoholism. Subsequent steps emphasize rigorous honesty, including completing a moral inventory, acknowledging character defects, sharing with a trusted person, making amends, and engaging in prayer or meditation to seek guidance. The final step, the 12th, involves sharing the message with other alcoholics and participating in "12th Step work," such as peer sponsorship and organizing meetings.
AA meetings vary in format, including personal storytelling, readings from the Big Book, and open discussions. While certain meetings may cater to specific demographic groups, attendance is generally open to anyone with a desire to stop drinking. AA does not charge any fees for participation, making its support system accessible to all who seek help with their drinking problem.
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Frequently asked questions
No, the only requirement for membership is a desire to stop drinking.
No, it is free to attend. AA is self-supporting through member donations and literature sales.
No, AA does not mandate any specific religious beliefs. The spiritual aspect of the program is personal and individual.
No, it is a fellowship of people who come together to solve their drinking problem. However, AA's Twelve-Step Facilitation therapy is considered a proven approach by the American Society of Addiction Medicine.
Yes, empirical evidence supports AA's efficacy. A 2020 Cochrane review found that AA and Twelve-Step Facilitation therapy demonstrated higher rates of continuous abstinence compared to alternative treatments.
