What is aa

In the early days of AA, when more stigma was attached to the term "alcoholic" than is the case today, this reluctance to be identified - and publicised - was easy to understand. As the Fellowship of AA grew, the positive values of anonymity soon became apparent. First, we know from experience that many problem drinkers might hesitate to turn to AA for help if they thought their problem might be discussed publicly, even inadvertently, by others.

Newcomers should be able to seek help with complete assurance that their identities will not be disclosed to anyone outside the Fellowship. Then, too, we believe that the concept of personal anonymity has a spiritual significance for us - that it discourages the drives for personal recognition, power, prestige, or profit that have caused difficulties in some societies. Much of our relative effectiveness in working with alcoholics might be impaired if we sought or accepted public recognition.

While each member of AA is free to make his or her own interpretations of AA tradition, no individual is ever recognised as a spokesperson for the Fellowship locally, nationally, or internationally. Each member speaks only for himself or herself. AA is indebted to all media for their assistance in strengthening the Tradition of anonymity over the years.

Select personalised content. Create a personalised content profile. Measure ad performance. Select basic ads. Create a personalised ads profile. Select personalised ads. Apply market research to generate audience insights. Measure content performance. Develop and improve products. List of Partners vendors. Alcoholics Anonymous is an international fellowship of people who have had a drinking problem.

It is nonprofessional, self-supporting, multiracial, apolitical, and available almost everywhere. There are no age or education requirements. Membership is open to anyone who wants to do something about their drinking problem. Alcoholics Anonymous, or AA as it is widely known, has been around since it was founded in by Bill W. Bob in Akron, Ohio. The expansion of the program from a meeting between two alcoholics on June 10, , got a boost with the publication of the book, Alcoholics Anonymous , known as The Big Book, and a article in the Saturday Evening Post about the group.

The rich history of the early days of the formation of the Alcoholics Anonymous movement has been chronicled by archivist Mitchell K. Alcoholism and drug addiction are often referred to as " substance abuse" or "chemical dependency. Anyone may attend open AA meetings. An open meeting is open to the public, while a closed meeting is for members only. Only those with a drinking problem may attend closed meetings or become AA members.

People with problems other than alcoholism are eligible for AA membership only if they have a drinking problem, too. AA members share their experience with anyone seeking help with a drinking problem; they give person-to-person service or "sponsorship" to the alcoholic coming to AA from any source. The AA program, set forth in the Twelve Steps , offers the alcoholic a way to develop a satisfying life without alcohol. This program is discussed at AA group meetings. People who have never been to an actual AA meeting can have misconceptions about how they work due to portrayals they may have seen in the movies or on television.

Open AA meetings, which anyone can attend, are usually "speaker meetings," at which a member of AA will tell their story—what it was like, what happened, and what it's like now.

Most AA meetings, however, are closed meetings for members only. A typical AA meeting is a topic discussion meeting. The person leading the meeting chooses a topic and members to take turns sharing their experience on the topic.

Through the example and friendship of the recovered alcoholics in A. Instead of "swearing off forever" or worrying about whether they will be sober tomorrow, A. By keeping alcohol out of their systems, newcomers take care of one part of their illness - their bodies have a chance to get well.

But remember, 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. These Steps suggest ideas and actions that can guide alcoholics toward happy and useful lives. To be in touch with other members and to learn about the recovery program, new members go to A. The A. This program is discussed at A. Members of A. First, they know from experience that this type of activity, usually referred to as "Twelfth Step work," helps them to stay sober. Their lives now have a great and compelling interest.

Very likely, reminders of their own previous experience with alcohol help them to avoid the overconfidence that could lead to a relapse. Whatever the explanation, A. Traditionally, A. If the newcomer is satisfied that he or she is an alcoholic and that A. Here are some of the most common ones. Many people, nonalcoholics, report that as a result of the practice of A. They see in them a way to happy and effective living for many, alcoholic or not.

Alcoholics Anonymous had its beginnings in Akron, Ohio, in when a New Yorker on business there and successfully sober for the first time in years sought out another alcoholic. During his few months of sobriety, the New Yorker had noticed that his desire to drink lessened when he tried to help other drunks to get sober. In Akron, he was directed to a local doctor with a drinking problem. Working together, the businessman and the doctor found that their ability to stay sober seemed closely related to the amount of help and encouragement they were able to give other alcoholics.

For four years, the new movement, nameless and without any organization or descriptive literature, grew slowly. Groups were established in Akron, New York, Cleveland, and a few other centers. In , with the publication of the book Alcoholics Anonymous, from which the Fellowship derived its name, and as the result of the help of a number of nonalcoholic friends, the Society began to attract national and international attention.

A service office was opened in New York City to handle the thousands of inquiries and requests for literature that pour in each year. For more information, see History of A. The Circle and Triangle symbol has long been connected to the A. It was adopted as an official A. Louis in , and from that point on was widely used in the Fellowship. For the Fellowship, the three legs of the triangle represented the Three Legacies of Recovery, Unity and Service, and the circle symbolized the world of A.

The circle stands for the whole world of A. Within our wonderful new world, we have found freedom from our fatal obsession. That we have chose this particular symbol is perhaps no accident. The priests and seers of antiquity regarded the circle enclosing the triangle as a means of warding off the spirits of evil, and A.

It was decided to phase out the "official" or "legal" use of the Circle and Triangle symbol, and in the General Service Conference resolved that the logo be discontinued on all Conference-approved literature.

However, the symbol is still associated with Alcoholics Anonymous and other kinds of Step recovery fellowships and has a special meaning for AA members all over the world. You are an A. The only requirement for A. There are no dues or fees for A.

We in A. We are not professional therapists. Our only qualification for helping others to recover from alcoholism is that we have stopped drinking ourselves, but problem drinkers coming to us know that recovery is possible because they see people who have done it. You do not have to reveal anything about yourself.

No one will bother you if you don't want to come back. If a judge, school or employer has suggested you attend an AA meeting, they may believe there is evidence that you have a drinking problem. Take a look at a current meeting directory. You'll see the days, times and places AA meetings are held. Meetings marked with O are Open Meetings - anyone can attend, while those marked with a C are Closed Meetings - for people who have a desire to stop drinking.

AA is not affiliated with the courts, treatment centers or any medical institution. A sponsor is an alcoholic who has made some progress in the recovery program shares that experience on a continuous, individual basis with another alcoholic who is attempting to attain or maintain sobriety through A.

When we first begin to attend A. Although people at meetings respond to our questions willingly, that alone isn't enough. Many other questions occur to us between meetings; we find that we need constant, close support as we begin learning how to "live sober.

For further information, read the official A. The pamphlet describes uses shared A. In our experience, the people who recover in A. Family members or close friends are welcome at "Open" A. A "Closed" meeting is for alcoholics only.