Alcoholics Anonymous
Alcoholics Anonymous (AA) is a worldwide fellowship of men and women who share a desire to stop drinking alcohol. AA suggests members completely abstain from alcohol, regularly attend meetings with other members, and follow its program.
AA created the twelve-step program used by similar recovery groups like Al-Anon, an auxiliary group for friends and family members of alcoholics; and Narcotics Anonymous, a group for substance abusers who do not identify as alcoholics. Although AA’s attrition rates are high,[4] it can be effective as a treatment for alcoholism.
The scope of AA’s program is much broader than just changing drinking behavior. AA process encourages the transformation of the alcoholic’s moral character, transitioning from self-centeredness; encouraging a personality change sufficient to recover from alcoholism.” While abstaining from alcohol, one day at a time, the personality change is believed to be brought about by means of a spiritual awakening achieved from following the Twelve Steps, helping with duties and service work in AA, and regular AA meeting attendanceor contact with AA members. Members are encouraged to find an experienced fellow alcoholic called a sponsor to help them understand and follow the AA program.
Some members suggest the sponsor is preferably one that has maintained sobriety for at least a year and is of the same sex as the sponsored person, and who does not impose personal views on the sponsored person. Following the helper therapy principle, sponsors in AA benefit as much, if not more, from their relationship than do those they sponsor. Helping behaviors correlate with increased abstinence and lower probabilities of binge drinking. The AA program is distinct from the fellowship of AA.
The fellowship includes meetings and friendships with other AA members, whereas the program refers to the course of action outlined in the first 164 pages of the book Alcoholics Anonymous. Alcoholics Anonymous, Fourth Edition 2001, Seventeenth Printing, March 2006, Preface, page xi, “Therefore, the first portion of this volumne, describing the AA recovery program, has been left untouched in the course of revisions made..”But the chief change was in the section of personal stories, which was expanded to reflect the Fellowship’s growth.”
