Around 14.5 million people over the age of 12 in the U.S. have Alcohol Use Disorder (AUD). In layman’s terms, this means they are alcoholics. People of all ages, income brackets, and other walks of life can suffer from alcohol abuse and addiction.
If you think you or a loved one might be an alcoholic, you are not alone. And researching treatment options is an important first step.
You will no doubt have heard about Alcoholics Anonymous (AA) from movies and TV shows. You might be wondering, what is Alcoholics Anonymous exactly? Is it the best way to overcome alcoholism?
This guide will give you an introduction to this organization.
Let’s start with the straightforward question, what is Alcoholics Anonymous? Founded in 1935 in Ohio, it is a faith-based organization that helps members abstain and recover from alcoholism.
Because it is a Christian program, many of the teachings reference God. This is evident in the “12 steps” at the heart of Alcoholics Anonymous’s ethos. The 12 steps are different lessons that those working through the program should learn.
Meetings and sponsors are the two main methods of support for AA members. The organization is free to join as it has monetary support from donations.
There are two different types of meetings at AA: open and closed meetings. Open meetings allow members to bring loved ones as support which may encourage newcomers to join.
Closed meetings are for members only. As the name of the organization suggests, these meetings are anonymous. Sharing information learned in these meetings with people who aren’t members is against the rules.
Most members of AA attend weekly meetings. Each week, the speaker (also an alcoholic) will set a topic and everyone will share their experiences of that topic.
If you learned “what is AA?” from movies and TV shows then you may not have an accurate picture of a real AA meeting. Only by attending a meeting will you learn for yourself.
Whether you call them AA chips, AA coins, or sobriety tokens makes no difference. These tokens mark significant periods that the alcoholic has abstained from alcohol. They are rewards for hard work and a motivation to stay sober.
It can be easier to remain sober when you have a mutual support network than it can to do it alone. That’s why AA is popular and prolific in around 180 countries. And though it is a Christian organization, people of many other faiths have found comfort and help through AA too.
This quick guide should have answered the question, what is Alcoholics Anonymous? Becoming sober and getting your life back on track is a lifelong mission and it can be very difficult. But the road to recovery is a lot less bleak when you have people to help you through it.
The path to healing and recovering from an addiction is different for everyone. Other forms of treatment like therapy and exercise might also help. Browse the articles in our health section for more information!
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