Is there an alcoholic in your life? Alcoholics Anonymous

Some people may be able to work through the steps relatively quickly, while others may take months or even years to complete the process. It’s important to remember that recovery is a lifelong journey and the 12 steps are simply one part of that journey. On the other hand, millions have acknowledged their belief that AA and its principles saved their life. By studying the program, how it works, and each of its principles, you can determine if this type of program is ideal for you.

Any A.A. Literature referenced on this Website, or quoted exactly by a sharer in our Meeting Room, is a Copyright by Alcoholics Anonymous World Services, Inc©.. The opinions and experiences shared are of the individual’s, and not necessarily in agreement with the Program of A.A. It’s also important to note that whether A.A. Works depends, in part, on finding a meeting that’s a good fit. Members who are mostly homeless may not be as beneficial for other demographics. We are not anti-alcohol and we have no wish to reform the world.

AA Members Area

First published in 1939, its purpose was to show other alcoholics how the first 100 people of A.A. Now translated into over 70 languages, it is still considered A.A.’s basic text. The final Step of AA is to pay it forward.

• Some AA meetings are filled with people who are simply trying to ride out the event—whether they’re there by court order or are still not quite ready to fully embrace the program or their place in it.
• Meeting via the Alcoholics Anonymous website.
• AA meetings are gatherings where recovery from alcoholism is discussed.
• Alcoholics Anonymous (A.A.) is an international program focused on supporting people during alcohol recovery, with a goal of helping them achieve and sustain sobriety.

Alternatively, it also allows site visitors to select a specific state or region, providing all meeting locations in that area. Meetings are opened by the chair, with some meetings then calling for recitation of the Serenity Prayer or a moment of silence. New attendees are then encouraged to introduce themselves, though they don’t have to if they aren’t comfortable doing so. If you repeatedly drink more than you intend or want to, you may be an alcoholic. Information for people who may have a drinking problem. Also useful for those in contact with such people.

Big Book ASL – Chapter 3 – More About Alcoholism

Meetings cost nothing to attend and are available almost everywhere. The AA Big Book also includes the 12-Steps of AA to provide guidance and support to people looking to achieve and maintain sobriety through the AA fellowship. Of course, there are many other books and resources available on the 12-step program, and what works best for one person may not work for another. It can be helpful to explore different options and find what resonates with you personally. The length of time it takes to complete the 12 steps of a recovery program can vary greatly depending on the individual and their circumstances.

Online meetings are digital meetings held on platforms such as Zoom. Offline meetings, also called “face to face”, “brick and mortar”, or “in-person” meetings, are held in a shared physical real-world location. Some meetings are hybrid meetings, where people can meet in a specified physical location, but people can also join the meeting virtually. Members work together to help the alcoholic who still suffers. Helping each other is a key to staying sober.

Sobriety in AA: When drinking is no longer a party

He attributed his success to working with other alcoholics. He based his principles on that work and on his meetings with Smith, whom he also helped to achieve sobriety. In many ways, Wilson was ahead of his time. He believed strongly that alcoholism affected the body, mind, and spirit. Although the organization grew slowly in those early days, it also grew steadily. The Primary Purpose of the availability of the AA Online chat room Between Meetings is to provide a safe place for continued discussion of recovery that will enhance sobriety.

• Even so, the 12 Principles of AA have remained its central guiding influence.
• In Al-Anon members have the opportunity to learn from the experiences of others who have faced similar problems.
• Meetings typically close with a prayer, moment of silence, recitation of the Responsibility Statement, or by reading a section of another A.A.
• Of course, there are many other books and resources available on the 12-step program, and what works best for one person may not work for another.
• 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.
• Al-Anon Family Groups is another Twelve Step program of recovery.

Step 3 involves putting yourself at the mercy of this higher power and moving forward for “Him” — or whatever your higher power may be — over the selfishness of addiction. Imagine going through this process while being surrounded by those who are depressed or unmotivated. Their apathetic feelings toward recovery could be dangerously contagious.

Wilson met Akron surgeon Robert Smith at an Oxford Group meeting. Like Wilson, Smith also suffered from alcoholism. Both Wilson and Smith found that The Oxford Group’s treatment of sin as a “disease” resonated in discussions of their struggles with alcohol. The 12 Principles of AA drew heavily from these spiritual elements. This pamphlet offers general information on https://ecosoberhouse.com/, covering topics such as symptoms of alcoholism, the Twelve Steps (A.A.’s program of recovery), the function of A.A.

We prefer AA Online to be a website of attraction rather than promotion. We adhere to Tradition 5, and all our Traditions, as much as possible, with the only requirement for membership being a desire to stop drinking. We also adhere to Tradition 6, lending our name to no other entities. To find Alcoholics Anonymous (AA) meetings near you, you have options. You can start by visiting the official AA website, which includes local listings.

Shop with AA

You can also contact local community centers, churches, or healthcare facilities for more information on AA and other 12-Step meetings near you. Alcoholics Anonymous is a fellowship of men and women who share their experience, strength and hope with each other that they may solve their common problem and help others to recover from alcoholism. Alcoholics Resource Center guides individuals struggling with alcohol addiction to AA meetings and recovery that helps prevent painful relapse. We offer many resources that can help individuals identify problematic behavioral patterns and help establish the best approach to fully overcome the challenging obstacles of alcohol addiction. With AA, not everyone has the ability to understand what it means to keep all of the steps in mind after completing them.

Meetings appear as upcoming by time and are shown in your local time zone
To check or change your local time zone, look underneath the search and filter options. AA’s 12-Step approach follows a set of guidelines designed as “steps” toward recovery, and members can revisit these steps at any time. Like individual groups, the GSO is self-supporting. It does not accept donations from people or organizations outside of AA. Service entities full control of their local meeting information while collecting it in one place, making it easy for anyone to find a meeting.

What Is the Big Book in AA?

We are not allied with any group, cause or religious denomination. We welcome new members, but we do not recruit them. Zoom Meetings can be joined by clicking the meeting’s “Zoom” button. Please read the meeting’s description to find the meeting password, if one is required. Some meetings request you to contact the group directly for meeting information or password.