Alcoholics Anonymous and 12 Step Support Groups

Help and support in recovery is essential to establish and maintain recovery from Alcoholism and other addictions. You all know just how powerful the addiction is and that it does not disappear overnight just because you have stopped drinking for a few days or weeks. Recovery is a process that takes time, persistence, consistence and commitment. Self help groups provide the experience, strength, and hope; protection, the knowledge and wisdom, and the know how of recovery.

A.A. is the largest self-help organisation, with meetings worldwide. Founded by two men in the 1930s in Akron Ohio – Bill Wilson, a Stockbroker, and Dr Bob Smith, a Physician, both hopeless drunk, they discovered that by helping one another and helping other Alcoholics, they found a way of achieving and keeping sobriety. Since those early days A.A. has grown into an enormous worldwide fellowship of men and women dedicated to helping themselves by helping the newcomer achieve sobriety. They do this through their programme called “The Twelve Steps” and “12 Principles” based around a cornerstone of anonymity. Each group is self-supporting and there are no leaders only those elected to serve for specified periods.

The early members looked for help and inspiration wherever they could find it, and, since they accepted that their old ways had not worked, they tried ideas that were working for others. The Oxford movement, a Christian movement from England, was creating interest in the USA. A.A. borrowed some ideas from them and others who seemed to have wisdom and ideas that could work, and after ten years they wrote the “12 Steps” incorporated in “The Big Book of AA”. The Big Book has been reissued many times over the years but keeps the same essential message that the founders created. Some might find the language very old fashioned but don’t let that allow you to negate the power of the text.

AA has many offshoots, helping people who are suffering from all forms of addictions. These include; Narcotics Anonymous, Gamblers Anonymous, Cocaine Anonymous, Marijuana Anonymous, Overeaters Anonymous and others. Each of these fellowships have sister meetings for relatives and friends.

A.A. is available almost wherever you can think of and is easy to access. It takes no more than one phone call to find the nearest meeting to you. If you are shy or nervous about going on your own, the meeting contact will arrange to have you met by someone of the same gender outside or somewhere nearby to help you and introduce you to others. You will find A.A. members to be very friendly and welcoming in whichever country you attend a meeting. Friends or family may attend with you at an open meeting – usually one a month.

A word of caution, I have heard it said by those usually who don’t know, AA only helps some people. You will always find someone ready to criticise it - usually Alcoholics who didn’t want to stop drinking. In my experience, A.A. works for those who let it work for them. Its not Rocket Science its just a simple truth, if you want it to work and you allow it to work, then it will work. Believe me, you are no different from the others that it has worked for. If you use A.A. as a “bridge to normal living”, if you look for the similarities and not the differences; if you don’t try to judge the people and the meetings before you have a good chance to get to know them and you do this just for one day at a time, you will one day arrive at a point where you embrace a sober lifestyle that allows you peace and freedom from the painful mayhem you have been living up until now and you will look back and be grateful for leaving booze behind. I’m not asking you to get God, or any other sort of religion, that is not necessary to be an A.A. member. I’m just suggesting that you look for some humility inside yourself and do what is suggested.

I have had the privilege of meeting and working with many thousand of individuals from all walks of life, professions, cultures and religious beliefs who have found sobriety through the various 12 Step fellowships. In the main I have found them to be unremarkable people in that they are no different from you or me, although remarkable in the achievement of abstinence and a changed way of life. They are generally good natured, kind and happy individuals, who are willing to go out of their way to help others in trouble.

I am not a member of a 12 step fellowship group, so I speak from my experience as an outsider and a professional in the field of Addiction Treatment. Give the people of AA and other 12 step fellowships a chance to provide help for you. If you are honest in your desire for help, open minded enough to listen to their ideas, and willing to put into practice their suggestions and guidance, then you are likely to find that sobriety and abstinence is no longer as elusive as you have previously found.

Alistair Rhind
Addiction Treatment Consultant
Merlin Tranceformations
www.quitwithmerlin.co.uk
info@quitwithmerlin.co.uk

Article Source: http://www.a1-articledirectory.com

Alistair Rhind is an Addiction Treatment Consultant with over 25 years successfully helping people recover from Addictions of all types. He has been Treatment Director at several Hospitals in London and around the UK.

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