With over a million groups worldwide, AA has a rich history of helping people recover from alcoholism.
AA is an acronym for Alcoholics Anonymous — a peer-led group therapy program founded to help those in recovery from alcoholism.
Regular attendance of AA meetings has many advantages, one of which is that it helps you stay committed to your recovery by bringing to mind the things you could return to.
The main goal of AA is to assist alcoholics in becoming sober. This is achieved when members incorporate the AA’s set of spiritual principles, known as the Twelve Steps, as a way of life. While the Twelve Steps apply to personal growth and recovery, the Twelve Tradition keeps the group as a whole unified.
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When Was AA Created?
Alcoholics Anonymous was started by two men in 1935 who had been hopeless alcoholics. AA originated as the outcome of a meeting between the two men, Bill W. and Dr. Bob S., in Akron, Ohio.
The program’s expansion was aided by a 1941 article about the group in the Saturday Evening Post and the publication of the book Alcoholics Anonymous, known as The Big Book.
Ever since the inception of the group, it has continued to expand globally, and its initiatives include collaborations with other alcohol rehab centers as well as services in hospitals and prisons.
What Does an AA Meeting Entail?
You can join an AA meeting online, over the phone, or in person. The AA alcoholism meetings are either open or closed. Anyone can attend the open meetings, both alcoholics and nonalcoholics. The close meetings, however, are reserved only for AA members and those seeking alcohol addiction treatment.
An AA meeting usually involves a discussion among attendees headed by an AA member who is regarded as the leader or “chair.”
The chair has the responsibility of selecting a topic for discussion at meetings. During the meetings, some members selected beforehand to share their experiences, telling “what we were like, what happened, and what we are like now” (as specified in the Big Book).
A typical AA meeting begins with the AA Preamble and a few opening remarks from the chair. In some meetings, a moment of silence or a recitation of the Serenity Prayer follows this. Then new members are identified.
The Big Book is often read aloud at the beginning of the meetings. A statement about anonymity in AA is read aloud to inform new members and remind old ones.
Before concluding the meeting, members observe a moment of silence followed by a prayer or the recitation of the Responsibility Statement or some other text from the Big Book.
Some AA meetings have a set agenda, such as 12-step study groups or sessions to introduce new members to the fundamentals of the program.
After the meeting, there is a social atmosphere in the room as people mingle and chat. You get to meet other people on the road to sobriety, learn from them or share moments with them. This may be helpful to you. However, it is entirely up to you whether you stay or not.
Destiny Recovery Center is an Alcohol Rehab in Redlands, CA
Destiny Recovery Center is a clinically-based inpatient treatment center in San Bernardino County that can help provide you with or help you get the necessary help you need to recover from alcohol use disorder. Treatment at our facility is client-focused in a serene environment that aids recovery.
Whether our program is a good fit for you or not, we will assist you in finding the finest treatment options that suit your particular needs.
Call 909-413-4304 now or visit our admission page to get a free consultation, as well as insurance benefits, check.
