If you’re religious or spiritual, you can do this soul-searching through your prayers to God or a higher power. If not, you can do it through your community or the NA group you’re part of. Alcoholics Anonymous is a fellowship of people who come together to solve their drinking problem. There are no age or education requirements to participate. Membership is open to anyone who wants to do something about their drinking problem.

Twelve Steps and Twelve Traditions ASL – Step Nine

Having had a spiritual awakening as a result of these steps, we tried to carry this message to addicts, and to practice these principles in all our affairs. In recent years, online meetings have become popular, allowing members to connect virtually through platforms like Zoom and What’s App. It also contains stories written by the co-founders and stories from a wide range of members who have found recovery in A.A. A.A.’s primary purpose is to help alcoholics to achieve sobriety.

Unlike AA, it doesn’t ask people to admit they’re powerless. There aren’t any higher powers involved, and addiction tends to be considered a habit rather than a disease. AA and NA literature, like the Big Books, are full of the reasoning behind the 12 steps and tools to help navigate sobriety.

What about professional treatment?

If someone you care about has a drinking problem, A.A. Has helped more than two million alcoholics stop drinking. Recovery works through one alcoholic sharing their experience with another. If one AA meeting isn’t working, try attending a different meeting or group altogether. Because it’s so accessible, you likely won’t have problems finding other meetings.

1. Recognizing your strengths and weaknesses and asking for assistance in dealing with your flaws can be both humbling and empowering.
2. For men and women, doing service and having a home group was predictive of sustained abstinence over 3 years.
3. If you or a loved one have a substance abuse problem and want to get help, you should go to an AA, NA, or CA meeting near you.
4. For those who are trying to decide which approach works for them, they should consider that fact before choosing which program to attend.
5. We do not impose our experience with problem drinking on others, but we do share it when we are asked to do so.
6. This statistic increases the longer a member is sober.

Twelve Steps and Twelve Traditions ASL – Step Three

The General Service Office Archives is dedicated to exploring A.A. Since formally opening in 1975, it has served both members of the A.A. The GSO Archives helps individuals with an interest in discovering A.A.’s roots and its growth around the world. Both organizations also use the 12-step framework that guides members through their recovery. A recent but limited study indicates it may be as effective as the 12-step model. Finally, though AA and NA are meant to help people through discussions and readings, Patterson says meetings can become triggers for some people.

AA Effectiveness—Evaluating the Evidence

Sometimes, Patterson notes, you may meet someone at a 12-step or SMART meeting who is simply attending these meetings and not getting professional treatment. Marlon stuck with AA and went on to work in drug and alcohol treatment and recovery. He’s now a licensed alcohol and drug counselor and CEO alcohol and violence statistics of both the nonprofit Vegas Stronger and rehab CrossRoads of Southern Nevada. NA and AA groups are peer-based models designed to help people share support, advice, experiences, and hope. The idea is that as you have benefitted from someone else’s help, you should pay it forward by helping others. Without people’s contributions, these mutual support groups will cease to exist.

For men and women, doing service and having a home group was predictive of sustained abstinence over 3 years. Laudet discussed how some of these activities can be translated outside of the 12-Step context to benefit individuals who choose not to participate in 12-Step groups. AA meetings vary in format, with some focusing on personal stories, readings from the Big Book, or open discussion.