AA: How it Can Help in Coping with Addiction

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Hi, Y´all! It´s been quite a bit but I´m back! This month´s topic is about coping with addiction. And I just threw that to your face just like that, lol! Why I chose this topic you might ask?… Well, the thing is, I have 2 close friends that have been struggling with this. One actually recovered and the other said he did not need help. So, without further ado, here´s Caleb Anderson on a very personal piece and describing the various benefits of AA. You can check his site and the help he offers at RecoveryHope.org

Consider the benefits of AA

 For anyone struggling with alcohol addiction, Alcoholics Anonymous (AA) can be a source for both support and recovery. AA is based on 12 Steps and 12 Traditions to recovery, with meetings available daily in most of the world. Explore these benefits of AA meetings when deciding if it is time to attend your first meeting.

All it takes to start is the first step

 In the tradition of AA, the first step is all you need to begin the process of addressing your alcohol addiction. Step 1 is “…We admitted we were powerless over alcohol – that our lives have become unmanageable.”

You will find people at the meetings to be at all different places in recovery, but all you need to start the process is to understand you do have a problem with alcohol. All the other steps come along the way. This is not a treatment center, nor is there any type of intake.

There are meetings for everyone

 Whether you prefer a meeting just for men, primarily for a younger group or even an LGBTQIA-focused gathering, there is probably a local meeting for exactly that. There are even online meetings for those who would rather go that route.

There are usually a pretty wide range of meetings in any given area, so even if you try a meeting that just does not seem like a fit, there are always others you can try. There are even what the directory will list as “open meetings,” where visitors can attend to see if the program is a good fit for a family member, or for treatment professionals if a client is a good fit.

Flexible scheduling

 As you search for local meetings, you will probably see there are meetings almost non-stop throughout the day. Starting in the early morning and going well into the night, it is possible to find a meeting that fits your regular schedule or an immediate need. You can also attend as many meetings as you wish; some find early on that they need more meetings, and even find it helps their recovery to attend multiple meetings per day.

Groups are your choice

 Many treatment models include a group type setting, but you often do not have much choice as far as the people in the group. In this case, if a group doesn’t work for you, there are always plenty of other meetings to attend.

There is no required level of participation to attend any of the groups, either. The groups are all self-guided, so you are free to listen, participate or just attend to hear the stories of other people. The groups are also made up of a variety of people at different stages of recovery. In many group therapy settings, most everyone is at about the same point in the recovery process.

Meetings are free of charge

 Meetings are done on a drop-in basis and free to attend. You can become a member and purchase the books, but that is not required. Ever the books are available online for free. This is not a high-cost treatment center, and there are no long waiting lists to get yourself started.

The entire program is anonymous

While there are times you may be court ordered to attend a certain number of meetings and get some sort of attendance record signed, beyond the court involvement, meetings are always anonymous. There is never a worry about another participant sharing information or even needing to use your real name if you do not want to. One of the basic underlying values is that the groups are a safe place to address alcohol addiction without judgment.