AA or Alcoholics Anonymous is a kind of organization created by the people for the people who have problems that are alcohol related. The inspiration of Alcoholics Anonymous is rooted on the disease model of alcoholism. This disease model of alcoholism looks alcohol addiction as a disease that causes an alcohol addict to lose all power when he starts drinking any variety of alcohol. This will imply that abstaining from alcohol is the only approach to control alcohol addiction. There are twelve steps that Alcoholics Anonymous must go through in order for them to recover. The admitting that they are alcoholic and they are powerless in controlling alcohol effects is the primary step of these twelve steps. Getting help from a higher being, admitting to their weakness, and to ask over for forgiveness are what Alcoholics Anonymous push their members to pursue. The primary goal of every member of Alcoholics Anonymous is to go for abstaining from alcohol completely.
There is a constant offering of support be it moral or social in every members of Alcoholics Anonymous. This makes them accessible for each other in times of disaster. There is an anticipation of devotions to Alcoholics Anonymous’ fellow group members. Alcoholics Anonymous members has faith that people can by no means be fully healed from the dangers of alcoholism. People always have the probability to get back into getting dependent with alcohol even in just one drink. “Recovering alcoholics” is the term they give to people who has gotten into alcohol addiction. The meetings of Alcoholics Anonymous members normally includes testimonial about the road of being an alcohol dependent. These testimonials are meant to motivate each other to abstain from alcohol and to value life.
Like anything else, the appeal of the values of Alcoholics Anonymous is not always present. Alcoholics Anonymous’ philosophies and practices do not really suits everyone. Of having no control, of needing of a higher power, and a complete abstinence makes people to stay away from Alcoholics Anonymous. All throughout their lives, the subscription of people to the rules and laws of Alcoholics Anonymous is very difficult to uphold especially the part of complete abstinence from alcohol. However, Alcoholics Anonymous still remain to be one of the most regular sources of treatment for people who are alcohol dependent. Alcoholics Anonymous still has the credit in owning the effective and successful techniques.
All over the world, there are about twenty three thousand chapters of Alcoholics Anonymous in ninety countries. It has been estimated that there are approximately 800,000 people that do attend Alcoholics Anonymous meetings. It has been found out from the evaluation of the twelve steps program of Alcoholics Anonymous that it is effectively the same as using behavioral treatments and cognitive treatments in treating alcohol addiction.
In the sector of self-help groups, Alcoholics Anonymous has been the pioneering association. Positively, it has lead to the creating of Narcotics Anonymous, Cocaine Anonymous, and Potsmokers Anonymous. They have been formed to help people with dependencies on other substances aside from alcohol.
There is a focus on religion in Alcoholics Anonymous. It is a truth that there are numerous alcohol dependents and alcohol abusers who do not consider the reality of God. With the reason of clashing of some beliefs, other self help organizations have been created. These self help organizations do not have any spiritual focus. Instead, they use cognitive and behavioral principles in aiding an individual recover. Self-Management and Recovery Training (SMART), Moderation Management (MM),and Secular organizations for Sobriety/Save Ourselves (SOS are some examples of these types of self help groups.
Alcoholics Anonymous can help you in many different ways once you submit yourself to be free from alcohol addiction.