Taking the Step: Is AA Right for Your Recovery?

Are you considering approaching alcohol recovery via Alcoholics Anonymous (AA)? It can take great courage to admit that you have a drinking problem, and the first step is admitting the need for help. Alcohol addiction can have devastating consequences for you, for your health, your legal matters, and your relationships.

However, you might not be sure if AA, or another twelve-step fellowship, is the right approach for your recovery. This informative article will share all about taking the step, and learning if AA is the right pathway for you to wellness and health. If you’re interested in this topic, continue reading to learn more about it.

What Are AA Meetings?

The two largest addiction recovery fellowships in the world are AA and NA. AA was the first alcohol recovery group, founded in the 1930s. NA followed a couple of decades later in the 1950s. There are several smaller fellowships, such as Cocaine Anonymous, Marijuana Anonymous, and Crystal Meth Anonymous. This article is primarily concerned with AA, though.

AA is what is called a 12-step program. This is because AA’s mode of recovery involves working the 12 steps, which are a series of admissions to yourself about the nature of your addiction, coming to believe that you can recover, and making a moral inventory of your past and current behavior towards others. If you pursue this method of recovery, you’ll also make amends to those you’ve harmed during your drinking, and then carry the message of recovery to newcomers to the fellowship once you’ve completed the steps.

The 12 steps are a viable method of alcohol recovery, and work in the lives of hundreds of thousands of group members around the world. Many people attribute their success in stopping drinking to the fellowship. 

It is worth noting that the 12 steps and the AA big book do mention a higher power and a God, but it is not a prerequisite to believe in anything to recover. There are many agnostic and atheist members of 12-step programs around the globe, and there are even some special interest meetings, including those tailored to atheists, agnostics, and freethinkers, where God is not mentioned.  

Another important thing to note is that these programs are abstinence-based, where you need to abstain from alcohol in order to work the program completely. If you’d rather cut down or limit your drinking, this may not be the right pathway to recovery for you. 

How Are Meetings Formatted?

AA meetings follow a range of different formats. In most cases, a person is acting in the role of secretary, who will open up the meeting, do some basic housekeeping, such as toilet locations and where the tea, coffee, and cookies are, and will hand the meeting over to a chairperson who will select speakers to share. Some meetings operate where people volunteer to speak. In addiction recovery meetings, speaking is known as “sharing.” People will share about their recovery journey when they speak. They might share a bit about their drinking, how they found recovery, the process of working the 12 steps, and what their life is like today without alcohol. 

In addition to the sharing section, there is often a part of the meeting where newcomers are welcomed, and those who have accumulated consecutive days sober (known as milestones) collect chips or key tags to commemorate the occasion. 

Some meetings also have special topics, such as a particular step out of the 12 or another topic selected by the group at the start of the meeting. Speakers will be asked to share on the topic in these meetings.  

The Benefits of Camaraderie

One key benefit of AA recovery is that you immerse yourself in the camaraderie of a group of people with a similar goal to you—stopping drinking. This peer support method can be invaluable as you connect with and learn from people with a similar lived experience who can share their experience, strength, and hope with you. 

One aspect of the program is called sponsorship, where you ask a member with experience in the program to take you through the 12 steps. A sponsor becomes a close confidant and can help you during those hard times when you really want to have a drink. 

The Importance of Keeping an Open Mind

It is important to keep an open mind when attending an AA meeting. The terminology used by members may be confusing, and the format of the meeting may be bewildering as well if you’re new. You may feel confused, anxious, stressed, or nervous at your first few meetings. Those attending have been where you are and are best placed to support you, as we mentioned above. You may want to get some phone numbers after the meeting to connect with other members outside of the meetings.

Think About What You Want to Share 

When attending your first AA meeting, you may want to consider what you want to contribute or share, if at all. There is no expectation to share at your first few meetings, in case you’re nervous. However, it might be useful to share what brought you to a meeting eventually, and this is a chance to get some things off your chest and open up about your alcohol abuse problems and seek some help with them.

When Should You Go? 

If you’re having trouble with alcohol or your drinking is causing problems in your life, then you should consider going to an AA meeting. For instance, if you’re drink driving and are having trouble with the law, or your drinking is causing problems within your personal relationships, it might be a good idea to seek help for your drinking. In addition to AA, you might consider seeking professional help from a professional who has completed clinical mental health counselling graduate programs online, who can also provide you with support with recovery from alcohol. 

A Recovery Summary

This informative article explains the first step in recovery and whether AA is the right path for you to overcome alcohol problems. We discuss the fellowship, meeting formats, the 12 steps, the benefits of camaraderie, and when you should consider attending an AA meeting.