Information on Alcoholics Anonymous

    FOR ANYONE NEW COMING TO A. A.
    FOR ANYONE REFERRING PEOPLE TO A. A.

This information is both for people who may have a drinking problem and for those in contact with people who have, or are suspected of having a problem.  Most of the information is available in more detail in literature published by A. A. World Services, Inc.  A list of recommended pamphlets and guidelines is given at the bottom of this page.  This tells what to expect from Alcoholics Anonymous.  It describes what A. A. is, what A. A. does and what A. A. does not do.

WHAT IS A. A.?

Alcoholics Anonymous is an international fellowship of men and women who have had a drinking problem.  It is nonprofessional, self-supporting, nondenominational, multiracial, apolitical and available everywhere.  There are no age or education requirements.  Membership is open to anyone who wants to do something about his or her drinking problem.

WHAT DOES A. A. DO?

1. A. A. members share their experience with anyone seeking help with a drinking problem; they give person-to-person service or "sponsorship" to the alcoholic coming to A. A. from any source.
2. The A. A. program, set forth in our Twelve Steps, offers the alcoholic a way to develop a satisfying life without alcohol.
3. This program is discussed at A. A. group meetings.
    a. Open speaker meetings--open to alcoholics and nonalcoholics.  (Attendance at an open A. A. meeting is the best way to learn what A. A. is, what A. A. does
     and does not do.)  At speaker meetings, A. A. members "tell their stories."  They describe their experiences with alcohol, how they came to A. A. and how their
     lives have changed as a result of A. A.
    b. Open discussion meetings--one member speaks briefly about his or her drinking experience and then leads a discussion on A. A. recovery or any drinking
     related problem anyone brings up.
    (Closed meetings are for A. A.'s or anyone who may have a drinking problem)
    c. Closed discussion meetings--conducted just as open discussions, but for alcoholics or prospective A. A.'s only.
    d. Step meetings (usually closed)--discussion of one of the Twelve Steps.
    e. A. A. members also take meetings into correctional and treatment facilities.
    f. A. A. members may be asked to conduct informational meetings about A. A. as a part of A.S.A.P. (Alcohol Safety Action Project) and D.W.I. (Driving While
     Intoxicated) programs.  These meetings about A. A. are not regular A. A. group meetings.

MEMBERS FROM COURT PROGRAMS AND TREATMENT FACILITIES

In the last years, A. A. groups have welcomed many new members from court programs and treatment facilities.  Some have come to A. A. voluntarily; others, under a degree of pressure.  In our pamphlet "How A. A. Members Cooperate," the following appears:

   We cannot discriminate against any prospective A. A. member, even if he or she comes to us under pressure from a court, an employer or any other agency.

    Although the strength of our program lies in the voluntary nature of membership in A. A., many of us first attended meetings because we were forced to, either by
   someone else of by inner discomfort.  But continual exposure to A. A. educated us to the true nature of the illness...Who made the referral to A. A. is not what 
    A. A. is interested in.  It is the problem drinker who is our concern...We cannot predict who will recover, nor have we the authority to decide how recovery    
     should be sought by any other alcoholic.

PROOF OF ATTENDANCE AT MEETINGS

Sometimes, courts ask for proof of attendance at A. A. meetings.

Some groups, with the consent of the prospective member, have the A. A. group secretary sign or initial a slip that has been furnished by the court together with a self-addressed court envelope.  The referred person supplies identification and mails the slip back to the court as proof of attendance.

Other groups cooperate in different ways.  There is no set procedure.  The nature and extent of any group's involvement in this process is entirely up to the individual group.

This proof of attendance at meetings is not part of A. A.'s procedure.  Each group is autonomous and has the right to chose whether or not to sign court slips.  In some areas the attendees report on themselves at the request of the referring agency and thus alleviate breaking A. A. members' anonymity.

THE NONALCOHOLIC ADDICT

Many treatment centers today combine alcoholism and drug addiction under "substance abuse" or "chemical dependence."  Patients (both alcoholic and nonalcoholic) are introduced to A. A. and encouraged to attend A. A. meetings when they leave.  As stated earlier, anyone may attend open A. A. meetings, but only those with a drinking problem may attend closed meetings or become A. A. members.  People with problems other than alcoholism are eligible for A. A. membership only if they have a drinking problem.

Dr. Vincent Dole, a pioneer in methadone treatment for heroin addicts and for several years a trustee on the General Service Board of A. A., made the following statement, "The source of strength in A. A. is its single-mindedness.  The mission of A. A. is to help alcoholics.  A. A. limits what it is demanding of itself and its associates and its success lies in its limited target.  To believe that the process that is successful in one line guarantees success for another would be a very serious mistake."  Consequently, we welcome the opportunity to share A. A. experience with those who would like to develop Twelve Steps/Twelve Tradition programs for the nonalcoholic addict by using A. A. methods.

WHAT A. A. DOES NOT DO

A. A. does not:

    1. Furnish initial motivation for alcoholics to recover
    2. Solicit members
    3. Engage in or sponsor research
    4. Keep attendance records or case histories
    5. Join "councils" of social agencies
    6. Follow up or try to control its members
    7. Make medical or psychological diagnoses or prognoses
    8. Provide drying-out or nursing services, hospitalization, drugs or any medical or psychiatric treatment
    9. Offer religious services
    10. Engage in education about alcohol
    11. Provide housing, food, clothing, jobs, money or any other welfare or social services
    12. Provide domestic or vocational counseling
    13. Accept any money for its services or any contributions from non-A. A. sources
    14. Provide letters of reference to parole boards, lawyers or court officials

CONCLUSION 

The primary purpose of A. A. is to carry our message of recovery to the alcoholic seeking help.  Almost every alcoholism treatment tries to help the alcoholic maintain sobriety.  regardless of the road we follow, we all head for the same destination, recovery of the alcoholic person.  Together, we can do what none of us could accomplish alone.  We can serve as a source of personal experience and be an ongoing support system for recovering alcoholics.

RECOMMENDED MATERIAL AVAILABLE FROM A. A. WORLD SERVICES, INC.

For copies of this page or a catalog of our literature write to:

      A. A. World Services, Inc.
      Box 459
      Grand Central Station
      New York, NY 10163