Is Alcoholics Anonymous Right for Me?
Alcohol Anonymous is the most famous 12 step program known to people. Alcoholics Anonymous also known as AA has been around for over seventy years and has continued to grow through the decades. AA provides group therapy sessions and a strong support system for people who have stopped drinking alcohol.
If you're looking for a supportive, non-judgmental environment to talk about your issues with alcohol, AA could be right for you!
According to www.caron.org, AA groups often give alcoholics a feeling of acceptance and provide them with a forum to share experiences, hear the stories of fellow addicts, and help others recover from alcoholism.
Deciding if Alcoholics Anonymous is right for you
The proof that Alcoholics Anonymous is beneficial to people is seen through its increased evolution of the program throughout the years. AA offers its services completely free and offers people a safe environment for them to go to when they want to be completely free of alcohol or when they are struggling with their will power.
AA is not professional therapy nor is it meant to be a program that supervises you during a detox, instead AA is mostly for individuals who have already went through a detox and need help staying clean.
If you go to an AA meeting and you do not feel comfortable or you do not like the atmosphere you should try out another AA group. AA groups are located all throughout cities and just because one was not to your liking does not mean you should give up on all because there are various types of people and strategies that come with different AA groups.
Benefits of AA
Some of the benefits of an Alcoholics Anonymous group include:
An abundance of support: All members of AA groups, including the sponsors, are all recovering alcoholics who have been where you are and are there to support you through your hard times.
Sponsors: Members of the AA group have the option of taking on a sponsor. Sponsors are people who have a certain number of years of sobriety and are available to help members of the group one on one when they are struggling with their decisions and are having problems.
Safe environment: AA meetings are a safe place where people go to talk and express their concerns and problems. AA groups provide an environment that is away from alcohol and ciaos and is a place where people feel understood.
No judgment: The stigma that people sometimes face from other people regarding their addiction or former addiction can cause people to want to begin drinking again. AA groups are filled with people who understand and have gone through the same problems that you are going through, this means that you can be completely open and honest without feeling judged.
An Alcoholics Anonymous group may not work for you but they are worth at least trying out. The majority of people who join AA build lifelong friendships as well as lifelong support to continue to stay clean. In order to get the full effect and comfort of an AA group you should involve yourself with their discussions as well as their activities and before deciding on an AA group you should visit a few and choose the one that you feel is best suited for you.
