AA Meeting
AA refers to Alcoholics Anonymous, which is a chain of reputable organizations known for helping addicts recover from alcoholism. Millions of AA programs beneficiaries commend the facilities administrators for the psychosocial support they provide to realize long-term recovery. Since alcohol is one of the most abused substances in America, AA prioritizes alcoholics to reduce their chances of experimenting with narcotics. I attended ‘Back to basics’ meeting on Mayday and the one hour session was life changing. It enlightened me about their history, activities, and role in social responsibility at AA.
History
AA was founded on the story of a successful Wall Street employee, Bill Wilson whose career was at risk of failure due to alcoholism. In 1935, Wilson made a deliberate decision to stop drinking through the help of Ebby Thacher, a childhood friend (American Addiction Centers, 2021). Wilson’s addiction took him to hospital on several occasions, which meant his life and career would end if he continued drinking. Thacher emphasized the role of Christianity in attaining sobriety since she followed a similar path through the Oxford Group. Despite initial reluctance, Wilson agreed to join the Christian organization, which he believes transformed him. Through the assistance of Dr. William Duncan Silkworth, Wilson established AA, which was originally religion-driven (American Addiction Centers, 2021). It was until Wilson met Dr. Bob Smith, a struggling but recovering alcoholic that they decided to start a program with 40 alcoholics whose desire to establish a relationship with God was embedded on the principle that alcohol was sinful. In the early years, the founders operated from residential areas. Spirituality was a principle factor for the organization. AA holds some spiritual elements today, although it is apparent that a personal desire for change and morality help addicts recover from alcoholism (Alcoholics Anonymous). A critical aspect of the program is that alcoholics learn to support each other. Most of them also learn that they have a greater purpose as sober individuals and must pursue sobriety relentlessly.
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Support Group
‘Back to basics’ was an online meeting with 12 members from diverse socio-cultural backgrounds. It was an open meeting, which means that anyone who expressed interest can attend. Non-alcoholics were welcome, and each had a reason for participating in the exercise. Some wanted to understand alcoholism for personal or family reasons. Support groups are often interested in the problem, and not other issues that could make an attendee uncomfortable (Marcovitz et al., 2020). Members are entitled to determining the nature of their meetings. Significant to AA meetings is the concept of anonymity, which our support group maintained through an online gathering.
Our online support group involved discussions, which started when a leader asked us to introduce ourselves. Others explained what triggered their alcoholism while some revealed how they overcame the dangerous habit. The closed meeting involved alcoholics who desired to stop taking alcohol, which helped us learn ways of managing addiction. The support group equally selected speaker who shared our common interests and carried the team vision. We envisioned sobriety, and each of us had a reason to avoid alcohol. ‘Back to basics’ support group accommodated newcomers and familiarized them with the processions. Notably, every step of AA groups’ management prioritized support for each other.
How AA Meetings Help Alcoholics
‘Back to basics’ is one of the meetings whose reflections determine the significance of AA in people’s lives. The interesting meeting started with the AA Preamble and proceeded to the serenity prayer. Later, attendees introduced themselves before a designated speaker read chapter 3 and 5 of the ‘Big Book’. It was the beginning of a life changing moment, which helped everyone understand how alcoholism starts. Members shared their struggles with alcoholism, and effects of the behavior on their relationships. Participants, including counselling psychologists discussed how to stop the habit, ways of reinventing oneself, how to avoid triggers, and strategies of maintaining workplace and personal relationships after quitting alcohol. The sobriety message was not the only help alcoholics received during the meeting. We socialized with others while some people learned to overcome traumatic moments that led them to alcoholism. Such activities promote holistic development and change in the lives of alcoholics.
How People Attending AA Meetings Feel
The experiences of attendees differ, although the success rate of the meeting was high. Most attendees felt good after attending the meeting. The first meeting created a sense of relief. Most people confessed that before they attended ‘Back to basics,’ they struggled with acceptance issues, although the warm welcome of the first meeting reassured them that someone else cared about their sober future. Everyone wants the reassurance that a listening ear would culminate into a positive outcome. The meeting was emotional, especially when attendees reflected on their struggles with alcoholism and how much they have lost due to the habit, a reaction that Marcovitz et al. (2020) explore. After the meeting, attendees realized that several people struggle with the same vice, but talking about it is the first step to healing. Hence, optimism replaced hopelessness and emptiness.
Social Responsibility
Attending an AA meeting is social responsibility because it changes an entire society. For instance, millions have recovered from the program, which means the population of alcoholics has reduced since AA’s inception. Alcoholism is equally associated with several ills in society, including crime, job loss, family dysfunctionality, and the disruption of social relationships (Marcovitz et al., 2020). As more people stop taking alcohol, addiction rates reduce, and society reduces incidents associated with alcoholism. ‘Back to basics’ strived to achieve positivity and based on the perceptions of the attendees, I believe the meeting achieved its objectives.
References
Alcoholics Anonymous. What to expect at an A.A. meeting. https://www.aa.org/information-about-meetings
American Addiction Centers. (2021 Sept. 3). The history of Alcoholics Anonymous. https://treatmentsolutions.com/blog/the-history-of-alcoholics-anonymous/#:~:text=Alcoholics%20Anonymous%20was%20created%20in,childhood%20drinking%20buddy%2C%20Ebby%20Thacher.
