Using Alcoholics Anonymous vs. Abusing Alcoholics Anonymous Essay

The group prayed after reviewing the guidelines. Then, a participant of the group proceeded to read the “how it works” from the AA book. Afterwards, another member read the 12 traditions. Two participants shared their experience with Alcoholism while others provided reflections and support. The facilitator informed me that each meeting two participants share. After the two participants shared, the AA meeting ended with another prayer. This paper will talk about my observations and reactions attending the AA meeting, and how attending the meeting will inform my future work as a clinician. The purpose of this paper is to present my personal experience of an AA meeting, and how I plan to grow as a therapist from that

The counseling student attended two AA meetings as an observer in order to understand the dynamics of the AA culture and to experience the possibilities of working in the field of addictions. The purpose of this essay is to discuss the various behavioral patterns of use described in the AA meetings (e. g., intensity, frequency, length of time and attempts to quit). This paper also identifies other necessary information required for proper assessment and diagnosis. This essay concludes with a synthesis of the information gathered from personal observation and this course’s texts assignments.

At the beginning of my training, I was hesitant to work with people struggling with addiction. However, at this point, I am excited to begin working with this population. The raw honesty presented in the group setting along with the anger at the possibility of losing a safe place created a dynamic I wanted to further explore. Research supports that individuals attending group therapy in a 12 step program format succeed if they have the proper support and motivation (Cite). The group dynamic demonstrated that recovery takes time and self-discovery, similar to other situations dealt with in therapy. Subsequently, by using my sense of self and humor with clients struggling with addiction, I can help them in their journey. Furthermore, the client needs to identify accountability at their own pace in the process and not when others dictate. This knowledge and the personalization of addiction will aid me in the future support of my

The 12-Step program addresses the factors or causes that are responsible for, or related to, substance abuse by helping individuals to understand the concept of change. “Processes of change are the covert and overt activities that people engage in to alter affect, thinking,

Everyday, more and more people are being claimed by alcoholism. The most important message AA makes is that there is help available, and there are people who want to help you, just as other helped them. Louis, a 79 year old AA member reciprocates his AA experience by “try[ing] to help the younger people find sobriety and happiness the way I have. I tell them, “If I can do it, so can you” (AA pamphlet). This is just one of many stories AA members have to offer an observer.

Addiction is a medical condition. It is a primary, chronic disease of brain reward, motivation, memory, and related circuitry (Halter, 2014). There is no real difference between alcoholism and drug addiction, other than the substance of choice being different. In both cases, use of alcohol or drugs continues despite the presence of related problems and a tendency to relapse. This paper includes a student nurse’s experience of two twelve-step meetings: Alcoholic Anonymous (AA) and Narcotics Anonymous (NA). Tracy Fellowship AA Group had meeting at 2531 North Holly Drive, Tracy, CA-95376 on September 24, 2014. The NA meeting was at 219 East Poplar Street in Stockton at 12 pm on September 25, 2014.

I must admit, I had some anxiety about this assignment. I don’t know if it was the negative preconceived ideas I had or the thought of being a passenger on the ride of people’s intimate thoughts and feelings surrounding addiction. One thing is for sure, it was quite different than I had imagined it would be. I grew up in a religious family, and I consider myself a Christian. Based on my life long experiences AA had an air of religiosity and maybe a cult feel to it. Alcoholics Anonymous program structure had its own set of beliefs, purpose and ritualistic procedures that governed this community of people that made it a religion. Additionally, repetition, in “working the steps”, serves as a tool to

In the article, “Substance Dependence Recovery Rates: With and Without Treatment,” The recovery culture claims that you cannot end your addiction without treatment or 12-step meetings, but the facts show that the higher percentage of people end there dependence without ever getting this kind of “ help.” Moreover, in raw numbers, most people stop without treatment.

In the article “Determining the Relative Importance of the Mechanisms of Behavior Change Within Alcoholics Anonymous: A Multiple Mediator Analysis” the authors conducted research to determine what techniques used in Alcoholics Anonymous (AA) aid in relapse prevention. According to the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism (2016) alcohol is the fourth leading cause of death in the United States that is preventable. In 2014 alone, thirty-one percent of all traffic fatalities were alcohol related (NIAAA, 2016). The study participants suffered from Alcohol Use Disorder (AUD) and attended AA. NIAAA (2016) states the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders IV has integrated alcohol abuse and alcohol dependence into a single alcohol-related disorder, AUD with mild, moderate, and severe classifications. AUD is diagnosed when a client’s drinking causes themselves or others anguish or injury AA began in the 1930’s and is an informal organization of men/women who have a drinking problem (AA, 2016). AA is based upon anonymity along with twelve steps/principles and meetings for those seeking help with sobriety. Research has shown that participating in AA reduces risk of relapse and this article aims to understand the techniques that empowers those to remain sober.

For most college students, a normal Friday night is spent with friends drinking at a bar or hanging out a house party with drinks all around. However, for the wide array of aged members of Alcoholics Anonymous (AA) that was not the case. For this class assignment, I gave up a night of going out to attend a meeting and understand how alcohol affected others lives. I see alcohol as a sense of enjoyment after a long week of work and school; I can kick back and relax by surrounding myself with friends. While others, recovering alcoholics, see alcohol as a poison and toxic substance that caused pain and grief in their life.

When alcohol and substance recovery became popular, it was just individual groups that supported recovery. It wasn’t until 1935 that the federal government acknowledged that alcoholism was a disease and needed to be treated. Once the government acknowledged that people could be an alcoholic, they opened their 1st “narcotic farm”. This facility marked the beginning of federal involvement in addiction research and treatment. Since the government recognized alcoholism as a chronic disease, the insurance industry began to reimburse the treatment of alcoholism just like any other illness. This leads to a dramatic expansion in private and hospital-based inpatient treatment programs. In 1966, President Johnson appoints the first National Advisory

“The problem being research the part that spirituality and religiosity (S/R) features in 12-step recovery between program followed up after substance abuse treatment and those assesse independent of formal program” (Dermatis, & Galanter, 2016, p. 510). The past research states that spirituality is the base to Alcoholics Anonymous (AA) as shown in 12-step that members apply in working the treatment as well as in the traditions that pertain to the process of the AA group (Dermatis, & Galanter, 2016, p. 511). “The origins of AA can be traced to the influence of the Oxford Group, a Christion evangelical group which supported self-examination, acknowledgment of character blemishes, restitution for damage done, and allotment with others (AA World Services 1957) (Dermatis, & Galanter, 2016, p. 511). The findings or the research presented in the article shown that “12-step program members, several S/R characteristics have been shown to (1) increase after followers have accomplished sobriety, (2) associate with specific parts of program participation, (3) partially mediate the connection among program involvement and drinking-related outcome, and (4) predict clinical results relevant to risk for relapse” (Dermatis, & Galanter, 2016, p.

The main purpose of Alcoholic Anonymous (A.A.) is to help members keep an open mind on the subject and can stay sober. Using the 12 steps designed by A.A. assists people to break through their denial and to see the problems alcohol has caused in their lives. The Twelve Steps are the core of A.A’s program of recovery from alcoholism. They are based on the trial-and error experience of A.A’s early members and have worked for millions of alcoholics since then. In recent years, there are about 1.2 million people who belong to one of A.A.’s 55,000 meeting groups in the United States.

Numerous treatment methods are constantly being discovered and developed to help start alcohol and drug abusers down the path of sobriety. There are many different methods available to help addicts who need help or to help addicts who want help. Our system is diverting from a punishing approach to a treatment approach. This paper will examine the most popular inpatient and outpatient options available throughout the nation. The types of addicts who normally file into these types of settings will be exam e, and The Way of Life. May I do your will always” (Alcoholics). These prayers are recited by the addict and must be experienced as well as nurtured to successfully break your addiction and never go back once you have completed the twelve

As a counseling student studying chemical dependency, I was assigned to attend two 12-step meetings to better understand the 12-step process. I attended two Alcoholics Anonymous (AA) meetings at the Episcopal Church in Starkville; MS. AA is a worldwide fellowship of alcoholic men and women who are banded together to solve their common problems and to help fellow sufferers in recovery from alcoholism. These particular Alcoholics Anonymous meeting opened with a serenity prayer, a reading of the AA preamble, a daily reflection, and various other readings. The individuals in these meetings told personal stories of their struggles with alcohol use and abuse from their past in addition to their struggles to remain sober. Included in the opening statements and referenced throughout the stories told were references of God, prayer, and spirituality.