About AA

Information on Alcoholics Anonymous

This information is for those who may themselves have a drinking problem and for those in contact with persons who have, or are suspected of having, such a problem. Most of the information is available in more detail in literature. This paper tells what to expect from Alcoholics Anonymous; it describes what AA is, what AA does and what AA does not do.

What Is AA?

Alcoholics Anonymous is an international fellowship of men and women who once had a drinking problem. It is non-professional, self-supporting, non-denominational, multi-racial and non-political. There are no age or educational requirements - membership is open to anyone who wants to do something about his or her drinking problem. Our Third Tradition states "The only requirement for membership is a desire to stop drinking." Just as clear is the implied converse, that is, anyone ho doesn't have a desire to stop drinking cannot become a member. That statement leads to a fact which is not always clearly understood: we cannot help anyone who does not want help. Whether or not that person needs help is irrelevant - the victim must want help.

What Does AA Do?

1. AA 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 AA from any source.

2. Our programme, set down in our Twelve Steps, offers the alcoholic a way to develop a satisfying life without alcohol.

3. This programme is discussed at AA Group meetings:
• Open "identification" meetings - open to anyone, alcoholic or not. At "ID" meetings, AA members tell their stories; they describe their experiences with alcohol, how they came to AA and how their lives have changed as a result. (Attendance at an open AA meeting is a good introduction to AA, to learn what AA is, what it does and what it does not do.)
• Open discussion meetings - one member speaks briefly about his or her drinking experience and then leads a discussion on any subject or drinking-related problem anyone brings up.
• Closed meetings are for members of AA and anyone who has, or thinks they have, a drinking problem. They are conducted in the same way as their equivalent open meetings but, as stated, attendance is restricted to members of AA or people who have, or think they have a drinking problem.
• Step meetings (usually closed) - discussion on the Twelve Steps of AA.
• AA members also take meetings into prisons, hospital rehabs and the like.
• AA members are sometimes asked to conduct information meetings about AA to hospital staff, Rotary, Apex and similar organisations. Such meetings about AA are not part of AA's recovery programme.

What AA Does Not Do

AA does not:
• furnish initial motivation for alcoholics to recover
• solicit members
• engage in research
• join councils of social agencies
• follow up or try to control its members
• compile a register of members
• make medical or psychological diagnoses or prognoses
• provide drying-out or nursing services, hospitalisation, drugs or any medical or psychiatric treatment.
• offer religious services
• engage in education about alcohol
• provide housing, food, clothing, jobs, money or any other welfare or social services
• provide domestic or vocational counselling
• accept any money for its services, or any contributions from non-AA sources
• provide letters of reference to parole boards, lawyers, court officials! etc.