Alcoholics Anonymous

Alcoholics Anonymous (also known as "A.A.") is a community of recovering alcoholics, who share their experience, strength and hope with each other so that they may solve their common problem and help others to recover from alcoholism. The primary purpose of Alcoholics Anonymous is to help people stay sober and help other alcoholics to achieve sobriety.

Alcoholics Anonymous consists of more than two million people in 150 countries, meeting in local groups that range in size from a handful of ex-drinkers in some localities to many hundreds in larger communities. While many Alcoholics Anonymous meetings are open to the public, some Alcoholics Anonymous groups also hold "closed meetings," in which members are encouraged to discuss problems that might not be fully appreciated by non-alcoholics.

The only requirement for membership in Alcoholics Anonymous is a desire to stop drinking. There are no dues or fees for Alcoholics Anonymous membership; Alcoholics Anonymous is a self-supporting group that functions through contributions made at meetings. Anyone can join Alcoholics Anonymous.

While joining Alcoholics Anonymous is a positive step toward recovering from alcoholism, membership in the group will not guarantee that you will be able to achieve sobriety. The National Institute on Alcohol Abuse recommends that alcoholics receive ongoing, long-term treatment, such as that found in sober living facilities, in addition to joining Alcoholics Anonymous.

Ideally, alcoholics should enter a long-term treatment facility, go through detox, and then join Alcoholics Anonymous and participate in regular meetings. The longer you receive such treatment, the better your chances of achieving long-term sobriety.

If alcoholism might be a problem for you or someone you love, we encourage you to give Treatment Referral a call today to learn more about the treatment options you have.