How an AA Meeting Supports Sobriety
Addiction recovery can be difficult. Medical professionals treat addiction, also known as substance use disorder, like a chronic illness because it can happen over and over again, even after long periods of sobriety (not using substances). As a caregiver, your role might include supporting your loved one’s recovery and sobriety. Here, we explain how attending Alcoholics Anonymous meetings can help during and after treatment.
Trualta’s library of caregiver resources has more helpful information. Check whether you have free access and read more about Substance Use Disorder.
About Alcoholics Anonymous
Alcoholics Anonymous (AA) was founded nearly 100 years ago as a group of people trying to stop drinking alcohol. Today, it is an international organization that hosts regular AA meetings to help members get sober and stay sober, either as part of treatment or instead of formal treatment.
There are a few different AA meeting types.
- Open meetings are open to anyone, including non-alcoholics. You could attend an open meeting with your loved one to support them.
- Closed meetings are for AA members only.
- Speaker meetings feature an individual sharing their experiences and sharing cross-talk, or advice to those newer to recovery.
- Discussion meetings are for more open sharing.
- There are also in-person meetings and online meetings
In addition to meetings, people can benefit from AA literature, like the Big Book. The Big Book is the canonical AA text that describes the history of AA, alcoholism, and how alcoholics can get and stay sober. This includes the famous 12 steps. The Twelve-Step study and the Big Book study are important aspects of AA membership.
AA encourages members to follow the 12 steps to achieve lasting sobriety. The steps include things like admitting to having a problem with alcohol, taking a personal inventory, making amends, and the 11th step meditation. The steps are listed in the Big Book and discussed at 12-step meetings.
How AA Meetings Can Help Your Loved One Stay Sober
AA meetings can be very helpful for people trying to stay sober. If you care for a loved one who struggles with alcohol, consider encouraging them to attend. Keep in mind, though, that the benefits of AA groups do not extend to all alcoholics. Some people do better with individual therapy or other types of support groups.
Research Supports The Use Of AA Meetings
While AA might not be for everyone, research does show it can be very helpful. In fact, one review of multiple studies found that attending AA meetings is the most effective way to maintain recovery. Looking at studies that involved more than 10,000 people, the researchers found that AA meetings were ultimately more helpful even than therapy.
Social Support Makes A Difference
The researchers of the study above concluded that the social aspect of AA is what makes it work so well. Finding and spending time with people who have similar goals is powerful in helping individuals get and stay sober. Other AA meeting attendees can provide your loved one with emotional support and practical tips for keeping up with recovery.
The 12 Steps Provide Direction
AA meetings and the AA philosophy are based on the 12 steps. They are useful because they provide structure and action-oriented steps to support sobriety and recovery. In other words, they give your loved one something to do to become sober and remain in recovery. They help change behaviors and improve relationships.
AA Meetings Include Sponsors
One aspect of AA that other support groups don’t generally offer is the sponsor. New members can pair up with a member who has been sober for a longer period of time. Your loved one can reach out to their sponsor for more support. Many sponsors take calls 24 hours a day to support the newer member that they are paired up with.
Studies show that, in addition to other benefits of AA meetings, sponsors help new members avoid relapse. This is especially crucial during the early days of recovery.
How To Find A Meeting
If you would like to support your loved one as they try to quit drinking or in their early recovery period, consider AA meetings and joining an AA group. Whether you go together to open meetings or they attend a closed AA meeting, the additional support can be very helpful.
Because of its popularity and effectiveness, Alcoholics Anonymous can be found nearly everywhere in the world. Search online for your local AA groups and local meetings. You should find many AA meeting locations in your area.
As an example of how easy it is to find a meeting, if you search for AA meetings in San Antonio, Texas, you’ll get more than 25 results in and around San Antonio. You’ll also see many online AA meetings. You can even find women’s only AA meetings in San Antonio. Club 12 in San Antonio is a dedicated AA meeting location that has been active since 1949.
AA meetings are one of many tools you can use to support your care recipient’s recovery. Encourage them to benefit from the social aspect of joining meetings. If they’re hesitant, consider joining them for an open meeting. Taking this first step could make a huge difference in their recovery.
References
- Alcoholics Anonymous. (n.d.). Information about meetings. AA.org.
- Digitale, E. (2020, March 11). Alcoholics Anonymous most effective path to alcohol abstinence. Stanford Medicine News Center.
- Kelly, J. F., Humphreys, K., & Ferri, M. (2017). Alcoholics Anonymous and other 12-step programs for alcohol use disorder. Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews, 2017(3), CD012880. https://doi.org/10.1002/14651858.CD012880
