If you, a friend, or a family member struggle with an alcohol use disorder or addiction, you have done a great deal of thinking and worrying. “Will my loved one be able to beat addiction?” “How can I help protect my family from the effects of addiction?” “Does drug and alcohol rehab work?” “Do the AA steps work?”

The truth is, there are no guarantees that come with alcohol addiction. The treatment of alcohol use disorders and addiction can look vastly different for everyone. Still, we here at St. John’s Recovery Place (SJRP) can assure you that you and your loved ones are at the heart of all we do. We care about you and your treatment journey. When it comes to addiction, there are a lot of unknowns. But addiction treatment, rehab, and AA can genuinely work to better you, your friends, and your family.

What is AA?

If you or your loved one has only recently been diagnosed or suspected of struggling with a substance use disorder, you feel vastly overwhelmed. Suddenly your world is consumed with learning unfamiliar terms, new ideas, new warning signs, and so much more. And your life is suddenly overrun by a whole new world! The staff at SJRP understand that the process of learning about addiction and coming to terms with a substance use disorder is complicated. And working through rehab treatment and getting started with aftercare programs is a lot to undertake. Still, we are here to assure you, the process may not look the same for everyone, but it does work!

There are plenty of articles and literature written about the success of medical detox, inpatient therapy, and outpatient treatment programs. But what can you and your loved ones expect after the traditional recovery plans finish? There are many options for rehabilitation centers. And there are also various aftercare opportunities for you and your loved ones to engage in once traditional treatment ends. So what is AA?

12 steps work of Alcoholics Anonymous (AA)

AA (alcoholics anonymous) is traditionally a nonprofessional form of an aftercare rehab program. The fellowships exists to help support men and women who have struggled with alcohol use disorders and addiction find support and encouragement in their everyday lives. AA programs are available in numerous locations across the country. Groups sprout up in every town in every state, in every venue possible (churches, community centers, and rehab facilities included). No matter your race, ethnicity, political, religious agenda, alcoholics anonymous is open to any person of any age looking for help to overcome a drinking problem. There are no education or recovery path requirements. Everyone is welcome, no matter where they are in their rehabilitation journey.

Why the Name Alcoholics Anonymous?

Now that you know a bit more about AA, you may be curious about how it came to be or how it works. One of the most important things for you to know about AA is that they are a not-for-profit organization. As an AA member, you are not required to pay dues, so the aftercare does not cost anything. Although typically associated with church meeting spaces, AA is not affiliated with any specific religion and is not considered a certified treatment program. AA is an addiction aftercare program initially founded in 1935. The AA fellowships initially developed to help individuals who struggle with alcoholism recover and share relatable experiences with individuals on similar journeys.

AA is not a requirement for individuals who finish alcohol rehab to attend. Instead, it is a supportive group fellowship that allows individuals to share, confide in, and receive support. AA meetings are typically for individuals who struggle with alcohol use disorders to gather at. However, family members or close friends are invited to attend annual “open” meetings held regularly to support their loved ones. These meetings are not made to replace treatment but have a high success rate in helping clients feel supported, cared for, and loved. The name “alcoholics anonymous” refers to the privacy protection the fellowships give to a client (who is an alcoholic) in a world that does not yet fully understand addiction as a disease. Every day more people learn about addiction, and the stigma against alcoholism lessens as individuals begin to know more about the illness and the side effects that come with it.

What Are the Steps of Alcoholics Anonymous (AA)?

The history of AA is straightforward, but you may be wondering, “how does an alcoholics anonymous meeting work?” AA is a fellowship of men and women of all ages, backgrounds, and recovery stages. These individuals gather together to share similar experiences, motivate one another, help each other solve common problems, and share hope for a better future. The only requirement an AA program will have is that every individual who attends must want to quit their problematic drinking patterns. The group’s primary goal and purpose are to remain sober and help each other work towards sobriety.

There are many ways AA meetings work, with many individuals contributing to making a group mesh together smoothly. Alcoholics anonymous is not a substitute for drug and alcohol rehab but a helpful tool for clients to use after completing their treatment program. AA does not work for everyone. But sources estimate that individuals who receive professional treatment and attend alcoholics anonymous gatherings are more likely to remain sober for the long-term. Individuals who only complete traditional rehabilitation and participate in only one or two AA group get-togethers are less likely to achieve long-term sobriety.

AA group meetings work! Even though AA is a nonprofessional, not-for-profit organization that primarily focuses on members sharing similar experiences, the sessions typically follow a specific format and encourage members to “work” the 12-step program of healing. The 12-step program and steps of AA include:

  1. First, you admit that you have a problem with alcohol use and cannot overcome your dependence on the substance.
  2. Second, you have come to believe in a power greater than yourself that can help you overcome your alcohol dependence.
  3. Third, you have decided to pursue change and turn your life around for the better.
  4. Fourth, you make a simple, investigative search of yourself to define your moral standing.
  5. Fifth, you have acknowledged and admitted to yourself honestly the exact nature of your wrongs.
  6. Sixth, you are 100% ready to move past your flaws and grow.
  7. That you humbly ask for help to overcome your shortcomings.
  8. You make a list of individuals you have personally wronged or harmed and are willing to and act upon making amends with them.
  9. You make direct and purposeful amends with the individuals you have hurt or harmed, whenever and however possible to the best of your ability.
  10. You continue to take a personal inventory on yourself, adjusting your mind, actions, and attitude readily when you find yourself doing wrong.
  11. That through meditation, you make a conscious effort to improve yourself and your thought processes.
  12. You have experienced a spiritual awakening that encourages you to continue working in and towards sobriety.

Over 7 million individuals in the US suffer from an alcohol use disorder or addiction. Still, studies conducted on the success of alcohol aftercare programs indicate that nearly 50% of all individuals who attend AA meetings regularly achieve long-term sobriety. Even though addiction is often a solitary affair, recovery from substance use disorders requires community. Suppose you or a loved one struggles with addiction or is an alcoholic. In that case, there is hope for you to recover and rebuild your lives and relationships. You no longer must be a slave to alcohol, and with the help of AA meetings, you can achieve long-term sobriety.

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Don’t give up on yourself. Don’t allow addiction to take the lead and control another day of your life. This is your journey!