Al-Anon/Alateen Family Groups

In 1935, a fellowship by the name of Alcoholics Anonymous (AA) originated as an effort to develop a method for understanding the complexities of and recovering from alcohol abuse and addiction (Clinton & Scalise, 2013; Hester &Miller, 2003). AA is a non-professional spiritual organization of men and women who gather to share their experiences with alcohol abuse/addiction, to convey hope and strength to overcome alcohol dependence, and help others in the recovery process (Clinton & Scalise, 2013).

Now that I have explained the purpose, the requirements for membership and what to expect from the Al-Anon recovery process I hope you can see the benefits of this free, 100% guaranteed life changing program and how it can supply you with the tools to survive the effects of someone else’s drinking. For anyone that is interested I will be happy to talk to you further about the program and please feel free to take the complimentary brochures I have brought for you today.

It’s no secret that alcoholism is an epidemic. Anyone can fall prisoner to its call. Alcoholism knows no gender, no age, and no race. Alcoholism is an addiction to alcohol. This addiction is not a joke, or a reason to shame others. Its effects on people can be fatal.

Alcoholics Anonymous is a community of men and women who put across their experiences with alcohol and who support each-other in recovering from the critical conditions that the substance brought them in. In order to become a member, a person only needs to stop drinking, as there are no fees associated with the institution: it is a self-supporting group using its own contributions to function. A.A. is not related to any religious or political ideology, organization, or institution and its sole purpose is to focus on the problems caused by drinking alcohol and on how it can effectively help people recover.

According to the Dual Diagnosis website, “In 2012, as many as 87.6 percent of American adults over age 18 were reported in a SAHMSA…study to have consumed alcohol at some point in their lives…The National Institutes of Health…estimated that 17 million adults in the United States in 2012 had an alcohol use disorder” (“Disease…”). Approximately one in every 12 people either are abusing alcohol, or they are becoming, if not are, victims of alcoholism (National…). Alcohol consumption is especially known in our society’s culture. There are numerous people who like to drink every now and again in moderation; however, there are far too many people who abuse the alcohol and may even be completely dependent on it. Several

After I attended the Al-Anon meeting I was able to sit down with one of the sponsors Martha. Martha is a Caucasian woman in her mid-sixties. Martha’s daughter Kim was twenty-six when she started drinking, Kim drank for almost ten years. Martha said it was very stressful for her, Kim was going through a divorce, then lost her job, her drinking spiraled out of control. Kim lost everything and I was the one who had to pick up the pieces. Kim moved back home, was always borrowing money, her drinking was so out of control she ruined a few family gatherings Kim would go as far as stealing from us, and all the lies, Kim would tell Martha stated.

AL-Anon is a group that was formed to help the families effected by alcoholism (Van Wormer, K. & Davis, D.R. 2013). In Ohio, there are groups that meet on a daily basis from 6am until midnight. You can find an Al-Anon meeting in many neighborhoods throughout Cincinnati. For the purpose of this reflection, the group was observed twice on a Monday night and a Wednesday night at the same location on October 3rd and October 5th. There were roughly 20-30 participants in the group on both nights and the facilitator was different each night observed. The theme of the meetings on those nights was covering steps 10 and 12 of the 12 step program.

While attending Al-Anon, I will also be attending Adult Children of Alcoholics. Observing their website, I found what they

Addiction to drugs and alcohol has changed the lives of millions of Americans. According to Alcoholics Anonymous: Addiction will play tricks on the mind, forcing it to get stuck in an emotional and intellectual limbo. This limbo paralyzes rational associations by replacing a traditional outlook on life to one of an addict. The definition of insanity is to do the same thing over and over again, expecting different results. In order to grow emotionally its important to analyze our own actions and behaviors according to the Alcoholics Anonymous book. The Twelve Traditions of Alcoholics Anonymous; the stories of experience, strength and hope come together to form a compilation of success stories(Alcoholics Anonymous, 2001, p. 562-566). This books treatment for the disease of addiction is a series of reconditioning interpretations and a understanding of behaviors. The treatment for psychological issues that have been coped with by means of addiction is enough for a free life time membership to A.A. The A.A. way of life is relatively simple but many still relapse again and again. Those that work the program recondition their mind and eventually find serenity. Often, more times than

Alcoholism is considered a major health issue by many resources. It is seen as an illness by the American Medical Association and the British Medical Association. Alcoholics are unable to control their drinking habits because they are ill within their minds and bodies. Within the United States, it is recognized as the third greatest substance use killer, following heart disease and cancer as noted by various sources. It not only hurts substance users, but can have significant effects on their families and their jobs. There is a multitude of knowledge on how to identify and arrest alcoholism, but there is no known prevention for it. Therefore, Alcohol Anonymous (A.A) was developed to help sufferers of alcohol abstain from drinking and learn positive ways to live life without the use of alcohol. Each individual is different; therefore, not all will have the same symptoms. Some symptoms include but are not limited to drinking at school or at work, sneaking drinks, drinking early in the mornings and over drinking at events. The goal of A.A at Another Chance is to encourage their members to avoid drinking or causes that can lead to drinking, which is by taking one day at a time. As mentioned, for members to stay sober they need to maintain healthy thoughts and emotions, of which they can attain by following the twelve steps to recovery.

When looking at the information of the National Epidemiologic Survey on Alcohol and Related Conditions (NESARC) we find that the widespread problems of mood, anxiety, and personality disorders among alcohol- and drug-dependent persons is very high. It is interesting that NESARC shows a significant comorbidity linking substance use disorders and independent mood and anxiety disorders is spreading widely throughout in the U.S. general population Overall, according to what NESARC research has shown that almost twenty percent of individuals that within a year, or present-day substance disorder experience anxiety or mood disorder within the same time period, and not only that, but close to a twenty percent of individuals with a problem right

For my research paper, I decided to turn my focus to the people who suffer from alcohol addiction. I am trying to learn about people in Alcoholics Anonymous (AA) because I want to know if the program is successful in order to inform my readers of the struggles and effects of alcoholism and binge drinking. I find it fascinating how someone can allow substances to take over their lives, and I respect those who have overcome such battles.

Individuals who abuse substances frequently suffer from mental health disorders, such as anxiety, personality disorders, depression and trauma. It is not uncommon for an individual to use substances to cope with these issues.

The history of alcohol, its production and the practices associated with the act of drinking is as old and rich as the history of human race. Alcoholism is a social issue with concerns citizens not only of America, but also the entire world. The perception of depedence and enslavement of ethanol should be changed in order to prevent the issue from growing even fruther. This addiction is destructive to the addict's health, both psychological and physical, it affects their relationships with friends and family.

In the United States, 17.6 million people – about one in every 12 adults, abuse alcohol or are alcohol dependent. (NIH: National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism, 2012) The Mayo Clinic defines alcoholism as a chronic disease in which your body becomes dependent on alcohol (Mayo Clinic Staff, 2010), and indicates that more than 100,000 Americans die annually from alcohol related causes (Johnson) . Aside from the physical problems that alcohol addiction can create, there are frequently emotional and social complications. Alcoholism is a disease that harms not only the alcoholic, but also the co-workers and family of the alcoholic.