Alcohol Abuse Is The Most Common Addictive Behavior

Group therapy has evolved so much that the participant are learning how to help themselves and others. Self-help groups are one of the most popular forms of group therapy. One of the most known self-help groups is Alcoholics Anonymous also known as A.A. Alcoholics Anonymous (AA) is an international organization produced to assist alcoholics to recover and live alcohol free lives. It was founded by Bill Wilson and Robert Holbrook Smith in 1935. It is a program, complete with twelve steps and twelve traditions, that was put together to help addicts

I went to Alcoholic Anonymous opening meeting because I am interested in learning more about this program and alcoholism itself. Also, some of my family members are highly addicted to alcohol, and they have to drink at least half a gallon per day. I have no idea how to stop them from drinking alcohol excessively, so I hope that I am able to learn something from this meeting that I can share with them and probably advise them to lower the amount of their alcohol consumption every day. Based on what I learned from the meeting, Alcoholic Anonymous (AA) self-help meeting is a program for alcoholics who are desire to stop drinking.

Today, one out of every thirteen adults abuse alcohol or are alcoholics. That means nearly thirteen million Americans have a drinking problem. (www.niaaa.nih.gov) This topic offers a broad range of ideas to be researched within the psychological field. For this particular project, the topic of alcoholism and the psychological effects on people best fit the criteria. Alcoholism is defined as a disorder characterized by the excessive consumption of and dependence on alcoholic beverages, leading to physical and psychological harm and impaired social and vocational functioning. (www.dictionary.com) Through this project, the most important information regarding personal experiences

The AA recovery meeting I attended was at Club Soda. The meeting was open to any who wanted to join, male or female, and provided general discussion as well as discussions and readings about the big book and 12-steps. The members of the group began the meeting by turning in their log sheets for the group chairperson. The chairperson selected another member to help facilitate the meeting and they both introduced themselves as alcoholics and the chairperson discussed the rules of the group. One of the rules stated was that those who had consumed alcohol in the last 24 hours were asked to only listen during the meeting.

Alcoholics Anonymous (AA) is a fellowship for both men and women who have or had a drinking problem in their lifetime. AA is a nonprofessional, peer ran group. AA is open to anyone who wants to do something about their drinking problem no matter your age or education level. They are usually free and is an amazing place for you to tell your story and listen to others, because you are not the only one going through these struggles. AA started back in 1935 after a meeting between Bill, a New York stockbroker, and Dr. Bob S., a surgeon, who were both hopeless alcoholics. The use to attend a non-alcoholics fellowship that focuses on spiritual values in daily life. Bill got sober from these meetings and then started working with other alcoholics

The purpose of the Alcoholics Anonymous is to maintain sobriety and help others achieve recovery. AA has served both men and women and is definitely a task group for those recovering from excessive alcohol consumption. The group common goal is to share experiences, with one another to help recover from alcoholism. The experiences, strength, and hope are what shape the individuals to sobriety. The AA group meets 2 times a week and is ongoing until goal is fully reached. There are two types of meeting open meetings which are for the speakers to share experiences, and closed meeting when only alcoholics share their story to recovery This group is open to anyone who wants to stop drinking. These individuals have suffered from barriers in their life that pushed them to drink. There will be a facilitator and Co facilitator for this group, and will concentrate on helping people turn away from alcohol. There is no set person who runs AA groups. The members

group was that AA has one purpose. That purpose is to help alcoholics deal with

Robert Holbrook and Bill Wilson (Kelch, 2014). The concepts behind the group’s inception are that alcoholics can assist one another based on their problematic experiences with alcohol and their ensuing recovery. Kelch (2014) described the formation of AA as “being founded on the principle that only someone with the combined experience of alcoholism could assist another alcoholic in the recovery process” (p. 223). Additionally, attending meetings helps individuals built social support systems that are unable to be attained through professional treatment. These social support systems are key in making an individual feel comfortable. Many times they result in “friendship, emotional support, experiential knowledge, identity, meaningful roles, and a sense of belonging” (Kelch, 2014, p. 223). A primary reason why AA continues to be a popular choice of support for individual seeking recovery from substance abuse is because of these benefits. According to Schmidt, Carns, and Chandler (2001), from the time that AA has been created, it has remained one of the most utilized self-help support groups for individuals with substance abuse problems. Nevertheless, there is ongoing researching surrounding the AA and other self-help groups to determine their

The 12 step program Alcoholics Anonymous (AA )was born in 1934. Prohibition had been repealed and a man named Bill Watson drunkenly found his way to Manhattan Hospital. Bill was known to knock back quite a bit of whiskey every day and couldn 't seem to be able to quit. While he was at Manhattan Hospital he was given a new and considered experimental treatment for addiction of belladonna, which is a hallucinogen. Bill in his induced state yelled to God to help free him of alcohol. He reported seeing a bright light and feeling such serenity that Bill quit drinking alcohol. He went on to co-found Alcoholics Anonymous and based the principles off the evangelical Oxford Group which believed people were sinners, but with the help of God and confessing, a person could get on the proper path. AA was an answer to a huge void the medical world felt at the time in regard to people who drank heavily. Once alcoholism was named a disease in 1956 by the American Medical Association (AMA) AA grew and more hospitals sprung up wards for alcoholics for patients to detox with no other treatment offered. What someone in a ward for alcholhoics did receive was members showing up to support their fellow drinker and offering support and invitations to meetings. Thus began the road to calling alcoholism a disease and the first 12 step program AA. (14)

The AA meetings in this society do not work and cause more harm for some people than it would of some of these people did not attend them. These meetings have a 12 step way to help you and step 1 you had to admit you were powerless over alcohol, step 2 you have to believe that a greater power than yourself can restore your sanity, step 3 you had to accept god into your life and

By listening to these people who are recovery alcoholics talk about their experiences, thought me that Alcohol Anonymous, is a program that depends on the belief of a superior bin, whatever that might be for you. This is not a medical treatment that gives the members of AA medication for their addiction, or has an expert who is trying to psychoanalyze them. It is a program that it is run by the same people who have an alcohol problem; there are no experts or people teaching others. It is a simple concept of people sharing their life experiences and following the 12th steps of AA. What I heard is that in AA, they found a place where there are other people like them who are struggling with the same problem and that made a difference for them.

Baltimore Intergroup Council of Alcoholics Anonymous is a voluntary worldwide fellowship of men and women. There are no fees for Baltimore Intergroup Council of Alcoholics Anonymous membership. The Baltimore Intergroup Council of Alcoholics Anonymous only requirement for membership is a desire to stop drinking. Baltimore Intergroup Council of Alcoholics Anonymous has no relations with outside agencies and does not endorse or oppose any causes. Baltimore Intergroup Council of Alcoholics Anonymous has a tradition of being fully self-supportive and does not seek nor accept contributions from nonmembers. Baltimore Intergroup Council of Alcoholics Anonymous is all about total abstinence. Baltimore Intergroup Council of Alcoholics Anonymous members stop drinking one day at a time. Sobriety at Baltimore Intergroup Council of Alcoholics Anonymous is maintained through sharing experience, strength, and hope. Group meetings are held with a suggested Twelve Steps for recovery from alcoholism. Anyone may attend open meetings of Baltimore Intergroup Council of Alcoholics Anonymous. Meetings usually consist of talks by a leader and two or three speakers who share experience as they relate to their alcoholism and recovery. Doctors, members of the clergy, and public officials of the community are usually invited. Closed Discussion meetings at Baltimore Intergroup Council of Alcoholics Anonymous are for alcoholics only. Overall Baltimore Intergroup Council of Alcoholics Anonymous is effective and cost-effective. All you have to do is show up and make up your mind that you want to stop drinking.

The term “alcoholism” describes a drinker who is mentally and physically dependent on alcohol, and who would most likely have withdrawal symptoms upon trying to quit. This dependence prevents most alcoholics from being able to control when they drink and how much they drink. For that reason, alcoholics usually drink to excess despite the consequences. Alcoholism, like any addiction, is a chronic disorder which involves continued use despite negative consequences and requires ongoing treatment and management. This research paper will cover many aspects of alcoholism including the causes and effects of drinking and different treatment approaches.

From these meetings there are two categories opened and closed. Closed meetings are for alcoholics only while open meetings are for alcoholics and anyone else who would like to join them. Their family or friends who want to be there for support or maybe random guest who want to see what a meeting is like before they recommend it to someone who needs it. The basic format for the meetings would be a speaker meeting, which focuses on sharing, a discussion meeting which is more interactive than the first and a step meeting where obviously discusses one of the steps.

People drink in many ways, for many different reasons. We drink socially, to gain acceptance into a group. We drink alone to ease stress, to cope with our problems, or we “drink because we like the taste or how it makes us feel”#. Often drinking is a learned behavior, starting out as a social drinker; you quickly become psychologically and physically dependent. When someone reaches this stage they are often classified as an alcoholic. To an alcoholic, drinking becomes a compulsion; they cannot stop themselves from having another drink, like a social drinker can. In many cases alcoholics don’t even have to drink continuously in order to be an alcoholic. One the problems of alcohol addiction is that it’s something that doesn’t just effect the individual but it effects, friends and family as well. Spouse abuse, child abuse and dysfunctional family relationships can all be influenced by alcohol abuse.