Question

2 page papers typed in paragraph form for an Alcoholics' Anonymous Discuss anything specific about the meeting that you think is important . Do you think AA is helpfulfor people with alcoholism? If so, how is it likely to help? If not, why not? Kould you see yourself referring clients to AA? What are your concerns or questions about AA? What type of interaction did you have with any of the participants? What was your emotional response to the meeting you attended?

Answer 1

Alcoholics Anonymous (AA) is an international fellowship with the purpose of recovery of alcoholics and helping them to stay sober who in turn will help other alcoholics to be sober. AA is a nonprofessional group, which is apolitical, and self-supporting. Anybody who wants to stop drinking can become a member. An AA meeting is a different kind of meeting in the sense that everybody introduces himself or herself as an alcoholic who wants to be sober. They want others also to be sober and will help others in becoming sober. They do not need any profit out of this, they just want to give back what they have received. They also have book meetings where they read parts of the book and then discuss what they read in the book. These meetings are generally about an hour long, but it can more than or less than one hour depending on several factors. Two books usually read in the book meetings are Alcoholics Anonymous and Twelve Steps.

AA is really helpful for people with alcoholism. Sobriety is attained by practicing the 12 steps given by AA. It is a nonprofit organization with the only intention of sobriety for alcoholics. This is their one and only motive and everybody is oriented towards this. They understand each other better than people outside AA and offer invaluable help to each other. Every member gives immense emotional and moral support to each other to overcome this evil thereby contributing to the wellbeing of the whole society. By helping to eliminate this evil AA members act as a catalyst in the creation of a sober society with fewer crimes and more peace. In this process, they become more responsible than their fellow citizens. When every member of a nonprofit organization works wholeheartedly for the betterment of their fellow citizens, it becomes a great success.

I would refer clients to AA, like any other member. Almost all AA members refer one or more alcoholics to the group in an effort to reduce the suffering of another person and his/her family. From the positive experience that I got from the group, I would like to turn in as many alcoholics as I can. I feel as if I am indebted to this group for whatever I am today and I expect other members also share the same feeling. In fact, I do remember counseling an alcoholic, a friend of mine, for weeks, before I could get him in the right place. Now, whenever I see him or his family members, they are all very grateful to me for this change and the new life they got because of AA. I have seen many suffering from this evil, leading to suicides sometimes and I feel guilty about not being able to save them, not being able to convince them about AA.

Though it was founded in 1935, in Akron, Ohio, United States and has a worldwide presence, alcoholism is still a universal menace. I have always wondered about the presence of alcoholics in today's world with so many advanced means of communication and methods of instruction along with the worldwide presence of AA. I am often much concerned and confused about whether AA lacks something because of which worldwide sobriety is still a dream and not a reality. Many countries have adopted the prohibition of alcohol, which could not control alcoholism as expected by the lawmakers. I think this rule was ineffective or partially effective as the legislation was made without educating the people. I doubt if educating a society even if it does not have many alcoholics would help the functioning of AA and help it to get access to many alcoholics who can be converted to sober. AA provides solace to only those who want to stop drinking, but people who do not want to be sober are left to live as they wish. I think there are chances that these people will influence the sober ones and make them alcoholics again.  

I had many types of interaction with the participants, but all were for the single purpose of making them sober. Communication made with others at the beginner level is much different compared to the communications made in any other level. At the beginner level when everyone goes there as an alcoholic, others are there to help you to become sober. The first interaction that I had was to ask someone about how AA can help me to become sober. As I went there after a drink, I do not remember what the member told me. After I became sober, I used to help others become sober and my interactions were mostly in that manner. I would explain the participant the benefits of being sober and about the precious life, which is meant for only that person and his/her betterment, it is not for alcohol or any other person to tarnish. Then I will teach each person about the right to live his/her life to the fullest and that he/she is not a slave of anybody or anything. Every alcoholic is a slave of alcohol, and if anybody wants to be free, they should get rid of this habit.

My emotional response at first was to cry throughout the meeting, which was partly due to depression. I lost everything because of drinking, which made me cry whenever someone told me something about not to drink anymore, as the last thing I will lose will be my life.  Then as I went to more meetings, my positive outlook towards life increased with positive thoughts and a wish to live life to the fullest became deep-rooted in my mind. When I became sober, I started volunteering for AA and as helped many people to become sober, I had a feeling of satisfaction and pride, which echoed in my words and deeds. Like many other AA members, I also started as a zero, but now I am a lifesaving hero.