Alcoholic Anonymous

ALCOHOLICS ANONYMOUS I am responsible…. When anyone, anywhere reaches out for help, I want the hand of A.A. always to be there… And for that I am responsible.

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What is AA? It is a worldwide fellowship of men and women who share a desire to stop drinking alcohol. 

It suggests members completely abstain from alcohol, regularly attend meetings with other members, and follow its program to help each other with their common purpose; to help members stay sober and help other alcoholics achieve sobriety. 

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What is AA? • The only requirement for membership is a desire to stop drinking. • There are no dues or fees for A.A. membership • We are self-supporting through our own contributions. • A.A. is not allied with any sect, denomination, politics, organization or institution; does not wish to engage in any controversy; neither endorses nor opposes any causes.

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HISTORY Was founded by Bill Wilson (1895-1971) & Dr. Bob Smith (1879-1950) 

AA is said to have begun on June 10, 1935. This was the day "Dr. Bob" took his last bottle of beer, under the watch of Bill Wilson, to steady his hands for surgery. 

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HISTORY • Bill Wilson – William Griffith Wilson. • He achieved sobriety in the year 1934. • His influences have been Ebby Thacher and Dr. Silkworth. • Other than AA, he also experimented with Niacin, LSD and Parapsychology. • He was a chronic smoker and died of emphysema in 1971. • He also used to suffer from depression.

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Bill Wilson

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Bill & Louis Wilson

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HISTORY Dr. Bob Smith was an American physician & surgeon.  Smith was called the "Prince of Twelfth Steppers“ by Wilson because he voluntarily helped more than 5000 alcoholics.  He played a vital role in the development of the 12 steps of AA.  It was in his home that the basic ideas of A.A. were developed.  Died on Nov 16th, 1950 of colon cancer. 

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Bill Wilson & Dr. Bob Smith

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HISTORY • By 1934, Bill Wilson had ruined a promising career in finance because of his constant drunkenness. • He was introduced to the idea of a spiritual cure by an old drinking buddy, Ebby Thacher, who had become a member of a Christian movement called the Oxford Group. 10

HISTORY • Wilson was treated at Charles B. Towns hospital in New York by Dr. William Silkworth, who promoted a disease concept of alcoholism. • On a 1935 business trip to Akron, Ohio, Wilson felt the urge to drink again and in an effort to stay sober, he sought another alcoholic to help. • Wilson was introduced to Dr. Bob Smith, 11 also a member of the Oxford Group.

Dr. William Silkworth

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Ebby Thacher

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Oxford Group

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Town’s Hospital Bob was treated here four times.

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HISTORY • Wilson expanded the program by writing a book entitled Alcoholics Anonymous which the fellowship then adopted as its name. • The book, informally referred to by members as "The Big Book," described a twelve-step program involving admission of powerlessness over alcohol, acceptance of a benevolent higher power, moral inventory, complete and direct restitution to those harmed, and asking for direction, guidance, and power from God.

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HISTORY • Essential to this process was the idea that the higher power be "of one's own understanding". • By 1946, as membership grew, confusion and disputes within groups over practices, finances, and publicity led Wilson to write the guidelines for noncoercive group management, Twelve Points to Assure our Future, that eventually became known as the Twelve Traditions. 17

ORGANIZATION • As on Jan 1st , 2007, 1,989,260 members in 114,561 AA groups were reported worldwide, in 186 countries. • The Twelve Traditions informally guide how AA groups function, and the Twelve Concepts for World Service guide how AA is structured globally. • Each group is a self-governing entity with AA World Services acting only in an 18 advisory capacity.

ORGANIZATION • AA groups are self-supporting and not charities, and they have no dues or membership fees. • Groups rely on voluntary member donations. • No one is turned away for lack of funds. • Usually there is an upper limit to the maximum voluntary donation allowed. 19

ORGANIZATION • At the top is the GSO, General Service Office which houses the General Service Board of Alcoholics Anonymous. • Its trustees and directors are entrusted with the supervision of two service agencies: Alcoholics Anonymous World Service, Inc. and AA Grapevine, Inc.

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LEGACIES OF AA

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PROGRAMME • AA process encourages the transformation of the alcoholic‘s character, producing a "personality change sufficient to recover from alcoholism“ • It is brought about by means of a spiritual awakening achieved from following the Twelve Steps. • Members are encouraged to find an experienced fellow alcoholic called a sponsor to help them understand and follow the AA program. 22

PROGRAMME • Following the helper therapy principle, sponsors in AA benefit as much, if not more, from their relationship than do those they sponsor. • AA's program is an inheritor of CounterEnlightenment philosophy. • A. A. members never say they are “cured.” They are sober or recovered alcoholics, who stay away from drinking one day at a time Social Work. Vol 10(2), 1965, 27-32

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ANONYMITY • Anonymity is the spiritual foundation of all our Traditions, ever reminding us to place principles before personalities. (Tradition Twelve) • It is often considered as the greatest single protection the Fellowship has, to assure its continued existence and growth. • It ensures equality in AA of all members 24

MEETINGS

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MEETINGS • Generally starts with the Serenity Prayer

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MEETINGS • Discussion • Speaker • Beginner’s meetings: Q&A sessions for newcomers • Step, Tradition or Big Book

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MEETINGS

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International Convention • Held every 5 years. • 10 held till date, starting from 1950 • Next: 2010 International Convention to be held from July 1-4, San Antonio, Texas. • It marks AA’s 75th anniversary.

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1950 International Convention, Cleveland The Twelve Traditions

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1955 International Convention St. Louis Three Legacies

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1965 International Convention Toronto Declaration of Responsibility

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DECLARATION OF RESPONSIBILITY I am responsible…. When anyone, anywhere reaches out for help, I want the hand of A.A. always to be there… And for that I am responsible. 33

Types of Members

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Types of AA Members

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MEDALLION

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TWELVE STEPS STEP ONE We admitted we were powerless over alcohol – that our lives had become unmanageable.

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TWELVE STEPS STEP TWO Came to believe that a Power greater than ourselves could restore us to sanity.

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TWELVE STEPS STEP THREE Made a decision to turn our will and our lives over to the care of GOD as we understood him.

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TWELVE STEPS STEP FOUR Made a searching and fearless moral inventory of ourselves.

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TWELVE STEPS STEP FIVE Admitted to God, to ourselves and another human being the exact nature of our wrongs.

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TWELVE STEPS STEP SIX Were entirely ready to have God remove all these defects of character.

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TWELVE STEPS STEP SEVEN Humbly asked Him to remove our shortcomings.

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TWELVE STEPS STEP EIGHT Made a list of all persons we had harmed, and became willing to make amends to them all.

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TWELVE STEPS STEP NINE Made direct amends to such people wherever possible, except when to do them would injure them or others.

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TWELVE STEPS STEP TEN Continued to take personal inventory and when we were wrong promptly admitted it.

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TWELVE STEPS STEP ELEVEN Sought through prayer and meditation to improve our conscious contact with God, as we understood Him, praying only for knowledge of His will for us and the power to carry that out. 47

TWELVE STEPS STEP TWELVE Having had a spiritual awakening as the result of these steps, we tried to carry this message to alcoholics, and to practice these principles in all our affairs. 48

TWELVE TRADITIONS

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TWELVE TRADITIONS

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TWELVE TRADITIONS

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TWELVE TRADITIONS

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What AA does not do? • Furnish initial motivation for alcoholics to recover • Solicit members • Engage in or sponsor research • Keep attendance records or case histories • Join "councils" of social agencies • Follow up or try to control its members • Make medical or psychological diagnoses or prognoses

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What AA does not do? • Provide nursing services, hospitalization, drugs, or any medical or psychiatric treatment • Offer religious services • Engage in education about alcohol • Provide housing, food, clothing, jobs, money, or any other welfare or social services 54

What AA does not do? • Provide domestic or vocational counseling • Accept any money for its services, or any contributions from non-A.A. sources • Provide letters of reference to parole boards, lawyers, court officials, social agencies, employers, etc.

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AL-ANON FAMILY GROUPS • Was founded by Lois Wilson, wife of AA cofounder Bill Wilson. • Al-Anon – for Adults • Alateen – Young individuals (aged 12-20) • Membership of over half a million men, women and teens. • Uses the same twelve-steps as AA with slight modifications. 56

EFFECTIVENESS OF AA • Quite a few studies failed to find any significant advantage in being an AA member. • Some of the studies include: 3)Ditman, et al, 1967 4)Brandsma, Maltsby and Welsh, 1979 5)DC Walsh, et al, 1991 57

EFFECTIVENESS OF AA • George Valliant, famous Harvard professor of Psychiatry, in his book Natural History of Alcoholism Revisited, described his investigations into the effectiveness of AA. • He was also a member of Board to Trustees of Alcoholics Anonymous World Services. • Good clinical outcomes co-related with frequency of AA attendance, having a sponsor, engaging in Twelve step work and leading meetings. 58

EFFECTIVENESS OF AA • He also notes that effectiveness of AA has not been adequately assessed and that direct evidence for the efficacy of AA…. remains as elusive as ever. • For example, if an alcoholic achieves sobriety during AA attendance, who is to say if AA helped or if he merely went to AA when he was ready to heal? 59