Alcoholics Anonymous Meetings

About Alcohol Addiction

Alcohol addiction can be defined as a preoccupation with the consumption of alcoholic beverages. An alcoholic's addiction can interfere with personal relationships, work, health, and life in general.

Alcoholism is considered to be one of the worst and most costly addictions in the world. Not only does this form of dependency cause severe emotional and physical problems, it can also lead to death in the most extreme cases.

It is estimated that alcoholism contributes to more than 100,000 deaths each year, and the number only continues to grow. More than seven percent of the U.S. population age 18 and older have a drinking problem.

Alcoholics Anonymous

The odds of an alcoholic beating an alcohol addiction on their own without any outside help is 1 in 50,000. This is one of the reasons that the fellowship of Alcoholics Anonymous was created in 1935.

The AA Fellowship is currently made up of more than 2,000,000 members who at one point drank in excess and have since taken steps to find a way to live their lives without alcohol.

To help support one another, members and non-members of Alcoholics Anonymous hold regular meetings. These meetings have been credited by many members as the reason they are able to stay sober on a daily basis.

Finding Alcoholics Anonymous Meetings

Because Alcoholics Anonymous is a worldwide fellowship, Alcoholics Anonymous meetings can be found in almost every local community. There are also various internet meeting places and chat rooms that have been set up for individuals who are unable to physically attend a meeting and for those who can't wait until the next locally scheduled meeting.

You can find information about the times and locations of AA meetings by:

• Visiting the Alcoholics Anonymous website
• Calling one of the many central offices, intergroups, and answering services that have been established

Traveling members may also gain access to the International A.A. Directory by contacting the General Service Office. It should be noted that this directory is only available to official AA members.

Attending Alcoholics Anonymous Meetings

Studies have shown that attending Alcoholics Anonymous meetings can increase an alcoholic's chances of recovering from this debilitating dependency. Most members consider attendance of these meetings an important element of their sobriety.

While attending an Alcoholics Anonymous meeting is completely voluntary (members are not required to attend meetings), it is heavily encouraged. It should also be noted that you do not have to be a member of AA to attend an AA meeting; a certain number of meetings are open to non-members and their families while others are for members only.

Those who attend Alcoholics Anonymous meetings are often asked to speak about their experience with alcohol, recovery, and sobriety. Although there is no requirement to speak or even interact with others when attending meetings, it is considered to be a very beneficial form of therapy for speakers and listeners alike.

AA newcomers are also encouraged, but not required, to attend Alcoholics Anonymous meetings on a daily basis for at least the first 90 days. Sponsors within the fellowship have found that regular attendance, especially in the beginning, can increase the member's chances of successfully kicking an alcohol addiction.

Additional Resources

• 12 Steps Of Alcoholics Anonymous
• Al-Anon
• Alcohol Detox
• Alcoholism Addiction Treatment
• Alcoholism Treatment Programs and Services
• Celebrating Recovery
• Planning and Staging Interventions

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