An AA meeting may take one of several forms, typically at any meeting you will find alcoholics talking about what drinking did to their lives and personalities. Individuals might also divulge what actions they took to help themselves, and how they are living their lives today. A.A. groups have both open and closed meetings. Closed meetings are for A.A. members only, or for those who have a drinking problem and desire to stop drinking. Open meetings are available to anyone interested in the Alcoholics Anonymous program. This includes anyone who suffers from alcohol addiction, and proactive individuals who just want to get involved. I thought it would be more convenient to attend a meeting in my own town. I just jumped on google and found a …show more content…
When I pulled up to the meeting I assumed there would be a large number of people talking among themselves, and using profanity. I also assumed that I would be overwhelmed with the smell of alcohol on their breath. Shortly after getting there I realized it was quite the opposite. I took a quick look around and realized they’re no different than me. I found myself taking a second look just because I was baffled by the situation. The majority of the members were clean, well dressed, and looked rather healthy. The class I was in happened to be all males, from various backgrounds. If I had to guess I would say it had similar demographics to the city we were in, other than it being predominantly …show more content…
As you can see from my personal experience, it could change your whole outlook on the issue. At any meeting, you will find people with similarities, talking about what drinking did to their lives, and what actions they took to help themselves, and how they are living their lives today. AA is a great place for men and women who have lost their ability to control their drinking and have found themselves in trouble, just like my friend. AA’s ultimate goal is to create a satisfying life without alcohol, and they need all the moral support they can. Going to an AA meeting doesn’t commit you to anything, and they don’t keep any sort of records. It’s not like giving a retail store your email information, and they never stop harassing you. Although, you may run into someone you know, like I did. Just understand they’re in there for the same reason you are. If you feel uncomfortable then just attend another meeting, there is a lot out there. From what I’ve noticed, churches tend to be a very common place for an AA meeting. Don’t worry though, they won’t pressure you into becoming a
It was my pleasure to attend my first ever Narcotics Anonymous (NA) meeting. This particular meeting was held at 7:30pm in the lunch room at Richmond Community Hospital. Richmond Community Hospital is located within Richmond, Virginia in an area known as Church Hill. The group is called Church Hill and is open to the public for opportunities to join or observed. In addition, the meeting’s content consists of topic discussions and numerous formats.
Fabian Castaneda Mrs.Kehrmeyer Contemp. Comp April 25, 2015 The Problems With AA AA meetings are for people who are struggling with alcoholism which means they have an addiction to the consumption of alcoholic liquor or the mental illness and compulsive behavior resulting from alcohol dependency. I believe that these meetings are not helpful and in some cases cause harm the people who are trying to change and no longer alcoholics or drug addicts. These meetings do not have high success rates in fact they have very low rates.
AA Meeting Reflection Many people who have never had an addiction may not understand the difficulty of becoming better, and that is because we have never been in circumstances where our life depended upon a substance (Berry & Ramnath, 2013). However, for people who have had a substance addiction, the difficulty to becoming better is harder because they need to regain control over their thoughts and lives. According to the alcoholic anonymous recovery program, a twelve-step meeting is a very efficient program that helps people regain control over their thoughts and their lives. One vital part of this program is the twelve traditions and twelve steps of Alcoholics Anonymous. Although the overall goal of this meeting is for members to stay sober while
I chose this particular group because it was an open meeting and they welcomed anyone. The man running the group, was a member himself, and was very welcoming. The meeting started with the AA promise and 12 steps, which I believe they start every meeting with. There was not one specific topic focused
My initial perception of the members in the room is that some members may be shy to disclose their stories, but was amazed that everyone came forth in the room to discuss their shortcoming. Furthermore, I did not have any stereotypes perception about alcoholism since I am aware that alcoholism is a disease that affects the brain. My understanding about alcoholism was confirmed by the various client verbalization of their stories and problems associated with
Before the meeting, I thought only people from lower socioeconomic status or unemployed people were alcoholics. People in the meeting dressed well and looked healthy. They didn’t look like the alcoholics I have seen in the movies. The meeting was a mix of male and female, young and old. To start off the meeting, everyone in the room introduced themselves as “My name is ______ and I am an alcoholic.
3. Impact on Emotional Well-being: Living with an alcoholic can take a toll on one's emotional well-being. Family members often experience feelings of anxiety, stress, fear, and frustration due to the unpredictability of the alcoholic's behavior and the constant worry about their health and safety. The emotional instability and strained relationships caused by alcoholism can lead to a range of mental health issues, including depression, low self-esteem, and
I imagined they would be more similar to what you see on TV and they were quite different to witness in person. On T.V they always portray Alcoholics Anonymous meetings as a major downer and they cast it in a darker light with a much more serious vibe. I always thought of Alcoholics Anonymous as a good place and I have always thought of it in a good light based on how my mother described it. I was happy to see that my feelings towards the meetings were correct. I was surprised how upbeat the meeting was.
Substance Abuse Counselor Substance Abuse Counselors, otherwise known as Behavioral Disorder counselors, advise people who suffer from alcoholism, drug addiction, eating disorders, or other behavioral problems. Substance Abuse counselors do a variety of things such as evaluate client 's’ mental and physical health, addiction or problem behavior, and readiness for the treatment they need (“Summary”) The first rehab clinic was formed in 1982 by President Ford’s wife, Betty Ford, when she developed an addiction to alcohol and prescription medication in the 1970s. Before this clinic, America formed a Prohibition Act, to ban the possession and selling of alcohol. Many people would be more tempted to drink alcohol and start an addiction due to the fact it was illegal.
In my experience of observing Alcoholics Anonymous group, it was a great experience. In my experience, I notice a lot of things in the Alcoholic Anonymous group. The first thing I notice while observing the group session is they have Alcoholics Anonymous bible that read a section every session. They read the same passage that discuss that how important it is to keep all information that is said in the group confidential. They were vey clear with that information.
After attending a group meeting of Alcoholics Anonymous (AA) for a different class, I concluded it is incredibly important to utilize a sense of spirituality. However, it is also very important to make sure it is separate from religion. Especially when considering group meetings. Although religion and spirituality are similar in many ways.
Alcohol use disorders are one of the most prevalent psychological disorders experienced by Americans yet only 10 percent of individuals seek/receive adequate treatment. One of the more well known forms of treatment involves a form of 12-Step program. Research has been done on the efficacy of 12-Step treatment, with positive outcomes. However, most AUD treatment providers are not familiarized in the inner workings of a 12-Step program. The current article seeks to address common misconceptions about Alcoholics Anonymous and describes the innermost workings of AA.
Drinking all the time can become an addiction which raises the risks of all the long term effects and increases the severity of the short term effects. One of the most dangerous parts parts of addiction is withdrawal, according to an article called Alcohol Withdrawal Treatment, Symptoms, and Timeline, Stopping alcohol all at once can be very dangerous because, “Alcohol withdrawal can be fatal, as the brain and central nervous system experience a rebound after being suppressed by alcohol repetitively for an extended period of time.” (http://americanaddictioncenters.org/withdrawal-timelines-treatments/alcohol/) Which basically implies that stopping drinking after you’re already addicted can be a very difficult thing to
More severe reactions are hallucinations, seizures, alcohol cravings, confusion, fever, fast heart rate, high blood pressure, and delirium. After the effects go away, the second step of alcoholism treatment is followed, rehabilitation. Rehabilitation is often a family action since the family has most likely been heavily affected by the alcoholic 's drinking. If the family does not participate, it may result in the family members picking up on alcoholic 's routine. Prevention of alcoholism is extremely important especially to those of young age.
Also from personal experiences I have witnessed in South Africa 's night life it can be seen what alcohol can make people preform high risk behavior. From the above answer it cam be seen how alcohol abuse can impact on families and communities as alcohol abuse is highly responsible for road accidents and crime which takes away loved ones and the right to be safe which will make families and communities to live cautiously which takes away the standard of