Alcohol addiction is a problem that many in the US and across the globe struggle with. According to the National Institute on Drug Abuse and Alcoholism, in the US, as many as 26.9% of the country’s citizens reported struggling with some form of alcohol abuse in 2015. This number shows that the alcohol addiction problem in the country is highly prevalent. The US has demonstrated its understanding that unless it takes action, alcohol addiction will continue to cause devastation. This demonstration has taken the form of various interventions designed to help alcoholics. The Alcoholics Anonymous (AA) program is among the initiatives that the nation has adopted. While the effectiveness of this program remains in question, what is difficult to dispute is that thanks to the AA program, thousands of alcoholics have been able to reclaim their lives. Recently, in an effort to understand how the program functions and the influence that it has on alcoholics, I attended an AA meeting. The main take-away from the meeting is that in addition to serving as a safe space for honest conversations, the AA meetings also offer comfort, support and validation.
Venue of Meeting
The meeting that I attended was held at the Eastbay Intergroup Central Office. Located in Oakland, California, this office regularly hosts AA meetings (“East Bay Intergroup”, n.d). I remember that as I approached the office, I was reluctant. While I understood that participating in the meeting would allow me to better understand the experiences of alcoholics, I feared that I was violating the purpose of the office. In essence, I felt that I was cheapening the AA experience since I am not alcoholic. However, after receiving a warm welcome from the receptionist at the office, I decided to go in. The layout of the specific room that hosted the meeting was typical. There were 15 chairs that were arranged in a circle. I found that the room was rather dimly lit and did not like it that there was only one exit. I would have felt more comfortable if the room was such that it was easy to leave when the session became heated or uncomfortable. I was the first to arrive for the meeting. However, only twenty minutes after my arrival, other attendees began to stream in.
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Premise of Meeting
During the meeting, the attendees and the facilitator talked about a wide range of issues. For example, there is an attendee who described the challenges that he had encountered in the preceding week. However, the overarching message on which the meeting focused was the milestones that the attendees had achieved and the role that social support played. Basically, those at the meeting talked about the progress that they had made in their quest for sustainable sobriety and recovery. Nearly all of the participants discussed the accomplishments that they had made and expressed optimism that as they continue to attend the meetings, they would eventually find true healing. Additionally, the participants talked about the tremendous support that they had received from the group. For example, one of the attendees, a middle-aged African American described the AA meetings as a constant source of validation and love. He credited the meetings with the remarkable progress that he had made and assured the other attendees that he would continue to attend the meetings. After the meeting, I understood that AA is a highly effective intervention. It makes it possible for alcoholics to talk about their fears and hopes without being judged or dismissed. I would strongly encourage those struggling with addiction to embrace the meetings.
Events at Meeting
I found the events that took place at the meeting to be rather typical. However, I still think that these events were rich and special. The meeting began about 40 minutes following my arrival. When about 10 people had taken their seats, the facilitator welcomed all. He then proceeded to lay out the agenda for the day. As noted above, the main agenda was the success that the members had achieved and the impact of the AA meetings. With the meeting brought to order, the facilitator proceeded to ask the attendees to introduce themselves. I dreaded this moment. However, after three members had shared their names and their reason for attending the meeting, I also introduced myself. However, I did not mention that I was there to observe. After the introductions, the facilitator invited the attendees to share their experiences. A total of seven participants talked about how their weeks had been, with special focus given to the milestones that they had accomplished. As will be discussed in greater detail in a later section, I found some of the stories to be remarkable and truly moving. The meeting lasted for about one and a half hours. At its conclusion, the members helped themselves to the refreshments that had been provided. I stayed in the room for about twenty minutes, speaking to a lady whose story I found to be particularly interesting and inspiring. During the entire meeting, I took notes to ensure that I captured the numerous remarkable moments that I observed. My overall impression of the AA meeting is that it brought together many broken people who were desperate for acceptance and forgiveness. I truly believe that the AA meetings hold the key to tackling alcohol abuse and combating the negative perspectives that communities hold regarding alcoholics. I can personally confirm that these meetings change one’s perspective.
Remarkable Stories
As noted earlier, I left the AA meeting satisfied that the AA program is effective. Before the meeting, I had repeatedly dismissed the AA program as an ineffective and potentially harmful intervention. I felt that the program did not address the root causes of alcoholism and did not provide alcoholics with concrete initiatives that they could leverage in their journey toward recovery. However, after listening to a number of truly inspiring stories from the participants at the meeting, I am now convinced that in addition to being effective, the AA program is therapeutic. Among the stories that particularly grabbed my interest was one by a middle-aged woman. I spoke with her after the meeting. She told me that she had been consuming unhealthy amounts of alcohol for six years. In this time, she had lost her family and her job. Additionally, as a result of her alcoholism, she had suffered a number of health complications. On the day of the meeting, she had come from a shelter that houses the homeless. She shared that alcoholism robbed her of her home. While the lady regretted her alcoholism, she was optimistic that as she remains committed to the AA program, she would recover all that she had lost. She particularly looked forward to reclaiming the love of her children and her husband’s respect. What I found to be interesting about this story is that despite the loss and pain that she had endured, the woman remained hopeful. I attribute her hope to the AA program. This program allows alcoholics to feel valued and respected. More importantly, it provides them with a viable path to recovery.
The second story that moved me was told by a young man who seemed to be in his mid-twenties. I found it surprising that he had attended the meeting. My impression of young people is that they would dismiss AA meetings as a waste of time and would be reluctant to acknowledge that they have an alcoholism problem. As is the case with the woman described above, this young man had also struggled with alcohol addiction for years. His greatest regret is that despite understanding the dangers that alcohol posed, he continued to drink irresponsibly. He shared that his alcoholism began when he was in high school. Coming from a dysfunctional family with abusive parents, he lacked proper guidance and support. He added that he turned to alcoholism to escape the pain at home. However, even after he had moved out of his parent’s house, he was unable to abandon alcohol. Infact, his frequency and gravity of alcohol consumption intensified. His studies suffered and he was unable to maintain a job. Moreover, he had had confrontations with law enforcement and criminal justice officials who had warned him that unless he changed his ways, he risked jail time. I was able to relate to this man because I understand the struggles that young people endure. We are expected to satisfy high standards but are not provided with the guidance that we need. The main lesson that I obtained from the story is that the home environment could be a risk factor for alcohol abuse. When parents are violent and fail to support their children, they essentially set the stage for alcohol addiction. Fortunately, such programs as the AA exist to guide alcoholics who wish to transform their lives.
In summary, the AA meeting that I attended changed my perspective regarding the experiences of alcoholics. Previously, I felt that alcoholics are simply individuals who lack the self-control and discipline needed to make wise decisions. However, thanks to the meeting, I now recognize that those struggling with alcoholism understand the dangers that they face and are taking steps to reclaim their lives. Another key lesson that I have gathered is that AA is an evidence-based intervention whose effectiveness is clear. Thanks to my own experience and some research that I conducted, I have established that AA programs deliver tremendous benefit to alcoholics. While I will strive to remain sober, I am open to attending AA meetings should I fall into alcoholism. I believe that these meetings are safe spaces that offer vital support and validation. Additionally, the AA meetings allow alcoholics to engage with others who are also struggling with alcoholism. Essentially, thanks to these meetings, alcoholics do not feel alone and are able to recognize that their challenges are not unique.
References
East Bay Intergroup, Inc. (n.d). East Bay AA. Retrieved October 16, 2019 from https://eastbayaa.org/
