Alcoholics Anonymous Group Analysis

Improved Essays
I observed an Alcoholics Anonymous (AA) group in Paterson, NJ, which is a self-help group that helps alcoholics in the recovery and treatment phase. It’s an open group for anyone who wants to change their drinking habits. They have the meeting every Friday at 7:30 pm. There’s no specific qualifications to attend this group. No age limit, specific race, or education is required to become a member. The program is free for any individual who wants to stop their alcohol assumptions. The group’s main purpose is to stay sober and help other alcoholics achieve the same goal. It’s a nonprofessional organization, the facilitator did not have any degree or certificate required to lead the group such as a degree in counselling or teaching. However, the …show more content…
The speakers shared with the group how their life was when they were alcoholics and how attending the groups and wanted to change their life is making them a better person. They were 55 members present at the meeting I attended and most of them were men. One of the speakers spoke about how he faces many obstacles everyday but with a good support system is what keeps him going. He stated that his life was miserable when he used to drink and he realized that he was hurting his family; he felt like he didn’t know who he was anymore, his family didn’t know who he was and that was painful for him. The AA group is what’s helping him stay sober and finding himself. By sharing his story with peers, he wishes to make a difference in someone’s …show more content…
Before the group started they offered coffee, some people didn’t want to get up to go get something to drink and I noticed they were others who voluntarily went to served them and they also remind the late comers about the refreshment as they walk in. They had three members who went up to the front to speak, first they said their first name and then stated that they are an alcoholic. After they state their name everyone would reply “what’s sup” and state the speaker first name. I notice when others were sharing their personal stories everyone was attentive and supportive. They were no side talks and everyone would clap after each

Related Documents

  • Improved Essays

    Al-Anon is another great support system for those who have been affected by another person’s drinking. They are composed of individuals who share a common problem and are willing to share their experiences, not only to help themselves but to help others as well. Members focus on their own goals and desires instead of someone else’s drinking problem. Anyone can attend and there is no cost associated with attendance and there are meetings held locally and internationally.…

    • 1125 Words
    • 5 Pages
    Improved Essays
  • Improved Essays

    Some of the men said that doctors and nurses just tell them to stop drinking or stop taking narcotics. This they say doesn’t help them they say that healthy people just don’t understand their overwhelming desire to drink. They know that their families are disappointed, they also know that they will end up back in jail but it’s not enough to make them stop. The day programs take away access to alcohol, counseling only works temporarily. Going to meetings weekly daily or monthly keeps them healthy as long as they keep going.…

    • 1020 Words
    • 5 Pages
    Improved Essays
  • Improved Essays

    Alcoholism is prevalent in every community. Alcoholism is an illness, in which individuals are addicted to alcohol. Individuals who are addicted to alcohol feel as though they cannot function every day without it. Those addicted who do not seek help in most cases, hurt themselves, their families and others. This paper aims to prove how Alcoholics Anonymous (AA) support groups can help those individuals who seek help and try to cope with this illness effectively.…

    • 789 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Improved Essays
  • Improved Essays

    For my out of class activity I decided to go to an open Alcoholic Anonymous meeting. I chose to go to this type of meeting because they have lots of time options in the Des Moines area, so it was convenient within my schedule. Initially, going into this I had no idea what to expect. I’ve seen a few AA meetings on movies I have watched, but other than that, I had no previous knowledge of what this meeting would be like.…

    • 598 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Improved Essays
  • Superior Essays

    On September 18th, I observed an Alcoholics Anonymous Group at Trinity United Methodist Church in Atlanta. The name of this group is called John F.’s 12 Steps Study, which is an open discussion meeting for anyone to participant in and it does have attendees examine one of the 12 steps in the program. According to Alcoholics Anonymous’ national website, “Alcoholics Anonymous is an international fellowship of men and women who have had a drinking problem. It is nonprofessional, self- supporting… [no requirements and]…Membership is open to anyone who wants to do something about his or her drinking problem” (Alcoholics Anonymous, 2016, para. 1).…

    • 1353 Words
    • 6 Pages
    Superior Essays
  • Decent Essays

    Today I had my first experience attending an Alcoholics Anonymous meeting. It is not exactly what I was anticipating, in regards to the people that I was expecting to see. The first person who started speaking after the group members state their names and problem, go true the silent prayer, the 12 Steps, and the 12 Traditions stated, “alcoholics don’t look like the typical movie alcoholic and/or the stereotype people have about us, we come from different backgrounds, colors, and shapes;” it was like he was reading my mind. I was expecting to see, for the most part, older people who were tired of struggling with their lives because of alcohol, but there were young adults, males and females, older people, and even a member with his young son.…

    • 450 Words
    • 2 Pages
    Decent Essays
  • Improved Essays

    Alcoholics Anonymous (AA) meeting is a fellowship of men and women who comes together and support each other while they are trying to solve their drinking problems. Anyone can join or come observe an AA meeting. The only requirement to become a member of an AA program is to have the desire to stop drinking. In addition, it is free to attend an AA meeting and there are no appointments to make, which makes it extremely convenient for individuals. The AA meeting that I attended was at the Haymarket Center (932 W. Washington Blvd.).…

    • 728 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Improved Essays
  • Decent Essays

    One thing I took away from the meeting is you can never base if a person is an alcoholic based off their “looks”. Honestly, when I thought of an Alcoholic Anonymous meeting I thought everyone would look trashy, homeless, poor, etc. I know that’s shallow of me, but that’s how AA meeting are portrayed in today’s media, especially in movies. In addition, I thought all alcoholic were jobless bums when in reality there are many functioning alcoholics, even as contradictive as that sounds. Like the two white women, and the Hispanic man all had job, like real nine to five jobs.…

    • 155 Words
    • 1 Pages
    Decent Essays
  • Improved Essays

    Alcohol Anonymous Meeting

    • 837 Words
    • 4 Pages

    I attended Alcohol Anonymous open (AA) meeting at Resurrection Hospital located on the northwest side of Chicago. The meeting is on Sunday mornings at 9 am. , in an average sized room which contained 25 members. There was a wide range of ages from people in their early 20’s up to senior citizens. There was coffee and doughnuts provided at no costs but they do accept donations.…

    • 837 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Improved Essays
  • Superior Essays

    Although I was somewhat anxious about going, I feel that these experiences have really opened my eyes to something I knew very little about. The first meeting I attended was an Alcoholics Anonymous meeting in freehold borough. It was held in a room called the…

    • 1876 Words
    • 8 Pages
    Superior Essays
  • Superior Essays

    The website I used was called Recovery World, AA-NA meetings. I first had to create an account which was free, and had to find a time that worked best with my schedule. I also wanted to put myself in the shoes of an alcoholic and attend a meeting after a stressful day to see if this group could be helpful in easing the urge one might feel to use. As I logged on, there were three people already in the meeting room. A woman named Andrea was our group leader.…

    • 2025 Words
    • 9 Pages
    Superior Essays
  • Great Essays

    Self-Help Meetings

    • 1702 Words
    • 7 Pages

    I attended the Alcoholics Anonymous meeting in support for my uncle whom is a recovering substance abuse abuser. As a family, we had been planning a visit where we would all attend as a milestone for his recovery. This coincided perfectly with the requirements of this course and the opportunity to apply my perspective thorough the eyes of a future social worker. Prior to attending this meeting I felt excited. I was going with a big group (mother, sister, aunt, and four cousins) and my uncle was elated to have us there to see him receive his ninety day coin.…

    • 1702 Words
    • 7 Pages
    Great Essays
  • Improved Essays

    Reflections of an AA Meeting Attendance by a Non-Alcoholic Support Meeting Reflection I attended an online Alcoholics Anonymous meeting. There were twenty-six participants there, including myself; two of which were moderators. I had actually logged on early, as is my habit attending seminars, and observed the other participants chatting beforehand. I was surprised by the lack of seriousness surrounding this whole process.…

    • 965 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Improved Essays
  • Improved Essays

    Alcoholics Anonymous is recovery group for those suffering with an alcohol addiction. Its program is mainly focused on abstaining from alcohol and achieving sobriety, but also puts emphasis on spirituality and comradery with other members as a form of a family and accountability partners. I attended an AA meeting on Friday, September 9th, and here’s what I saw and learned. The meeting I chose to go to was in my local church at eight pm.…

    • 1120 Words
    • 5 Pages
    Improved Essays
  • Great Essays

    Addiction support meetings have multiple benefits beyond helping a person move toward a healthier, more stable and productive life without the misuse of substances. Historically speaking, in the case of Alcoholics Anonymous meetings, the idea that one alcoholic speaking with another is enough of a good start for progress toward recovery. As a matter of fact, that is how it is described in AA literature (Big Book, 2001). Alcoholics Anonymous is a fellowship founded in 1935 by Bill Wilson and Dr. Bob Smith in Akron, Ohio. Its primary purpose is to help alcoholics stay sober and help other alcoholics achieve sobriety.…

    • 1391 Words
    • 6 Pages
    Great Essays