Alcoholic Anonymous Research Paper

Superior Essays
The Alcoholic Anonymous is a program targeted to help individuals on their road to recovery from alcoholism. Founded in 1935, the program has since then changed the stigmas associated with alcoholism and substance abuse, and has allowed individuals to join the meetings with dignity. This paper focuses on a first hand account of a nursing student’s experience at an Alcoholic Anonymous meeting. This paper also focuses on the effects of substance abuse on the mental health of people and the Twelve-Step programs associated with helping people overcome substance abuse. The data and information in this paper was derived from my attendance of the meeting as well as professional literature.

On Wednesday, September 14th, me and two other classmates
…show more content…
twenty years ago. The nice lady went through a traumatic experience, and never revealed the details of it, thus coping by drinking.. She said that she had gone through a major depression and had no interest in any communication. Instead, she drank her worries and problems away. Today was the first day after twenty years coming back to the A.A. group and almost a week without having any alcohol. She stated that she actually did not want to come today because she feels like a failure, but she was reading the bible and got inspired to do better for herself and came to the meeting. She told the story of the prodigal son; who made mistakes, but was still accepted back by his father. She said, “Twenty years ago, I felt like this is my home. Today, I feel like the prodigal son, coming back home.” She expressed that she is looking for a sponsor who will guide her. She stated that she is ready and willing to work hard to achieve a non-alcohol life. Substance abuse affects the person’s mental, physical, and social status. According to SAMHSA’s 2014 national survey on drugs use and health an estimated 43.6 million (18.1%) ages eighteen and up experience some form of mental illness (Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration, 2016). About 20.2 million adults (8.4%) had a substance use disorder and from these 7.9 million had both a mental and substance disorder (Substance …show more content…
One reason is that many people are usually aware that they have mental illness. So many people treat undiagnosed mental illness symptoms their own way, which usually consist of drinking and taking drugs. Another reason is that people with mental illness take medications have unpleasant side effects. Some medications for schizophrenia cause depression. To combat the depression, some individual smoke marijuana and/or drink alcohol. However, the individual that is abusing substances causes more physical and mental for himself or herself. Nurses should help clients with substance abuse by aiding them in social interaction, instilling hope, developing self-worth, teaching and educating about their disorders and compliance to their prescribed medication regime. During the assessment, the nurse should be aware that clients are usually in denial and avoidance when asked about their substance abuse. So nurses, must be empathetic and understanding to their situation, which will allow clients to be more open. Nurses must reassure the client and build a therapeutic relationship that will help in the client’s

Related Documents

  • 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

    Silence can make any situation awkward very quickly. I can honestly say that during this meeting it was no awkward silence. Everyone in the group kept the flow of and the conversation didn’t stop until time ran out. The members may have experienced cohesion issues when they first started attending Alcoholics Anonymous meting but during the meeting that I witnessed it was no since of mistrust, or unwillingness to share and everyone seemed very safe in the group.…

    • 984 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Improved Essays
  • Decent Essays

    Mistie, thank you for sharing your observations with the Alcoholics Anonymous group. It is wonderful that you were able to recognize the strengths in each person. This is a wonderful quality to posses as a therapist. It also appeared that you came out of the meeting with a greater appreciation for those struggling with abstinence. It appeared as the group leader was taking the appropriate steps in having the individual recognize when they are entering the danger zone and what they did to stay out of it.…

    • 134 Words
    • 1 Pages
    Decent Essays
  • Improved Essays

    Alcoholic Anonymous (A.A.) recovery philosophy is demonstrated through the “Twelve Steps”. These steps serve as a model for addiction recovery programs. Furthermore, they identify the attitudes and activities that early members believe were important in helping them to achieve sobriety. Although, it is not…

    • 543 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Improved Essays
  • 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.…

    • 1350 Words
    • 6 Pages
    Improved Essays
  • Improved Essays

    It is evident that Alcoholic Anonymous is a support group. According to Forsyth (2014), “A group of people who meet or communicate with one another regularly to help each other cope with or overcome a problem they hold in common” (p. 543). This support group consisted of testimonials, the need for help, have mutual encouragement, and change the member’s social networks (Forsyth, 2014).…

    • 516 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Improved Essays
  • Improved Essays

    Alcoholics Anonymous (AA) is a worldwide program aimed to help those who are concerned about their alcohol problem and just need some assistance in getting sober and alcohol-free. Alcoholics anonymous consists of a twelve step recovery program to support a certain individual reach sobriety. One of the programs main practice is that all members will remain anonymous to one another. Some may believe that the only way they can reach sobriety is by going through this program, but that is not true at all. Having some support and the determination can be a big help when trying to become alcohol-free.…

    • 1811 Words
    • 7 Pages
    Improved Essays
  • Superior Essays

    Alcoholics Anonymous (AA) is “the most widely used treatment for alcoholism in the world;” it is known as a self-help group, which utilizes a 12-step program (Emirck & Beresford, 2016, p. 463). According to Mark Galanter, “Mutuality,” “is central to the AA fellowship” not self-help (2014, p. 301). The program emphasizes the acknowledgement of “the existence of God and a Higher Power,” as well as “a spiritual awakening” which is deemed crucial for a successful outcome (Ruiz, 2016, p. 801). AA is a “free” support group, with meetings being held “7 days a week” (Stockwell, 2017, p. 709).…

    • 1650 Words
    • 7 Pages
    Superior Essays
  • Superior Essays

    Alcoholics Anonymous (AA) is a self-help program consisting of alcoholics and recovering alcoholics. These peers who have experienced similar troubles involving alcohol, come together to seek support, guidance, and provide encouragement from one another. The group discusses past experiences, future concerns, problems, feelings and coping techniques. AA meetings are judgment free and are based off a fellowship, so people know they 're not alone on their journey. AA recognizes alcoholism as an illness and helps sponsor the treatment of alcoholism by encouraging the person to work towards sobriety by taking it one day at a time.…

    • 1858 Words
    • 7 Pages
    Superior Essays
  • Improved Essays

    AA Meeting Reflection

    • 828 Words
    • 4 Pages

    I had the opportunity of being able to attend and observe The Serenity Seekers, an open Alcoholics Anonymous (A.A.) twelve step meeting. Upon arrival, I received a warm welcome by many different group members. They introduced themselves to me and one of the members even brought me pamphlets that provided me with information regarding what their A.A. program entailed. At first, I was apprehensive about going to an A.A. meeting; however, the members were all accepting of my presence, which made me feel comfortable. By accepting me, the members were displaying cohesiveness, the primary therapeutic factor allowing A.A. members to feel a sense of belonging, acceptance, and validation amongst the group.…

    • 828 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Improved Essays
  • Improved Essays

    Alcohol use disorder (AUD) is a prevalent problem in today’s society. It is characterized by an addiction or dependence to alcohol that causes harm for the individual and those around them(Halter, 2014). One of the forms of treatments for AUD is attending Alcoholics Anonymous (AA). This group aims to help people suffering from AUD by helping them get sober using a 12 step model (Halter, 2014). The goal of this paper is to gain insight on the AA program and to better understand people suffering from AUD.…

    • 584 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Improved Essays
  • Improved Essays

    According to the office of Applied Studies, an estimated 1.4 million teens have a substance abuse problem, with only 10% receiving the treatment needed (Office of Applied Studies, 2002). The recognition has been made that youth tend to be underrepresented, with only 2% of organizations members being under the age of 21 (Alcoholics Anonymous, 2007). A research study conducted by Owen and Slaymaker (2003) compared the involvement of adult and adolescence patients from Hazelden inpatient treatment, who attended AA in the community. Their research showed that the average adult (ranging from the age of 21-73) had a greater number of months attending AA, a greater number of months with a sponsor and were more likely to remain abstinence for a longer period, when compared to the teens (ages ranging from 14-20). Research done by Kelly and Myers (2007) had similar outcomes, reporting that although communities encouraged teen involvement/participation in AA programs, they were one third less likely to be involved, outside of their formal treatment, in 12-step programs and the dropout rate from meeting attendance is higher, when compared to adults.…

    • 1673 Words
    • 7 Pages
    Improved Essays
  • Great Essays

    Early in the inception of AA, both Dr. Bob and Bill made it clear that no one can know the true nature of alcoholism as well as another suffering alcoholic (Big Book, 2001). The inherent capacity for depth of empathy, evident in sharing one 's experience, strength and hope, with another person who is suffering from the same problems, is a strong foundation for the much needed support necessary for recovery to take place. For this project, I attended two different meetings. One was an open meeting of alcoholics anonymous and the other was a closed meeting of crystal meth…

    • 1391 Words
    • 6 Pages
    Great Essays
  • Improved Essays

    The meeting I went to is an Alcoholic Anonymous opening meeting, it was in a church locate at 4115 Dewey Ave. The date I attended the meeting is Feb 6 and Feb 13. When I walk in, they are doing the “reading”, a lady explain to me about the meeting and gave me some manual of the A.A. General Serve Conference- approved literature and the “Big Book”. Every meeting they will all gather on the first floor.…

    • 660 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Improved Essays
  • Improved Essays

    Alcohol Consumption and the Effects The consumption of alcohol began as early as 10 or 12 thousand B.C. Scientists have found evidence of Stone Age beer jugs in West Africa. In the Middle East origin, alcohol dates back to 4000 B.C. The first written record is located in China in 1116 B.C. The imperial Edict claimed that wine was a drink prescribed by heaven.…

    • 1000 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Improved Essays