Timberly King
Auburn University
Group Observation and Analysis

What Is A.A.? Alcoholics Anonymous is an international fellowship of men and women who have had a drinking problem. It is nonprofessional, self-supporting, multiracial, apolitical, and available almost everywhere. There are no age or education requirements. Membership is open to anyone who wants to do something about his or her drinking problem. For the newcomer, an Alcoholic Anonymous meeting can seem, strange and intimidating at times. It is only natural to feel apprehensive about your first AA meeting. It will take a while to feel comfortable; they should not expect to get into the flow after just a couple of meetings.
I visited the Brighter Tomorrow Group in Tuskegee, Al. On Monday at 6:00pm, I got the honor to observe a great group of male and females that were previously alcoholics who were now sober or on their journey to get sober. This group consisted of about ten to fifteen people (which vary each meeting) who were on different levels of recovery. There were people of all racial, ethnicity, and spiritual beliefs.
During each meeting, the discussion leader introduces a topic with some brief comments and then throws the meeting open, recognizing those who indicate their desire to share by raising their hands. Those who raise their hands and are recognized by the discussion leader normally introduce themselves by saying "My name is so-and-so and I am an alcoholic." Some people say "I am a grateful recovering alcoholic," "I am powerless over alcohol," or some other variation. Although it is generally expected, it is not required that those who wish to share identify themselves as being alcoholic. Sharing usually begins with some reference to the topic mentioned by the discussion leader or to comments by a previous speaker, but each member who speaks is free to change the subject or to introduce an entirely new topic if they need to do so. It is expected that anyone having a particularly hard time, especially if they are thinking seriously about drinking, will bring this up regardless of whatever the original topic or subsequent comments may have been. Usually, each person gets 3 minutes to talk about a certain subject depending on the number of show-ups. Also, each group member was on different levels of development, some who have been attending for months have been sober for a while. The newcomers are usually taking it step-by-step and getting the feel of the 12 step program.
In AA, members meet in groups to help one another achieve and maintain abstinence from alcohol. The meetings, which are free and open to anyone serious about stopping drinking, may include reading from the Big Book, sharing stories, celebrating members’ sobriety, as well as discussing the 12 steps and themes related to problem drinking. Participants are encouraged to “work” the 12-step program, fully integrating each step into their lives before proceeding to the next. AA targets more than problem drinking; members are supposed to correct all defects of character and adopt a new way of life. They are to accomplish these difficult goals without professional help. No therapists, psychologists or physicians can attend AA meetings unless they, too, have drinking problems. A.A.’s Twelve Steps are a group of principles, spiritual in their nature, which, if practiced as a way of life, can expel the obsession to drink and enable the sufferer to become happily and usefully whole.
THE TWELVE STEPS OF ALCOHOLICS