Prayer For Alcoholic Anonymous

Alcoholics Anonymous (AA) | 12-Step Program for Alcoholism Recovery

No conversation about alcoholism or alcohol use disorder recovery is complete without mentioning Alcoholics Anonymous.

The group has become synonymous with the concepts of recovery and lasting sobriety and has been instrumental in changing the conversation surrounding addiction since its inception roughly 80 years ago.

As the science and psychology of addiction evolves, the role of Alcoholics Anonymous may change somewhat, but is ly to remain a cornerstone of many people’s aftercare efforts, if not their overall recovery journeys.

What is Alcoholics Anonymous?

Alcoholics Anonymous (AA) is a global, community-based program that was created to help those struggling with problematic drinking get sober with the support of their peers through daily meetings and discussions surrounding addiction.

1 AA gives men and women a place to come together and share their experiences, recover from alcoholism and maintain sobriety.1 Its concept revolves around that premise that alcoholism is an illness that can be managed, but not controlled.

AA was founded by Bill Wilson and his physician, Doctor Bob Smith in 1935 and eventually grew to include two more groups by 1939.2 That same year, Wilson published Alcoholics Anonymous, a text which explained its philosophy and methods.2 We know it today as the 12 Steps of recovery.

Over the years, the 12 Steps have been adapted by other self-help and addiction recovery groups, such as Gamblers Anonymous and Narcotics Anonymous, to those struggling with other forms of addiction.

Additionally, many groups have changed the explicitly Christian overtones of the original 12 Steps to reflect more secular or agnostic philosophies.3

There are no other requirements to AA other than having a desire to quit drinking, and it is not associated with any organization, sect, politics, denomination, or institution. Those attending AA make a commitment to join either voluntarily, as a continuation of therapy or via court-mandated rehab.

Stats on Alcohol Abuse

Per the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM-5), in order to be diagnosed with an alcohol use disorder (AUD), individuals must meet any two of 11 criteria during the same 12-month period.

4 An estimated 16 million people in the U.S. have an AUD, yet only a small percentage of those individuals seek treatment.5 In 2015, only 4.

4% of people age 12 and older received specialty treatment for an alcohol use disorder.6

According to the 2017 National Survey on Drug Use and Health, 51.7% of people age 12 and older reported drinking in the past month, 24.5% of people age 12 and older binge drank in the past month (4 or more drinks for women and 5 or more drinks for men on one occasion), and 6.1% engaged in heavy alcohol use over the past month (binge drinking on 5 or more days over the past 30 days).7

Given the number of individuals struggling with or at risk for an AUD, it is understandable that AA has grown to what it is today—an organization with more than 115,000 groups worldwide.8

What Are The 12 Steps?

AA’s 12-Step approach follows a set of guidelines designed as “steps” toward recovery, and members can revisit these steps at any time. The 12 Steps are:9

We admitted we were powerless over alcohol—that our lives had become unmanageable.
Came to believe that a Power greater than ourselves could restore us to sanity.
Made a decision to turn our will and our lives over to the care of God as we understood Him.
Made a searching and fearless moral inventory of ourselves.
Admitted to God, to ourselves, and to another human being the exact nature of our wrongs.
Were entirely ready to have God remove all these defects of character.
Humbly asked Him to remove our shortcomings.
Made a list of all persons we had harmed, and became willing to make amends to them all.
Made direct amends to such people wherever possible, except when to do so would injure them or others.
Continued to take personal inventory and when we were wrong promptly admitted it.
Sought through prayer and meditation to improve our conscious contact with God, as we understood Him, praying only for knowledge of His will for us and the power to carry that out.
Having had a spiritual awakening as the result of these Steps, we tried to carry this message to alcoholics, and to practice these principles in all our affairs.

Scientific Support and Success Rates

Alcoholics Anonymous’ Big Book cites a 50% success rate with 25% remaining sober after some relapses.10 However, since many of the group’s published success rates are provided by AA itself—and because some members choose to remain anonymous or don’t want to admit to relapsing—there isn’t enough impartial data to measure those rates.

The American Society of Addiction Medicine (ASAM) states that approximately 10% of the people who become part of a 12-Step program enjoy long-term success in their recovery.11 Yet, members also tend to drop out at a 40% rate during their first year, according to some studies, causing group attendance to change often.12

In 2014, AA reported that 27% of the 6,000 members who participated in an internal study were sober for less than a year; 24% retained their sobriety for up to five years, and 13% lasted for as long as a decade.8 Fourteen percent of the study’s participants stayed sober between 10 and 20 years, and 22 percent reported remaining sober for more than two decades.8

A long-term study conducted by the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism (NIAAA) found, at both one and three-year follow-up interviews, that people with alcoholism who both received formal treatment and attended an AA group had a better chance of staying sober than those who only received formal treatment.13 NIAAA concluded that stronger connections between community-based meetings and professional treatment resources will equate to a more efficient systemic approach to managing alcohol use disorders.13

Sources

[1]. Alcoholics Anonymous. (2017). This is A.A. An introduction to the A.A. Recovery Program.

[2]. Alcoholics Anonymous. (n.d.). Historical Data: The Birth of A.A. and Its Growth in the U.S./Canada.

[3]. U.S. National Library of Medicine. Kaskutas L. A. (2009). Alcoholics Anonymous Effectiveness: Faith Meets Science. Journal of addictive diseases, 28(2), 145–157.

[4]. Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders: DSM-5. (5th ed.). (2013). Washington, D.C.: American Psychiatric Association. 490-491.

[5]. National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism. (n.d.). Alcohol Use Disorder.

[6]. Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration. (2017). Behavioral Health Barometer, United States, Volume 4.

[7]. Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration. (2018). Key Substance Use and Mental Health Indicators in the United States: Results from the 2017 National Survey on Drug Use and Health.

[8]. Alcoholics Anonymous. 2014 Membership Survey.

[9]. Alcoholics Anonymous World Services, Inc. (2016). The Twelve Steps of Alcoholics Anonymous.

[10]. Alcoholics Anonymous World Services, Inc. (2001). Alcoholics Anonymous: The Story of How Many Thousands of Men and Women Have Recovered From Alcoholism.

[11]. The American Society of Addiction Medicine. (2015). The Relevance of Twelve-Step Recovery in 21st Century Addiction Medicine.

[12]. Lilienfeld, S. and Arkowitz, H. (2011). Does Alcoholics Anonymous Work? Scientific American.

[13]. National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism. (2011). The Role of Mutual-Help Groups in Extending the Framework of Treatment. Alcohol Research & Health, 33(4).

Источник: //www.alcohol.org/alcoholics-anonymous/

Alcoholics Anonymous

Prayer For Alcoholic Anonymous

From Conservapedia

Alcoholics Anonymous is “a band of ex-problem drinkers who make an avocation of helping other alcoholics to beat the liquor habit.” [1] Their program was created to help alcoholics on the path to recovery from alcoholism. Founded on June 10, 1935 in Akron, Ohio by Bill W. and Dr.

Bob, it utilizes a twelve step program to help those suffering from alcohol addiction to overcome their addiction, relying on faith in a “higher power.

” Both Wilson and Smith were members of the Oxford Group, a Christian reform movement started by Lutheran minister Frank Buchman, until about 1939 when the book “Alcoholics Anonymous” was published.

The Twelve Steps of Alcoholics Anonymous

We admitted we were powerless over alcohol—that our lives had become unmanageable.
Came to believe that a Power greater than ourselves could restore us to sanity.
Made a decision to turn our will and our lives over to the care of God as we understood Him.
Made a searching and fearless moral inventory of ourselves.
Admitted to God, to ourselves, and to another human being the exact nature of our wrongs.
Were entirely ready to have God remove all these defects of character.
Humbly asked Him to remove our shortcomings.
Made a list of all persons we had harmed, and became willing to make amends to them all.
Made direct amends to such people wherever possible, except when to do so would injure them or others.
Continued to take personal inventory and when we were wrong promptly admitted it.
Sought through prayer and meditation to improve our conscious contact with God, as we understood Him, praying only for knowledge of His will for us and the power to carry that out.
Having had a spiritual awakening as the result of these Steps, we tried to carry this message to alcoholics, and to practice these principles in all our affairs.

The Success of 12-Step Programs

The inclusiveness and support of 12-step programs has led to the model (and the “Anonymous” name) being extended to other addictions, such as narcotics (“Narcotics Anonymous”), gambling (“Gamblers Anonymous”), food (“Overeaters Anonymous”) and illicit sex.

Higher Power

The “higher power” cited in Alcoholics Anonymous and other 12-step groups does not necessarily refer to God.

The phrase “God as we understood Him” allows members to choose other gods or “powers” to help them in their recovery. However, the Christian foundation of A.A.

is evident by the inclusion of several quotes from the bible in the book “Alcoholics Anonymous” and the use of the terms “Father” and “Creator” when referring to God.

Prayers of Alcoholics Anonymous

The Third Step Prayer

“God, I offer myself to Thee- to build with me and to do with me as Thou wilt. Relieve me of the bondage of self that I may better do Thy will. Take away my difficulties, that victory over them may bear witness to those I would help of Thy Power, Thy Love, and Thy Way of life. May I do Thy will always!”

The Seventh Step Prayer

“My Creator, I am now willing that you should have all of me, good and bad. I pray that you now remove from me every single defect of character that stands in the way of my usefulness to you and my fellows. Grant me strength, as I go out from here, to do your bidding. Amen.”

The Eleventh Step Prayer (The prayer of St. Francis of Assisi)

“Lord, make me a channel of thy peace – that where there is hatred, I may bring love- that where there is wrong, I may bring the spirit of forgiveness- that where there is discord, I may bring harmony- that where there is error, I may bring truth- that where there is doubt, I may bring faith- that where there is despair, I may bring hope- that where there are shadows, I may bring light- that where there is sadness, I may bring joy. Lord grant that I may seek rather to comfort than to be comforted- to undersand than to be understood- to love, than to be loved. For it is by self-forgetting that one finds. It is by forgiving that one is forgiven. It is by dying that one awakens to Eternal Life. Amen”

Guiding Principles

The Twelve Traditions of Alcoholics Anonymous.

Our common welfare should come first; personal recovery depends upon A.A. unity.
For our group purpose there is but one ultimate authority – a loving God as He may express Himself in our group conscience. Our leaders are but trusted servants; they do not govern.
The only requirement for A.A. membership is a desire to stop drinking.
Each group should be autonomous except in matters affecting other groups or A.A. as a whole.
Each group has but one primary purpose-to carry its message to the alcoholic who still suffers.
An A.A. group ought never endorse, finance or lend the A.A. name to any related facility or outside enterprise, lest problems of money, property and prestige divert us from our primary purpose.
Every A.A. group ought to be fully self-supporting, declining outside contributions.
Alcoholics Anonymous should remain forever nonprofessional, but our service centers may employ special workers.
A.A., as such, ought never be organized; but we may create service boards or committees directly responsible to those they serve.
Alcoholics Anonymous has no opinion on outside issues; hence the A.A. name ought never be drawn into public controversy.
Our public relations policy is attraction rather than promotion; we need always maintain personal anonymity at the level of press, radio and films.
Anonymity is the spiritual foundation of all our traditions, ever reminding us to place principles before personalities.

External links

//www.alcoholics-anonymous.org/

Источник: //www.conservapedia.com/Alcoholics_Anonymous

Alcoholics Anonymous (AA)

Prayer For Alcoholic Anonymous

LISTEN TO AUDIO OF THIS CONTENT

Alcoholics Anonymous is a worldwide, non-profit organization for people suffering from alcoholism. It is the “big book”, and a 12 step process. It was founded 75 years ago by Bill Wilson and Dr Bob Smith in Akron Ohio. As it grew in size and popularity from over 100 members in 1939 to over 2 million members worldwide. Some people consider it to be a “cult”.

It is a fellowship of men and women supporting each other in their quest for sobriety. The only requirement for membership is the desire to stop drinking. There are no dues or fees for being a member. It is not a sect or cult. It does not have any opinions on outside issues. Their primary purpose is for their members to stay sober, and help other alcoholics to achieve sobriety.

It has been very effective in in helping millions of alcoholics find long-term sobriety.
No other program or treatment has ever had this much success with overcoming alcoholism.

It is a fellowship of both women and men who share their experience, hope and strength with one another.

The fellowship’s goal is to solve a common alcohol problem by help each other recover. The sole concern of it is personal recovery as well as continues sobriety of the individuals that turn to the fellowship to seek help. Members are always asked to be careful to preserve anonymity at the public level.

People join with assurance that their identities will never be disclosed to people outside the fellowship. It involves a 12 step program of character and spiritual development. Membership is “free” Members are asked to donate to help with expenses, but is optional. One of things that has kept it controversy is that is not affiliated with any other organization.

12 Steps

The 12-Steps are the core of its recovery modality. They are designed to help members learn how to live a clean and sober lifestyle. They ask the person to gradually grow spiritually. The 12-Steps were the original “Oxford Group”, the predecessor organization.

The12 Steps:

We admitted we were powerless over alcohol, and our lives had become unmanageable.
Came to believe a power, greater than ourselves, could restore us to sanity.
Made a decision to turn our will and our lives over to the care of God, as we understood Him.
Made a searching and fearless moral inventory of ourselves.
Admitted to God, to ourselves and another human being the exact nature of our wrongs.
Were entirely ready to have God remove all these defects of character.
Humbly asked Him to remove our shortcomings.
Made a list of all persons we had harmed, and became willing to make amends to them all.
Made direct amends to such people wherever possible, except when to do so would injure them or others.
Continued to take personal inventory and when we were wrong promptly admitted it.
Sought through prayer and meditation to improve our conscious contact with God, as we understood Him, praying
only for knowledge of His will for us and the power to carry that out.
Having had a spiritual awakening as the result of these steps, we tried to carry this message to alcoholics, and to practice these principles in all our affairs.

The Big Book

The Big Book is the “textbook” of AA. It includes stories of how many women and men have recovered from alcoholism. It was written by Bill Wilson and other members of the early fellowship. It is referred to as the big book because of how thick it was when it was published in 1939.

It was published by the co-founders of AA. It also contains the 12 steps and they are explained.

The goal of the book is to help the reader understand the disease of alcoholism, work the 12 steps, and ultimately find a higher power, a power bigger than they are to help them to solve their alcohol problem.

Meetings

AA meetings are very informal and this makes newcomers feel welcome. No appointment, fee or sign in is required to attend a meeting. There are no obligations from members or intrusive questions asked.

The meeting consists of different members telling their stories but if one is not comfortable talking they can decline. There are ID meetings where members meet to tell their stories and steps meetings where they discuss the 12 step program in details. Members respect each other’s privacy and anonymity.

There is no demand that you come back for the meetings and you can go to as many meetings and as often as you wish.

Find an AA meeting anywhere in the world

Online

Many use these meetings as a supplement for the more traditional types of meeting they attend. With the traditional meetings there can be geographical and scheduling conflicts.

With the online meetings the bond of fellowship is strengthened through a wider geographical reach offered by the internet while the traditional meetings the experience, strength and hope of others in similar situations can be one’s lifeline to sobriety.

Online meetings – US

Online meetings in Europe

Online meetings come in a variety of formats such as email meetings, real time chats and meetings using applications such as Skype.

Some of the meetings target a certain group and they are available in a number of languages. Many of them have regular schedules but others post whenever they have a burning desire to share.

Online meetings are supplements for face to face meetings but are not meant to substitute them.

U.S

Number of Groups: 59,565
Estimated Membership: 1,296,037

Canada

Number of Groups: 5,129
Estimated Membership: 712,949

Worldwide

Number of Groups: 115,358
Estimated Membership: 2,138,421

History

It was founded by Bill Wilson and Dr. Bob Smith on June 10, 1935. It is a non-profit organization. It is credited with creating the “12-Step” model of recovery. The 12 Steps are a process of spiritual development, starting with admitting powerlessness over alcohol and that the alcoholic’s life had become unmanageable. The name is derived from its first book, informally called

“The Big Book”, was originally titled Alcoholics Anonymous. The Story of How More Than One Hundred Men Have Recovered From Alcoholism.

It began in 1935 in Akron, Ohio. It was an outcome of a meeting between the two founders, Bill W. and Dr. Rob S. They had both been in contact with Oxford Groups that is a nonalcoholic fellowship that usually emphasize on universal spiritual values in one’s daily living.

Bill had attained sobriety and maintained it by helping other alcoholics while Dr. Bob had not achieved sobriety yet. When the two met Bill had an effect on Dr. Bob, he emphasized that alcoholism was a malady on one’s body, emotions and mind. With Bill’s convincing ideas Dr. Bob got sober and never drunk again.

The two started working with other alcoholics and Alcoholics anonymous was born.