An introduction to the A.A. recovery program

Only you can decide
If you seem to be having trouble with your drinking, or if your drinking has reached the point where it worries you a bit, you may be interested in knowing something about Alcoholics Anonymous and the A.A. program of recovery from alcoholism. After reading this page, you may decide that A.A. has nothing to offer you. Should this be the case, we suggest only that you keep an open mind on the subject. Consider your drinking carefully in the light of what you may learn from these pages.

Determine, for yourself, whether or not alcohol has truly become a problem for you. And remember that you will always be most welcome to join the thousands of men and women in A.A. who have put their drinking problems behind them and now lead “normal” lives of constructive, day-by-day sobriety.

Who we are
We in A.A. are men and women who have discovered, and admitted, that we cannot control alcohol. We have learned that we must live without it if we are to avoid disaster for ourselves and those close to us. With local groups in thousands of communities, we are part of an informal international fellowship,which now has members in 150 countries. We have but one primary purpose: to stay sober ourselves and to help others who may turn to us for help in achieving sobriety.

Questions that you may have been thinking about

Am I an alcoholic?
If you repeatedly drink more than you intend or want to, if you get into trouble, or if you have memory lapses when you drink, you may be an alcoholic. Only you can decide. No one in A.A. will tell you whether you are or are not.

What can I do if I am worried about my drinking?
Seek help. Alcoholics Anonymous can help.

What is Alcoholics Anonymous?
We are a Fellowship of men and women who have lost the ability to control our drinking and have found ourselves in various kinds of trouble as a result of drinking. We attempt — most of us successfully — to create a satisfying way of life without alcohol. For this we find we need the help and support of other alcoholics in A.A.

If I go to an A.A. meeting, does that commit me to anything?
No. A.A. does not keep membership files or attendance records. You do not have to reveal anything about yourself. No one will bother you if you don’t want to come back.

How can this help me with my drinking problem?
We in A.A. know what it is like to be addicted to alcohol, and to be unable to keep promises made to others and ourselves that we will stop drinking. We are not professional therapists. Our only qualification for helping others to recover from alcoholism is that we have stopped drinking ourselves; and problem drinkers coming to us know that recovery is possible because they see people who have done it.

What advice do you give new members?
In our experience, the people who recover in A.A. are those who:
a) stay away from the first drink;
b) attend A.A. meetings regularly;
c) seek out the people in A.A. who have successfully stayed sober for some time;
d) try to put into practice the A.A. program of recovery;
e) obtain and study the Big Book, Alcoholics Anonymous.

How can I contact A.A.?
Look for Alcoholics Anonymous meetings in your area in the Meeting Finder on this website or in your local telephone directory. These telephones are answered by A.A. volunteers who will be happy to answer your questions, or put you in touch with those who can. You can also use the Contact Form on this website. We will have someone respond to your inquiry and help to answer your questions. If there is no A.A. telephone service close to you, write or phone the A.A. General Service Office or visit our website at www.aa.org.

Here is a list of A.A. pamphlets which may be particularly helpful to you:

“Is There an Alcoholic in Your Life?”
“Frequently Asked Questions About A.A.”
“Is A.A. for You?”
“Do You Think You’re Different?”
“Women in A.A.”
“Young People and A.A.”
“Too Young?”

Remember that alcoholism is a progressive disease. Take it seriously, even if you feel you are only in the early stages of the illness. Alcoholism kills people. If you are an alcoholic, and if you continue to drink, in time you will get worse.

Information on this page was excerpted from the pamphlets “A Newcomer Asks” and “An Introduction to the A.A. Recovery Program”. Both pamphlets are General Service Conference approved literature and are available in their entirety by clicking and downloading from the links below.

I Have Hope

This Public Service announcement (P.S.A.) is copyrighted by Alcoholics Anonymous World Services, Inc. (A.A.W.S). All rights reserved.
A.A.W.S. is not affiliated with and does not sponsor this website, its owner, or its content. For more information, please visit www.aa.org.