...I attended an alcoholics anonymous meeting in Whitefish Bay, WI with my classmate. We previously tried to attend a meeting in September, but were unfortunately turned away due to it being a closed meeting. The leader of the meeting was kind enough to let us know when the next open meeting would be, which was October 8th. I nervously returned to the church that night and didn’t know what to expect once we arrived, which caused some anxiety for me. We entered a cozy room and were greeted right away and took an open seat. When the meeting began, there were six other participants and the facilitator as well as Liz and I. The meeting started out by going around the circle stating our names and our birthday or how old we were and a fun fact about ourselves. When it came to my turn to give my name, I stated my name and age and stated that I was a pharmacy student. A couple of people were surprised when they heard what I actually did for a living. The meeting began by reading the preamble and the twelve steps to recovery of an alcoholic. This was very interesting to me as I was not aware of the focus they put on God, although he is referred to as simply a “higher power” by many of the participants. The topic of today’s AA meeting was gratitude. A few of the attendees chose to speak about their experiences and why they were grateful. One particular member’s brief story had an especially meaningful impact on me. Her name was ND. I decided that I wanted to talk to her one-on-one...
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...Alcoholic Anonymous (AA) is a self-help group developed to help and support alcoholics maintain sobriety. AA has a twelve-step model that helps guide alcoholics to sobriety. I attended an AA meeting that was held in a church. At the beginning of the meeting, the group said the serenity prayer. The prayer encourages the participants to make changes in their lives. Following the prayer, introductions were made by the members of the group. The members stated their names and some of them said that they were alcoholics. The theme of the meeting was “Letting Go, Letting God”. There was a featured speaker who discussed how letting go of insignificant problems helps improve the quality of your life and bring you closer to God. He stated that AA meeting...
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...Alcoholics Anonymous Group Observation Project Christopher Estacio Kaplan College Las Vegas NU242 Mrs. Sevilla May 3rd, 2014 Alcoholics Anonymous The mental health group that I chose for the group observation project was the local Alcoholics Anonymous group at the Serenity Club Las Vegas. I chose this particular location due to the fact that it is open 24 hours, has several different 12-step groups, and also provided literature on the various 12 step programs. The club also offered a snack bar, seating area, TV, pool table, and other recreational activities for the patrons to enjoy before and after their group meetings. I went on Thursday, the 5th of May and the meeting started promptly at 12:00pm and ended at 1:05pm. The topics of the day were step 8 (making a list of all persons harmed and willing to make amends with them) and step 9 (made direct amends to such people wherever possible, except when to do so would injure them or others) in the “Big Book”. The “Big Book” is the text that serves as the basis of A.A. It contains the 12 steps that at the fundamentals of the AA program as well as several stories about alcoholics that have recovered from the process. According to the Alcoholics Anonymous Central Office, “The main and primary purpose of the alcoholics anonymous group is to stay sober and help other alcoholics to achieve sobriety.” The population that are served are both men and women who share their experience, strength and hope with each other that they may solve...
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...Alcoholics Anonymous or A. A. is "an internal fellowship of men and women who have had a drinking problem. It is a non-professional, self-supporting, multiracial, a political 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" (Alcoholics Anonymous, 2018, Online). Founded in 1935 by Bill Watson and Dr. Bob Smith, AA functions to help those with self-identified drinking problems. It defines its primary purpose as "to carry its message of recovery to the alcoholic seeking help" (Alcoholics Anonymous, 2018, Online). A.A. seeks to fulfill this promise by providing free meetings that allow alcoholics to seek help with their drinking problem...
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...History Alcoholics Anonymous Alcoholics Anonymous (AA) refers to a fellowship of individuals who share their experience, strength, and hope with one another that they may solve their common problem and help one another in recovering from alcoholism. Alcoholism is an addiction to the consumption of alcoholic liquor or the mental illness and compulsive behavior resulting from alcohol dependency. The origins of AA trace back to the early 20th century. During that time, a religious movement in both Europe and the US, the Oxford Group, brought group of people together who practiced a formula of self-improvement by preforming self-inventory, admitting wrongs, making amends, using prayers and meditation, and carrying the message to others. During...
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...To fulfill my course requirements for addictions class, I attended a twelve-step program for alcoholic anonymous. The program I decided to attend was Hill Lunch St Peter’s Rectory located at 313 2nd street southeast Washington DC. I chose this particular meeting to attend, because it was really close to home and very convenient. As I arrived at the location, I started to experience some anxiety, because I did not know what to expect. I was one of the first few people present at the meeting and I felt uncanny stares aimed towards myself. As people, started to trickle in and the meeting started. I realized that it was a very intimate meeting, since it was no more than ten people in the room. The facilitator was a white male who was dressed in...
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...dealing with addictions both mine own and helping others with theirs. Alcoholics Anonymous (AA), is a program that at first I thought was nothing more than a bunch of drunks, getting together and sulking in their sorrows. Oh! How I was wrong. AA is a program that is and has been helping individuals and families for over 80 plus years. I have learned that the principles of AA are ones that can be universally used to aid anyone in getting through some of life’s challenges. My experiences at my AA meetings have shown me that the program does indeed work. And most importantly people are accepted where they are and made to feel welcome. I was able to attend two Awakenings meetings in Plattsburgh. My first meeting I didn’t get to much interaction from others and things might have changed had I been able to stay through the end of the meeting. At my other meeting I was able to stay for the duration and I was able to interact with the group. I was able to see how a “newbie” would/could be turned away from an AA meeting. I met a lady in the meeting, whom I sat next to and she was able to introduce herself to help me feel at ease. However, throughout the meeting she took it upon herself to tell me about certain individuals in the group and picked apart pieces of others stories. I found this to be very offsetting, and I would hope that she didn’t do this on a regular basis. If I had been an alcoholic in crisis, I might have been pushed to go and drink more by this lady. ...
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...I at attended the AA Alcoholics Anonymous meeting at the AdCare hospital on Lincoln Street on Tuesday March 8, 2016 from 6:30 to 7:30PM. As the meeting began everyone introduced themselves by their first name and told whether or not they were alcoholics or not. As everyone told their names the rest of the people welcomed them by their first name. At first I was really afraid to go to the meeting alone so I emailed my class fellows to see if someone wanted to go with me or not. I had never attended an AA meeting before so I did not know what it would be like. But when I went to the meeting and sat through it I slowly started to feel comfortable. I think one important role everyone played was that they were listing to other people’s conversations and replying...
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...The Alcoholic Anonymous meeting I attended gave me a great deal of knowledge that I obtained in the classroom. The experience listening to the speaker reinforced the learning from the class because everything that was shared we discussed in class. The first day of class we discussed the reasons why some individuals may turn to alcohol. Many members of the group had similar experiences which caused them to drink (stress, peer pressure, low self-esteem, etc…). Because we studied the seven dimensions of addictions when the members of the group started to share their experiences I was able to recognize the patterns (use, problems, physical adaption, behavioral dependence, medical harm, cognitive impairment, and motivation for change). All seven stages were discussed in the group. Though I never had an alcohol problem , just from attending the meeting and listening to everything that has been said, I can only imagine what these individuals experienced. “The concept of addiction has expanded to describe so many behaviors that it has almost lost its meaning. Something...
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...Whiteking.thaysha@yahoo.com Thaysha King Professor Nora Kabaji Freshman Composition Research Paper 27 March 2013 Alcoholics Anonymous the Truth about Alcoholism Alcoholism is the addiction to consuming alcoholic drinks. Just like any other addiction it is fostered by the regular consumption of alcohol. It is not wrong to have an occasional drink in a social event or to have a little wine with dinner but when it reaches to the point where the individual cannot go a day without alcohol in his system then there is a problem. Alcohol is a drug like any other but it’s the most popular and accepted drug in the entire world. It is legal to citizens above eighteen years to drink alcohol and it is very accessible to even teenagers. Consumption of alcohol is not a new thing, it has been there for centuries and many new brands are being produced every year. However, those many years ago, our fore fathers knew the restrictions when it came to taking alcohol. They did not over do it and they consumed alcohol mainly during social events hence they did not become addicted to it. In our society today, any time is a good time to take alcohol. Teenagers, young adults, adults and even old people are all taking alcohol at an alarming rate. They are doing it oblivious to the fact that they can become addicted. Why are there so many alcoholics in the world today? How does it affect them and the people around them? What can be done to cure our society out of this vice? We answer all these questions...
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...Participation Patterns and Make-up of Group (5 Points) 1. What is the makeup of group? (i. e. genders, age ranges of people present, ethnicity, races, smokers and/or non-smokers present, number of individuals attending, etc.) • This AA group consisted of 6 caucasians, three women and three men. All members were around their 50s except for one of the guys who seem to be on his late 20s. 2. Who does the talking in the group? (I.e. is it mostly the group leader; one particular group member; or other members?) • Most of the talking was done by the group leader. She initiated the meeting by saying a prayer, reading the rules, and having everyone introduce themselves, but other than that all the other members contributed a good amount of talking by sharing their life experiences as they related to alcohol. 3. To whom do the group questions go to: the leader, the group itself, or individual members? • Members of they group shared their life experiences, but no questions were asked and the leader never mentioned anything regarding this. At the end of the meeting one of the group members asked me if I had any questions which he then answered. 4. Do group members who don’t talk much or participate, seem to be interested or not? If not, what do they do instead? • One group member who did not seem interested in the discussion, he did not share anything with the group, he seem distracted and hyperactive. During the discussion the...
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...The reason why to put Jackson into the program is because he does not have a strong social support and his belief of God is small, but with this program, he can become total abstinence of alcohol. The Twelve Steps of Alcoholics Anonymous includes prayers and activities, such as meditation, making lists, and making direct amends. The Twelve Steps are read aloud at the beginning and end of the meetings. Alcoholics Anonymous is where the participants attend the meetings anonymously and are only known when they feel like they are ready to share their problems with the group. Those who attends the meetings regularly and follows the Twelve Steps of AA carefully would have a positive outcome and improved psychological health. Alcoholics Anonymous are for those who are seeking full abstinence and a great social support system which is a reason for AA’s great outcome (Barlow et al., 2018, pg....
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...FR Alcoholic Anonymous Group Paper PC6505 Alcoholic Anonymous Group The purpose of this paper is to describe the nature and purpose of an Alcoholics Anonymous (AA) group and its members. The paper will discuss the AA group’s philosophical orientation to human development. While using the writer’s knowledge of therapeutic factors, the paper will analyze the group process and its stage of development. The paper will also discuss the approach of the leader, often called ‘trusted servants” or “secretary”. Finally, the paper will discuss the use of the reconstructive inventory steps of 4-10 and how the writer would work with a client who was seeing her in individual or family counseling. Alcoholics Anonymous has a well-defined recovery program that AA members have been following since the founding of the group (Alcoholics Anonymous, 2014). In 1939, the group published its basic textbook, Alcoholics Anonymous, also known as the Big Book (Alcoholics Anonymous, 2014). The Big Book explained AA’s philosophy and methods, the core of which is the now well-known Twelve Steps of recovery (Alcoholics Anonymous, 2014). The Twelve Steps are the core of the recovery program, which are based on the trial-and-error experience of early members of AA (Alcoholics Anonymous, 2014). The Twelve Steps are not simply a set of tasks to be carried out (personal communication, September 30, 2014). They are a guide for living and being in the world, and, for many individuals, they become a way of...
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...Twelve Step Program Unk Author1 1 Kaplan University Abstract This paper is about the twelve step program and the lasting affect it has on individuals who suffer from addiction. The twelve step program is a treatment program that holds people accountable for their actions to overcome their addiction and head down the road to recovery. This paper also explains an organization that I want to observe who implement the twelve step program among other things like a phase based treatment program. A phase based treatment program, is a structured program set up for individuals who recently were released from prison or jail. The program is intense and structured leaving the offenders accountable for their own actions, progress, and success. Once the offender has completed all their phases successfully they are up for graduation, where participation in their alumni is encouraged. Twelve Step Program Twelve step programs or self-help groups are designed to help in the treatment and recovery of addiction and are highly effective with a lasting success rate. The main focus of self-help groups are to bring people together who suffer from addiction and provide an emotional support system along with valuable information. Self-help groups are great for individuals to be able to relate to something or someone, because they may not get that opportunity out in their personal life. They get pressured into using, pressured into stopping, given ultimatums, etc. and all they really...
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...regular meeting of the ____________________________ Group of Alcoholics Anonymous. My name is _____________. I am an alcoholic and your Secretary. 2. This is an open meeting of Alcoholics Anonymous. We are glad you are all here - especially newcomers. In keeping with our singleness of purpose and our Third Tradition which states that "The only requirement for A.A. membership is a desire to stop drinking," we ask that all who participate confine their discussion to their problems with alcohol. 3. Let us open the meeting with a moment of silence to do with as you wish, followed by the Serenity Prayer. God, grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change, courage to change the things I can, and the wisdom to know the difference. 4. Definition of Alcoholics Anonymous: Alcoholics Anonymous is a fellowship of men and women who share their experience, strength and hope with each other that they may solve their common problem and help others to recover from alcoholism. The only requirement for membership is an honest desire to stop drinking. There are no dues or fees for A.A. membership. We are self supporting through our own contributions. A.A. is not allied with any sect, denomination, politics, organization or institution; does not wish to engage in any controversy; neither endorses nor opposes any cause. Our primary purpose is to stay sober and help other alcoholics to achieve sobriety. 5. Is there anyone present who...
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