FAQ
Anonymity is the spiritual foundation of all our traditions. Any information you share with A.A. is treated in a totally confidential manner.
Alcoholics Anonymous has only one requirement for membership and that is the desire to stop drinking. There is room in A.A. for people of all shades of belief and non-belief.
We have seen many people come to A.A. and refuse to accept our help because they become angry or upset when others talk of their beliefs. If you are unable to accept that others have a belief that you don’t, you will find it very difficult to come to terms with this. If on the other hand you can be tolerant of other peoples’ right to believe in whatever they want to, you will find others tolerant of your rights to believe whatever you choose.
Let’s make no bones about it, the 12 step programme that members follow has its origins in a Christian group. As a consequence you will see the word ‘God’ mentioned quite often. Many members believe in a god and we have members that come from and practice all sorts of religions, but many are also atheist or agnostic so don’t be put off.
Because it is a spiritual programme (rather than religious), those who believe in some form of divinity often find it useful to incorporate the programme into their religious practices and vice versa. This is their choice – there is absolutely no requirement.
What we all have in common is that the programme helps us find an inner strength that we were previously unaware of; where we differ is attributing the source of this strength.
Whatever you do, please don’t let someone else’s religious beliefs prevent you from finding the solution that is available to you through Alcoholics Anonymous.
Its members are not forced to attend meetings, they are free to leave at any time and the programme of recovery is simply a list of suggestions which while many do chose to follow, also many chose to go their own way about it.
The majority of members quite happily fit the culture of A.A. into their normal life and belief systems.
Alcoholics Anonymous has only one requirement for membership and that is the desire to stop drinking. There is room in A.A. for people of all shades of belief and non-belief.
We have seen many people come to A.A. and refuse to accept our help because they become angry or upset when others talk of their beliefs. If you are unable to accept that others have a belief that you don’t, you will find it very difficult to come to terms with this. If on the other hand you can be tolerant of other peoples’ right to believe in whatever they want to, you will find others tolerant of your rights to believe whatever you choose.
Let’s make no bones about it, the 12 step programme that members follow has its origins in a Christian group. As a consequence you will see the word ‘God’ mentioned quite often. Many members believe in a god and we have members that come from and practice all sorts of religions, but many are also atheist or agnostic so don’t be put off.
Because it is a spiritual programme (rather than religious), those who believe in some form of divinity often find it useful to incorporate the programme into their religious practices and vice versa. This is their choice – there is absolutely no requirement. What we all have in common is that the programme helps us find an inner strength that we were previously unaware of; where we differ is attributing the source of this strength.
Whatever you do, please don’t let someone else’s religious beliefs prevent you from finding the solution that is available to you through Alcoholics Anonymous.
It is a series of steps taken by the alcoholic which assist them to achieve and maintain sobriety.
They include acceptance of the fact that they are alcoholic, learning to trust and rely on something other than themselves for help, acknowledgement of and making amends for past behaviour, changing present behaviour and passing the help they received on to other alcoholics.
A.A. members can and do attend counselling at treatment centres.
Many people have come to A.A. through treatment centres and attend aftercare there. They find this continuity useful in their recovery process.
A.A. is based around the concept of recovery from a persisting, chronic illness.
It includes the philosophical elements of a belief that everyone has the potential to recover and possess an inherent ability to lead a satisfying, useful life.