AA Speakers Review
By listening to these people who are recovering alcoholics talk about their experiences, taught me that Alcohol Anonymous, is a program that depends on the belief of a superior being, whatever that might be for you, to help you overcome your struggles. This is not a medical treatment that gives members of AA medication for their addiction, or has an expert who is trying to psychoanalyzing them; it is a program that it is run by the same people who have an alcohol problem; there are no experts or people teaching others. It is a simple concept of people sharing their life experiences, learning by paying attention to those life stories, supporting each other, and following the 12th steps of AA. Furthermore more, in regards
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Fred is a person who comes from a broken home since his parents’ divorce when he was young. According to him, after the divorce his father did not have a relationship with him or his sister and he had resentment towards his father for this reason. I believe this is one of the reasons that contribute to his drinking in addition to the lack of supervision. Like many other children, Fred did not have a parent at home to supervise him and as we have seen in class, this is one of the reasons adolescents endup experimenting with substances and alcohol. In addition to the alcohol problem, Fred has his unresolved problem with his father that causes him problems to form a family; I believe he has been married twice and both marriages have ended up in divorce. Today Fred is a mature gentleman who has been sober since 03/19/2011. He states that what keeps him going and sober is “hope and peace;” Fred gives me the impression of being a calm and collected person who is confident about his …show more content…
At 11 or 12 years old, she began her journey with alcohol and later in high school with marijuana. I believe that this life style is what eventually caused her to become a teenage mother at the age of 18. Since then, it has been a struggle with DUIs, the court system, and rehabilitation for her alcohol problem. I do not know if she was nervous because she was talking to the class, but I would think that she is used to public speaking since they do it at the AA meetings. Her body language and the way she tells her story, gives me a feeling that there is something that she is holding back. She gave me the impression of being unsecured; of the three speakers, she appeared to be the one who continues to be struggling with her
On February 27, 2014, I visited an Alcohol Anonymous (A.A) therapeutic group meeting called Another Chance. Another Chance is an intergroup meeting located inside the Concord Baptist Church of Christ, at 833 Gardner C. Taylor Boulevard, Brooklyn, NY 11216. Another Chance has been in operation for over thirty years, and holds open discussion meetings on alcohol use and prevention, every Thursday from six in the evening until seven o’clock. This group interaction with alcohol substance use and abuse focuses on helping all members regardless of race, ethnicity or culture, to abstain from drinking one day at a time; and encourages them to maintain healthy thoughts and emotions through the use of the “Twelve Steps and Traditions” of recovery and intervention approaches.
Being exposed to his family’s drinking and violence influence him in a profound way. He will grow up to think that leading a chaotic life is acceptable in society. He is doomed to become an alcoholic himself if his parents do not wake up from their substance abuse haze and get him away from such a negative environment. Children who grow up with addicted parents are predisposed to becoming addicts themselves. According to Robert Priedt, author of Many Alcoholics Suffered Childhood Trauma, “patients being treated for alcoholism were likely to have experienced one or more types of childhood abuse or neglect” (Priedt). He also found that a history of emotional abuse was associated with an increase in the likelihood of the patient having depression. This is important concerning that while Victor is not being physically or sexually abused, he is forced to live in an unhealthy environment. This is a form of emotional abuse. Aside from that, Victor is neglected the basic necessities such as food and safety. With his family constantly under the influence and fighting, they do not have time to give Victor the emotional support that a child desperately needs to grow into a functioning member of society. He is also growing up poor. This is not always a bad thing. In fact, some people that grow up in poverty learn the best coping skills and grow to be resourceful,
Alcoholism is as prevalent in my family, as blood is in our veins. When previously asked to observe 12-step groups, I ritualistically flocked to Alcoholics Anonymous, without consideration of the possibility that other groups had any potential to make an impact on me. I always pride myself in my ability to identify as an individual that is not ensnared in alcoholism, but unfortunately am an individual that was highly tormented by alcoholism. Through observation of the group and how it processed, as well as identifying how I felt as a new attendee, I was able to understand why self-help, support groups are so vital for individuals in recovery. I finally realized, I too am in recovery.
I attended the Alcohol Anonymous (AA) twelve step meeting on Friday December fourth at 8:00 p.m. at the community center at Roxbury Park in Beverly Hills. The people were middle aged men and women of different ethnic backgrounds. The meeting started in an arranged fashion. I sat in the back and was addressed by an elderly man who wanted to know who I was to and I replied that I was a student writing a paper for school. He was fine with my answer and departed. The meeting started with people presenting themselves. First, there was an open conversation that started was with the storytelling of one member’s endeavors with alcoholism. After this heartwarming account, other people in the group provided how the
AA’s founder Bill Wilson asserted that alcoholism is a spiritual disease with only one cure., AA believes that the one and only cure is by following, and living by the 12 step program. Alcohol Anonymous 12-step program derived from this type of thinking and from the very beginning, new members are taught that they are absolutely powerless to alcohol, and that the only way for you to be cured is for “a power greater than yourself could restore you to sanity”. AA members separate themselves from the rest of society, and attribute their drinking problems to every other aspect of their lives. There is a list of contributing factors to an individual’s disease, published by Bill Wilson. The list is roughly 25 aspects of every alcoholic’s life but Alcohol is never listed because in Mr. Wilson’s eyes it’s not the alcohol that is the problem. Instead it is the individual that has become a victim to the alcohol.
Something that stood out to me during the meeting was that some attendees lived in fear for years after being sober. They wouldn’t come outside of their homes for the reasons being that they would use again or run into old friends that used to drink with them. Also, I found it interesting that every year group members come together to celebrate their years in sobriety. The celebration consists of a speaker, food, and fun. Overall, I really enjoyed sitting in on an AA meeting. As an aspiring social worker, this meeting helped me to understand that it is not easy to get over an addiction. Also, if I decide to work with substance abusers, there may be times where they may relapse. I would have to learn how to be patient and keep in mind that excessive use of substances can alter your brain and control your life.
In the United States alcohol plays a key role in society. Alcohol is a euphoriant and depressant. Many Americans love to enjoy alcohol and it is quite accessible in most communities. In fact, the United States has high rates of alcoholism: half the population is considered regular drinkers or consumes 12 drinks per year (Black, 2010, p.xiv). However, for some people, alcohol can become addictive. When alcohol is consumed, it affects the brain which causes changes in behavior and mood. The Bible offers warnings about the effects of alcohol. One passage states, ?Do not gaze at wine when it is red, when it sparkles in the cup, when it goes down smoothly! In the end it bites like a snake and poisons like a viper? (Proverbs 23:31, New International Versions). In the end, if one is not careful, alcohol can lead to destruction. However, there are several programs that are offered in communities to help people deal with alcohol abuse. One common program is Alcohol Anonymous. The only requirement for attending Alcohol Anonymous meetings is for the member to have a desire to stop drinking.
I thoroughly enjoyed the meeting I attended. The stories told by the members took courage and strength. Alcoholics Anonymous appears to be an effective form of treatment for alcohol addiction. This group, and I would image most groups, showed love, caring, and concern for each person. They all expressed their love for God and a determination to stay sober. Yoko reminded me that addiction is not subjective. It can affect any one at any age. One gentleman, James, is coming up on his three-month anniversary of sobriety after being an alcoholic for 45 years! God Bless him and all the members of the Olive Branch Alcoholic Anonymous Group. I learned a great deal.
Alcoholics Anonymous (AA) has been around for more than 75 years. The biggest controversy about AA is if it is effective or not. Some people find AA to be an effective aid to sobriety; others find AA to be damaging and can lead to increased drinking. AA meetings are groups of people with the desire to quit drinking that help one another achieve and maintain sobriety. These meetings may include readings from the Big Book, sharing stories, discussing the traditions and 12 steps, and celebrating members’ sobriety. Because AA is anonymous, many people feel that participating in a study would be a breach
throughout her childhood with an alcoholic father and a selfish mother who cared more about her art and happiness than that of her children’s. Alcohol misuse can affect all aspects of family functioning: social life, finances, good communication, relationships between family members, parenting capability, employment and health issues, It also has a strong correlation with conflicts, disputes and domestic violence which can leave a damaging effect on children. Alcohol misuse often times changes the roles played by family members in relation to one another, and to the outside world as well.... ... middle of paper ... ...and agencies designed to meet the physical, intellectual, and social-emotional needs of individuals and families.”.
According to the American Heritage Dictionary, alcoholism is defined as "the compulsive consumption of and psychophysiological dependence on alcoholic beverages." It is a problem that can tear apart marriages and families, cause someone to lose his job, and many more negative results. In order to recover from this dependency a person must lose his desire for and dependence upon alcohol, continue to remain sober, and resolve all conflicts caused by the alcohol abuse. There are several alternatives an alcoholic has to rehabilitate himself. The best solution is a combination of individual therapy and a support group like Alcoholics Anonymous.
For Adult Children of Alcoholics, surviving their families becomes the point of existence. The fortunate may be able to draw support from a supportive adult, and may emerge with fewer difficulties than their brothers and sisters. The majority, however, have to “make do.” Some spend lonely hours in their rooms wishing only to vanish behind the woodwork. Others attempt to rescue the foundering vi...
Vontae and I attended the alcoholic anonymous meeting at the YANA club at northeast Jackson on Wednesday at 8 o’clock. It was a big turn out to this meeting because the whole room was packed full of men and women. The meeting style was very administrated by one leader in the group. It was a book night which meant they had to read out of the AA handbook that was written by some doctors. I thought this was very interesting because I never knew this was a thing because this was my very first support group meeting of any sort. I really wanted to go to something a little more interesting, but you either had to pay or they were close meetings. This book lesson was very interesting because the leader of the group called the person to read and
Connecting is part of this wonderful Fellowship of men and women who share experiences, strengths and hope of a better, sober life. The philosophy of Alcoholics Anonymous is that alcoholism is a disease and no one is “cured” even if they stop drinking. The members of this informal group focus on staying sober “one day at a time”. And, anyone who desires to stop drinking is welcomed into the
Specific Purpose: After listening to my speech, my audience will know how alcohol was made and how it affects humans negatively and positively.