Health
Are your services making the most of the support AA has to offer?
Thank you for all that you already do to help those suffering with alcohol-use disorder. We, Alcoholics Anonymous (“AA”) neither diagnose nor offer medical advice to our members. We always defer to the medical profession in relation to all medical matters, including safe withdrawal from alcohol. We seek to complement the valuable work the medical profession does by helping our members achieve and maintain long-term sobriety.
You may be aware that the latest update to NICE Guidelines on Alcohol-use disorders: diagnosis and management, recommend that adults seeking help for an alcohol-use disorder are given information on, and support to access, community support networks such as Alcoholics Anonymous. [QS 11, new 2023]
We use a 12 Step approach to recovery which is evidence based *
- is proven to work
- is entirely free
- is available nationwide
- provides support 24 hours a day
- has no waiting list
There are some common misconceptions surrounding AA. We are always happy to answer any questions and address any concerns you may have. You are always very welcome to attend an ‘Open meeting’ of AA as a visitor to see for yourself how AA works. We appreciate that the term ‘alcoholic’ is no longer considered a clinical term and that ‘person with alcohol- use disorder and addiction’ is now preferred within the medical profession. We also acknowledge that the term ‘alcoholic’ carries stigma that may regrettably put some people off, who might otherwise derive real benefit from the help available in AA. In fact, AA’s understanding and use of the term ‘alcoholic’ is very much in alignment with the medical understanding of the term ‘alcohol-use disorder’. We agree that alcohol dependence exists on a continuum of severity. In agreement with the current medical view, AA consider that the following behaviours are indicative of problem drinking; development of tolerance, the experience of craving, a preoccupation with alcohol and continued drinking despite harmful consequences. So, the terms we use may differ, but we are in fact referring to the same lived experience. AA aims to have good working relationships with Health and Social Care Practitioners and Service Providers. We hope to raise general awareness of AA, what it is and isn’t about, so that anyone who might benefit from AA, knows about it and can perhaps give it a try. We can arrange for experienced members of AA to come into your practice, perhaps during a team meeting or CPD session, to provide further information and discuss how AA might be able to help.
Statistics
AA does not keep individual statistics of its members, attendance, or recovery rate. AA GB does hold a membership survey once every 5 years. The latest survey (2020) found that 75% of members have 3 or more years of sobriety, members attend an average of 3.4 meetings per week, 54% of members are male and 46% are female.
However, the evidence of people achieving sobriety, and achieving happy sustained long-term sobriety, with the help of the AA programme and fellowship, is to be seen in the shared ‘lived experience’ of its members.
Professionals/Service Providers are welcome to attend open meetings. The evidence is in those who have turned their lives around and have increasing number of days and years of sobriety.
Access to AA
The only requirement for membership of AA is a desire to stop drinking. It is a common misconception that a person must have stopped drinking before they attend AA meetings. In fact, most people are struggling to actually stop drinking when they first attend a meeting and only stop, or develop a desire to stop drinking, after having attended some meetings and listened to the shared experience of other members.
AA is available 24/7. Contact details are set out below.
The support offered by Alcoholics Anonymous is immediately available to the caller, follow up could be immediate, same day or next day, with no referral or waiting list or appointment needed. We can meet the newcomer at an AA meeting or facilitate them getting to a meeting.
Within our local London South West area there are over 80 meetings a week to choose from. There are also AA meetings all over the world at any time available on Zoom.
How does it work?
AA believes in the principle of attraction rather than promotion. AA does not diagnose anyone. We work a 12 Step programme and share our experience, strength and hope that may resonate with someone having similar problems with alcohol and encourage them towards recovery. Our primary purpose is to stay sober and help other alcoholics to achieve sobriety.
As well as dealing with the alcohol issues, AA provides a peer support network like no other and that is freely available. People who come to AA can find a connection that for many has been long lost. The power of one alcoholic talking to another, identifying and feeling safe and not judged can be lifesaving. Every AA member is ‘qualified’ to talk about alcohol issues in as much as they have first-hand livedexperience of harmful drinking and of their own journey into recovery.
Anonymity
No one attending an AA meeting need give any personal information other than a first name. We have a strict policy of anonymity which is read out at the end of every meeting and is universally adhered to. We do not share outside of a meeting anything that is said or anyone who is seen at any meeting. We also have a Safeguarding Policy and guidelines for meetings/sponsorship to ensure the safety and wellbeing of our members.
How do you signpost to AA?
Health and Social Care Practitioners and Service Providers, please mention AA in a positive way to your patients/clients, and explain:
- It is free, there are no obligations, they don’t have to say anything and for some people it can be life changing. Give it a try, they have nothing to lose.
- To go to a few meetings, to find ones they like, they’re all a bit different.
- Tell them they can phone the local AA helpline to find out more about AA and arrange to meet an AA member before the meeting, so they don’t have to walk into their first meeting alone.
- Suggest they get to the meeting 15 mins before it starts (free tea & biscuits usually) and if they say they’re new to AA, the group will take care of them.
- Follow up with them to see how they are getting on.
- Attend an ‘Open’ AA meeting as a visitor yourself, to see first-hand how we work.
- National AA Support Call 0800 9177650 (24 hours a day)
- Alcoholics Anonymous website
- To find a meeting type “aa find a meeting” in your browser
- Email AA London South West Intergroup Public Information Officer – Mary on pi.londonsw@aamail.org
- Email AA London South West Intergroup Health Liaison Officer – Julia on health.londonsw@aamail.org
* The benefits of the support offered by AA are well researched and evidence based.
We invite you to review some of the recent evidence for yourself:
NICE Quality Statement [QS11] Alcohol-use disorders: diagnosis and management adults seeking help for an alcohol-use disorder are given information on, and support to access, community support networks such as Alcoholics Anonymous. [new 2023] Community support networks and self-help groups
Nice Quality Statement 2
‘Community support networks and self-help groups can be of benefit to adults with an alcohol-use disorder and can provide support at any point in their care. The person may not be aware of community support networks and self-help groups that they can access locally or how they can help people with an alcohol-use disorder. They may need support to access and participate in these groups’.
‘Health and social care practitioners (such as doctors, nurses, social workers, staff working in the criminal justice system, and community and voluntary sector workers) provide information to adults seeking help for an alcohol-use disorder on the community support networks and self-help groups available and their value. They provide support to access them when needed and consider safeguarding needs where people may be vulnerable’.
‘Service providers (such as primary care services, secondary care services, social care services, criminal justice services, community and voluntary services) ensure that systems are in place for staff to provide accurate and up-to-date information about community support networks and self-help groups for alcohol-use disorders and support for adults to access them. They make staff aware of local and national information sources where available’.
The Cochrane Report 2020 – research proves the cost saving benefits and effective outcomes of engaging with AA.
Cochrane Review
Office for Health Improvement and Disparities: updated Sept 2023, Recovery Support Services and lived experience initiatives – provides guidelines for professionals supporting lived experience initiatives and recovery support services to help people start and sustain recovery from drug and alcohol use.
Recovery Support Services
