When you’re suffering from alcoholism, it can be difficult to see that light at the end of the tunnel. You’ve put your family through a large ordeal, and you sometimes wonder how you can make a change for the better. For many people who struggle with alcoholism, alcoholics anonymous can be a great resource towards finding a support system, realizing that things can get better, and healing from your disease. While there are plenty of undeniable pro’s to attending AA, there might be a few negatives as well— depending on how you react to certain things. Every person has a different journey to sobriety. Let’s figure out whether AA will be part of yours…
Alcoholics Anonymous: Is it the Right Fit for Me?
Undeniable Benefits:
A support system that identifies with your journey
As we mentioned, there are a ton of reasons why alcoholics anonymous can be a powerful tool in your recovery. For starters, it provides you with a support system of people who understand what you’re going through. While your family and friends are a support system as well, they likely have a biased view when it comes to how you got to where you are. They have a personal connection to the bad times, which can make it difficult for them to provide unbiased support.
AA is available worldwide, and free
The beautiful and beneficial thing about alcoholics anonymous is that it’s available free of charge, and across the globe. While you are battling your disease and trying to get better, life goes on. You have commitments to your family, friends, and job. This means that you might be away from your home base for some period of time. However, you still need to attend a meeting when the cravings are strong. No matter where you are, an AA meeting should be within reach if you look.
AA provides sponsors, and prevents relapse
One of the most difficult things about recovering from alcoholism, is avoiding a relapse. the daily stress of work, life, and recovery can be too much sometimes. Therefore, most alcoholics will face a relapse along the way, or at least a close call. Having alcoholics anonymous to fall back on, and a sponsor can make you feel more accountable to your recovery— and not letting the people around you down.
A Few Reasons You Might Turn Away:
Unmotivated Attendees
The main objective of alcoholics anonymous for most is to get better, and beat their disease. However, there are also those characters that attend merely as a means of avoiding jail or prison. Court ordered attendees might treat AA like a joke, fail to participate, distract loyal attendees, and lower morale. Therefore, they might present a threat to your sobriety when you feel as if you can’t openly share without judgment or interruption.
AA has a religious undertone to it
Alcoholics anonymous often has a religious atmosphere to it, and religious undertones which have the potential to alienate some attendees. While AA works very hard to provide an atmosphere of comfortability, judgement-free, recovery encouragement— religion has the potential to be polarizing for some.
At the end of the day, your journey to sobriety has to fit into your own terms
There are aspects of alcoholics anonymous which can be difficult to recreate outside of those walls. However, there is no one-size-fits-all path to getting well again. While we encourage an accountability partner, and seeing someone who allows you to discuss your struggles and triumphs— there are options besides AA which can do that for you.