Alcoholics Anonymous is the original 12 step program and Alcoholics Anonymous ha been around since 1935. Alcoholics Anonymous is becoming more prominent in TV and movies but Alcoholics Anonymous two million worldwide members do not promote the program. The program of Alcoholics Anonymous is a program of attraction to life without alcohol rather than promotion through advertising or commercials.

Alcoholics Anonymous is essentially two things, the first is the big book of Alcoholics Anonymous which helps keep the solution consistent and the second is the fellowship. Fellowship is often used instead of membership in Alcoholics Anonymous because there are no dues or fees in Alcoholics Anonymous, also known simply as AA. The fellowship has seen many changes since 1935 the two biggest being the increase in women and young people. Around thirty-five percent of the fellowship is women and that is important since women are less likely than men to seek treatment for their alcohol problem. The increasing numbers of young people in AA is also encouraging as stereotypes about alcoholics diminish and young people can save themselves from the pain of wasting many years of their life by identifying and seeking treatment earlier.

Anybody who has heard of AA usually knows that AA's gather in meetings. There are literally thousands of Alcoholics Anonymous meetings every day around the country. Many are open to anybody who wishes to attend and some are restricted to only those who are willing to admit that they are alcoholics. There is little difference between the two in that they are both geared toward solving the drinking problem but the "closed" meeting allows alcoholics to feel more at ease with sharing their problems.

Loosely structured and again, no membership requirements as AA is an anonymous organization. Those who attend Alcoholics Anonymous can choose to share or not share that they are in the program, it is strictly up to the individual and no one has the right to break another's anonymity.

Much of the appeal of Alcoholics Anonymous is the lack of pressure it puts on the newcomer. Anyone who has a problem with alcohol is invited to attend and learn more about how the 12 steps are working for others. Newcomers can speak or not if they wish and can ask questions of those who have been in AA for awhile. It is common for meetings to have many people who have been completely sober for over one year, five years and ten years or more.

Alcoholics Anonymous is an important element to the National Treatment Referral because successful programs incorporate Alcoholics Anonymous and the 12 steps into their program. This is done for two reasons. First is that the 12 steps have been used successfully for over 60 years and have been incorporated into many other treatment programs for a variety of problems from over-eating, to sexual compulsion to gambling addiction. The second reason is that all treatment programs are relatively short-term in respect to the rest of your life. Alcoholics Anonymous offers a continuous support system in the recovery community that can be depended on during the most difficult moments of sobriety.

Millions of people have found the solution they sought through Alcoholics Anonymous and National Treatment Referral is a great place to start the process. The medical profession and AA agree that alcoholism is a progressive and fatal disease if not treated. Call us today.