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Concept
Alcoholics Anonymous
Summary
Alcoholics Anonymous (AA) is a global peer-led mutual aid fellowship dedicated to abstinence-based recovery from alcoholism through its spiritually-inclined twelve-step program. Following its twelve traditions, AA is non-professional, non-denominational, apolitical and unaffiliated. In 2020 AA estimated its worldwide membership to be over two million with 75% of those in the U.S.—its country of origin—and Canada.
Many AA members have independently promoted the disease model of alcoholism towards greater acceptance, although an otherwise receptive AA declines to endorse it. Regarding its effectiveness, a 2020 scientific review showed that in all observed demographic groups clinical interventions increasing AA participation (AA Twelve Step Facilitation, AA/TSF) had higher abstinence rates compared to other well-established treatments. Most studies in the review also found that AA/TSF led to lower health costs.
In 1935, the recognized start of AA, Bill Wilson (Bill W.) first commiserated alcoholic-to-alcoholic with Bob Smith (Dr. Bob). Meeting through AA's immediate precursor the Christian revivalist Oxford Group, they aided other alcoholics there until forming AA. In 1939 the new fellowship, then mostly male and white, published Alcoholics Anonymous: The Story of How More Than One Hundred Men Have Recovered From Alcoholism, also known as the Big Book, from which AA draws it name. Since its first edition the Big Book has contained AA's twelve steps, and beginning in 1950 with its second edition, the Big Book has included the twelve traditions; created so AA would stay as what Wilson called a "benign anarchy".
AA's twelve steps are a suggested and continuing program of spiritual growth, better conduct, atonement, and of helping other alcoholics. Divining and following the will of God "as we understood Him" is integral to the steps, but differing practices and beliefs, including those of atheists and other non-theists, are accepted and accommodated.
Official source
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