Alcoholics Anonymous And The Philosophies Essay - 1883 Words

Alcoholics Anonymous and The Philosophies in Between: Conflicting Philosophies Between the Original Twelve-Step Alcohol’s Anonymous Program and The New Counseling Profession Brandon R. McIver University of Oregon Abstract This paper concerns the notoriously well known successful treatment program, Alcoholics Anonymous twelve-step program, and contrasts it to what would be referred to as a revised version of the original program. Alcoholics Anonymous has been one of the primary sources of addiction recovery in individuals for numerous years. It allows its participants, who are deemed to be part of an international fellowship of both men and women alike, an opportunity to join in a camaraderie that is self-supporting, multiracial, nonprofessional, and conveniently available in a variety of locations. It aims to let its participants share personal experiences and partake in a group atmosphere where the lead counselor bans judgment. The fundamental values of Alcoholics Anonymous exist in the twelve core steps that attendees are encouraged to follow in an effort to redeem control of their alcohol addiction problem. Alcoholics Anonymous has been proven to change participants’ principal values an d assist them in changing their perceived outlook on life for an increased potential at living a healthier and addiction free lifestyle. However, the twelve core values of Alcoholics Anonymous have been challenged and questioned in an effort toShow MoreRelatedThe Treatment Philosophy Of Alcoholics Anonymous Essay1214 Words   |  5 PagesMeeting attended: Alcoholics Anonymous, Serenity Group, Urban Ministries, 03/07/2016, 1200. The treatment philosophy of Alcoholics Anonymous (AA) is that of a 12-step program, additionally, the group caters to individuals who are recovering, or trying to recover from alcoholism. This group only focuses on alcohol abuse/misuse and not any other types of addiction. The 12-step program used by AA uses a person s spirituality to focus their attention on their higher power and how they might draw strengthRead MoreAlcoholics Anonymous An Open Meeting1188 Words   |  5 PagesAlcoholics Anonymous an Open Meeting Dominique Steinburg describes mutual aid as a process through which people develop collaborative, supportive, and trustworthy relationships; identify and use existing strengths and/or to develop new ones; and work together toward individual and/or collective psychosocial goals. (Steinburg, 2010) Alcoholics Anonymous is mutual aid group that supports individuals in their recovery from alcohol dependence. Established in the mid 1930’s, Alcoholics Anonymous wasRead More12-Step Research Paper1506 Words   |  7 Pagesnearly all recovery programs still in use today. The program was originally called Twelve Steps for Alcoholics and is now referred to as the Twelve Step Program. The origins of the Twelve Step Program are unique. The Twelve-Step Program was the creation of a gentleman named Bill Wilson. Wilson was a stockbroker originally from New York who moved to Akron, Ohio, in 1935. Wilson was an alcoholic. After his relocation to Akron, he was extremely lonely and his drinking increased; in spite of thisRead MoreThe Effects Of Alcoholism On The Alcoholic874 Words   |  4 Pagesthe alcoholic and the people around them, but it does so in a much different way than a disease such as cancer. Instead, alcoholism is a disease of both physical and mental dependence. Most diseases are treated by surgery or medication, but the only way to fix the problem of alcohol abuse is by changing the mindset of the alcoholic. This is why Hazelden Betty Ford uses mental adjustment techniques to treat alcoholics at its centers. Their philosophy relies on the fact that the alcoholic is mentallyRead MoreMy Critique Of Yoga And The Clinical World Of Counseling1633 Words   |  7 PagesThe authors highlight this with a n insightful quote from Vytas Baskauskas, a recovering addict who also teaches yoga in Santa Monica, CA. â€Å"When you’re an addict,† Baskauskas says, â€Å"you often have a hole in your life, and by filling it with the philosophy of yoga, God—whatever you want to call it—that’s a high too. But it’s a high that won’t kill your relationships, hurt your family, or your body.† (Yoga for Addiction Recovery, Yoga Journal 2012) Baskauskas, according to the article, suffered fromRead MoreWilliam Griffith Wilson: Co-Founder of Alcoholic Anonymous1390 Words   |  6 Pageseventually married on January 24, 1918 right before Bill had left for World War I. (â€Å"Bill Wilson†, 2012). Bill W. served as a Second Lieutenant in the Coast Artillery. Bill had finally, in the military, experienced his â€Å"first drink†. According to Alcoholics Anonymous (2001), Bill stated, â€Å" I had found the elixir of life.† This first drink led to the second and all the drinks in the years to come for Bill, as he began drinking heavily and excessively. After the war, he went to live with Lois in New YorkRead MoreAlcoholics Anonymous : A History, Its Implications And The Meeting1531 Words   |  7 PagesAlcoholics Anonymous: A History, its Implications and the Meeting Support groups, how well do support groups actually benefit individuals and how are these support groups incorporated so that the techniques can actually assist someone? In researching this particular topic of Alcoholic Anonymous the results indicated that there is a diversity of AA groups. Although they all have the same objective there are variations in methods and techniques which are implemented to be able to infiltrate theRead More Alcoholics Anonymous Essay1355 Words   |  6 Pagesâ€Å"early A.A.† refers to the early fellowships and meetings held in Akron, Ohio. These meetings took place between 1935 and 1939 when Alcoholics Anonymous was an integral part of â€Å"A First Century Christian Fellowship† (Pitman 56). A.A. was the outcome of a meeting between Bill W., a New York stockbroker, and Dr. Bob S., an Akron surgeon. Both had been hopeless alcoholics (Fingarette 14). nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;Before this time, Bill and Dr. Bob had each been in contact with the Oxford Group,Read MoreAlcoholics Anonymous : An International Mutual Aid Fellowship1574 Words   |  7 PagesAlcoholics Anonymous is an international mutual aid fellowship founded in 1935 by Bill Wilson and Dr. Bob Smith in Akron, Ohio. AA states that its primary purpose is to help alcoholics to stay sober and help other alcoholics achieve sobriety. With other early members Bill Wilson and Bob Smith developed AA s Twelve Step program of spiritual and character development. AA s initial Twelve Traditions were introduced in 1946 to help the fellowship be stable and unified while disengaged from outsideRead MoreCounseling For Alcohol And Drug Abuse1679 Words   |  7 Pagesor actively in recovery, the clinician must take their time with introducing the 12 Steps. The individual may not be open to the 12 Step philosophies at the onset. Addiction is very complex and actively affects the person o n a daily basis; therefore, it is so important to start from the beginning of counseling to create a structured program. Alcoholics Anonymous has given a wonderful platform of structure for the addicted ones to create a safe, solid, 12 Step guideline to follow, in order to maintain