An Overview of Alcoholics Anonymous (A.A.)

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Alcoholics Anonymous (A.A.) is an international program focused on supporting people during alcohol recovery, with a goal of helping them achieve and sustain sobriety. Meetings cost nothing to attend and are available almost everywhere.

What are A.A. meetings and how can they help? We'll cover those topics here. We also discuss who can join Alcoholics Anonymous and what research has found about the effectiveness of attending these meetings when overcoming alcohol misuse or abuse.

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History of Alcoholics Anonymous

Alcoholics Anonymous, or A.A. as it is widely known, was founded in 1935 by Bill W. and Dr. Bob S. in Akron, Ohio. While each of these men had their own journey of recovery, it wasn't until they met face to face that they realized the power of speaking with a "fellow sufferer" for achieving complete sobriety.

The first A.A. group consisted of only Bill, Dr. Bob, and a patient at an Akron hospital. In 1939, the program expanded, largely due to the publication of the book, Alcoholics Anonymous, which is known as the "Big Book." The growth of people's interest in A.A. increased more after a 1941 article in the Saturday Evening Post about the group.

Who Can Join Alcoholics Anonymous

The only qualification for A.A. membership is a desire to stop drinking. There are no other requirements to join this fellowship and attend a meeting.

Some members attend A.A. meetings on their own. Others attend due to pressure from a loved one or because they are required by the court, such as after being arrested for drunk driving.

However, the organization reinforces that it is not interested in who made the referral to A.A. Instead, its only concern is the person attending.

A.A. is often thought to be affiliated with a certain religion due to "God" and "higher power" references in its literature, but this fellowship stresses that its membership is open to anyone regardless of their beliefs (or non-beliefs).

What Are A.A. Meetings?

There are two types of A.A. meetings: open and closed. Open A.A. meetings can be attended by anyone whereas closed A.A. meetings are for members only. Most AA meetings are closed.

There are four basic A.A. meeting formats:

• Beginners: This meeting is designed for people new to Alcoholics Anonymous. A member who has maintained sobriety generally leads these meetings, which can take the form of a discussion or they can involve a deeper dive into the first three steps of the program's Twelve Steps.
• Discussion: This type of meeting is led by a "leader" or "chair" who chooses what will be talked about during the gathering. Common topics of discussion include the Twelve Steps, Twelve Traditions, and Daily Reflections.
• Speaker: This format involves one or two pre-selected members who share their stories. Some groups prefer that speakers have maintained their sobriety for a certain length of time before taking on this role. Generally, these are open meetings.
• Step, Tradition, or Big Book: During these meetings, materials from various A.A. resources are read aloud to the group.

What to Expect at an A.A. Meeting

A.A. meetings are opened by the chair, with some meetings then calling for recitation of the Serenity Prayer or a moment of silence. New attendees are then encouraged to introduce themselves, though they don't have to if they aren't comfortable doing so.

Often, the next step is to read a passage from the Big Book and reinforcement about the importance of member privacy and anonymity. A.A. meetings typically close with a prayer, moment of silence, recitation of the Responsibility Statement, or by reading a section of another A.A. text.

Effectiveness of A.A. Meetings

Alcoholics Anonymous meetings may be accessible, but do they work? Do they truly help attendees achieve and maintain sobriety? According to research, the answer is yes.

A 2020 review looked at 27 studies involving a total of 10,565 participants and noted that A.A. and other twelve-step programs are effective for increasing abstinence. The authors also reported that these programs appear to be as effective as other alcohol treatment methods.

Other studies have analyzed the effectiveness of peer support, in general, during substance use recovery and found that it contributed to a variety of improved outcomes. Outcomes were also improved for individuals with co-occurring substance use and mental health issues.

Is Alcoholics Anonymous for You?

While A.A. meetings aren't based on a specific religion, they do include spiritual aspects. For some, these aspects of the program can be a stumbling block.

It's also important to note that whether A.A. works depends, in part, on finding a meeting that's a good fit. For example, an intercity group of A.A. members who are mostly homeless may not be as beneficial for other demographics.

Fortunately, there are many different types of meetings for people from different backgrounds or with similar situations. The only way to know for sure whether A.A. may be a good fit is to attend a meeting. There are no dues or fees, so it doesn't cost anything to try it out.

If you or a loved one are struggling with substance use or addiction, contact the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) National Helpline at 1-800-662-4357 for information on support and treatment facilities in your area.

For more mental health resources, see our National Helpline Database.

How to Find an A.A. Meeting

Individuals living in North America can find a local A.A. meeting via the Alcoholics Anonymous website. This website contains an A.A. meeting search option. Alternatively, it also allows site visitors to select a specific state or region, providing all meeting locations in that area.

Verywell Mind uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read our editorial process to learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.

1. Mendola A, Gibson RL. Addiction, 12-step programs, and evidentiary standards for ethically and clinically sound treatment recommendations: What should clinicians do?. AMA J Ethics. 2016;18(6):646-655. doi:10.1001/journalofethics.2016.18.6.sect1-1606
2. Alcoholics Anonymous. Understanding Alcoholics Anonymous and spirituality.
3. Kelly JF, Humphreys K, Ferri M. Alcoholics Anonymous and other 12-step programs for alcohol use disorder. Cochrane Database Syst Rev. 2020;3:CD012880. doi:10.1002/14651858.CD012880.pub2
4. Bassuk EL, Hanson J, Greene RN, Richard M, Laudet A. Peer-delivered recovery support services for addictions in the United States: A systematic review. J Subst Abuse Treat. 2016;63:1-9. doi:10.1016/j.jsat.2016.01.003

• Alcoholics Anonymous. History of A.A.
• Alcoholics Anonymous. What to expect at an A.A. meeting.
• Alcoholics Anonymous. What is A.A.?

By Buddy T
Buddy T is a writer and founding member of the Online Al-Anon Outreach Committee with decades of experience writing about alcoholism. Because he is a member of a support group that stresses the importance of anonymity at the public level, he does not use his photograph or his real name on this website.

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