AA has "a policy of non-affiliation." This link is simply being provided for informational purposes only
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- ALATEEN - AL-ANON FAMILY GROUP PHILOSOPHY
GLOSSARY OF TERMS
WHAT IS A.A.? Alcoholics Anonymous is a voluntary, worldwide fellowship of men and women from all walks of life who meet together to attain and maintain sobriety by sharing their experience and hope with each other that they may solve their common problem and help others to recover from alcoholism and related problems. Our primary purpose is to stay sober and help other alcoholics to achieve sobriety.
MEMBERSHIP The only requirement for membership is a desire to stop drinking. There are no dues or fees for A.A. membership; we are self supporting through our own contributions. A.A. is not aligned with any sect, denomination, politics, organization or institution; does not wish to engage in any controversy; neither endorses nor opposes any causes.
THE 24 HOUR PLAN We take no pledges, we do not say that we will "never" drink again. Instead, we try to follow what is called in A.A. as the "24 hour plan." We concentrate on keeping sober just the current 24 hours. We simply try to get through "one day at a time" without a drink. If we feel the urge for a drink, we neither yield nor resist. We merely put off taking that particular drink until tomorrow.
SPONSOR Members that have made themselves available to new or needy members. A sponsor will have successfully stayed sober for some time, (usually a year or more) and will help members put into practice the A.A. program of recovery.
OPEN MEETINGS Everyone can attend an open meeting. An open A.A. meeting may take on one of several forms, but at any meeting you will find drinkers and alcoholics talking about what drinking did to their lives and personalities, what actions they took to help themselves, and how they are living their lives today.
CLOSED MEETING Advanced members, those members who have a problem with alcohol, working on recovery, early and unsure members are not usually members of the closed group. Those with substantial motivation, activity, and a relationship to the A.A. principles will be attending the closed groups.
BIG BOOK STUDIES An open meeting that studies the Alcoholics Anonymous Big Book containing the philosophy and story of how many thousands of men and women have recovered from alcoholism. The big book is considered the basic text for our society and has helped men and women in recovery.
THE 12 STEPS Twelve principles around which we live our lives in trying to put into practice the A.A. program of recovery.
WHAT ARE ALATEEN & AL-ANON FAMILY GROUPS?
Each Al-Anon or Alateen Family Group has only one purpose: to help families and friends of alcoholics. This is achieved by "offering comfort, hope, and friendship to the families and friends of compulsive drinkers, providing the opportunity to grow through living by the Twelve Steps adapted from Alcoholics Anonymous, and sharing experience in coping with the disease of alcoholism and how the program helps in understanding and encouragement of the alcoholic."
ALATEEN MEETINGS ALATEEN meetings are for young people (usually ages 12 to 20) whose lives have been affected by someone else's drinking. Where there are no Alateen Meetings, young people are encouraged to attend Al-Anon meetings.