We Can Help . . .
Alcoholics Anonymous
Cooperation with the Professional Community
(CPC) Committee
 How Did A.A. Start?
 What is A.A.?
 How Big is A.A.?
 What Does A.A. Do?
 What A.A. Does Not Do
 The 12 Traditions of A.A.
How Did A.A. Start?

The Birth of A.A. and its growth in the U.S. & Canada had
its beginnings in 1935 at Akron, Ohio, as the outcome of
a meeting between Bill W., a New York stock analyst, and
Dr. Bob S., an Akron surgeon.
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Both had been hopeless alcoholics. Prior to that time, Bill
and Dr. Bob had each been in contact with the Oxford
Group, a mostly non-alcoholic fellowship that emphasized
universal spiritual values in daily living. In that period,
the Oxford Groups in America were headed by the noted
Episcopal clergyman, Dr. Samuel Shoemaker.
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Under this spiritual influence, and with the help of an oldtime friend, Ebby T., Bill had gotten sober and had then
maintained his recovery by working with other alcoholics,
though none of these had actually recovered. Meanwhile,
Dr. Bob’s Oxford Group membership at Akron had not
helped him enough to achieve sobriety.
How Did A.A. Start?

When Dr. Bob and Bill finally met, through the assistance
of a clergyman, the effect on the doctor was immediate.
This time, he found himself face to face with a fellow
sufferer who had made good. Bill hammered home that
alcoholism was a malady of mind, emotions and body. He
had learned this all-important fact from Dr. William D.
Silkworth of Towns Hospital in New York, where Bill had
often been a patient.
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Though a physician himself, Dr. Bob had not known
alcoholism to be a disease. Responding to Bill’s
convincing ideas, he soon got sober, never to drink again.
The founding spark of A.A. had been struck.

Both men immediately set to work with alcoholics at
Akron’s City Hospital, where one patient quickly achieved
complete sobriety.
How Did A.A. Start?

Though the name Alcoholics Anonymous had yet to be
coined, these three men actually made up the nucleus of
the first A.A. group.
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In the fall of 1935, a second group of alcoholics slowly
took shape in New York. A third appeared at Cleveland in
1939. It had taken more than four years to produce 100
sober alcoholics in the three founding groups.
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Early in 1939, the Fellowship published its basic
textbook, Alcoholics Anonymous. The text, written by Bill,
explained A.A.’s philosophy and methods, the core of
which was the now well-known Twelve Steps of recovery.
The book was also reinforced by case histories of some
thirty recovered members. From this point, the
development of Alcoholics Anonymous was rapid.
 How Did A.A. Start?
 What is A.A.?
 How Big is A.A.?
 What Does A.A. Do?
 What A.A. Does Not Do
 The 12 Traditions of A.A.
What is A.A.?

Alcoholics Anonymous® is a fellowship of men and
women…
A.A. members need always maintain personal anonymity at the
level of press, radio, film, TV, etc. In all other cases, we can say
we’re members but should never break another member’s
anonymity. A.A. is not a religious group, cult, business, etc.
Nor is it a social club or dating service. A.A. membership is open
to men and woman of all ages, races, creeds and colors
assuming they meet our one requirement.

… who share their experience, strength and hope with
each other …
A.A. members don’t give each other advice nor require any type
of conformance. A.A. provides no professional or social services.
We simply share what we’ve done and the results we have
gotten.
What is A.A.?

…that they may solve their common problem and help
others to recover from alcoholism.
Alcoholism is our focus. Helping others helps us. We recover.
However, we are never cured.
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The only requirement for membership is a desire to stop
drinking.
Anyone with a drinking problem who has a desire to stop may
become an A.A. member. A.A. members do not diagnose each
other. Each member must declare himself or herself an alcoholic.
Individuals who have no history of problem drinking are not
eligible for A.A. membership.

There are no dues or fees for A.A. membership;
It costs nothing to join A.A. or to remain a member of Alcoholics
Anonymous.
What is A.A.?

…we are self-supporting through our own contributions.
A.A. accepts money from no one but its members. There is a
$2,000 limit per member per year.

A.A. is not allied with any sect, denomination, politics,
organization or institution;
A.A. has no religious, political or business affiliations. We are not
linked to any other 12-Step programs. A.A. has no connection
with any medical or treatment centers.

does not wish to engage in any controversy;
A.A. does not support one medical or psychological viewpoint
over another as it relates to alcoholism.

neither endorses nor opposes any causes.
A.A. is not a temperance movement. A.A. is not opposed to or in
favor of drinking alcohol.
What is A.A.?

Our primary purpose is to stay sober and help other
alcoholics to achieve sobriety.
A.A. members have no other agendas or objectives but to
maintain their sobriety and pass along what was freely given to
them. Rarely have we seen a person fail who has thoroughly
followed our path. People recover if they work the 12 Steps.
The A.A. Preamble
Alcoholics Anonymous is a fellowship of men and women
who share their experience, strength and hope with each
other that they may solve their common problem and help
others to recover from alcoholism. 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 allied with any
sect, denomination, politics, organization, or institution;
does not wish to engage in any controversy; neither
endorses nor opposes any causes. Our primary purpose is to
stay sober and help other alcoholics to achieve sobriety.
 How Did A.A. Start?
 What is A.A.?
 How Big is A.A.?
 What Does A.A. Do?
 What A.A. Does Not Do
 The 12 Traditions of A.A.
How Big is A.A.?

Because A.A. has never attempted to keep formal
membership lists, it is extremely difficult to obtain
completely accurate figures on total membership at any
given time.

Some local groups are not listed with the U.S./Canada
General Service Office (in New York). Others do not
provide membership data, so they’re not recorded on the
G.S.O. computer records.

The membership figures we have are based on reports to
the General Service Office as of January 1, 2002, plus an
average allowance for groups that have not reported
their membership.
How Big is A.A.?

There is no practical way of counting members who are
not affiliated with a local group.

Estimated A.A. Membership and Group Information:
Groups in U.S.
Groups in Canada
Members in U.S.
Members in Canada
Groups Overseas
Members Overseas
Internationalists
Groups in Correctional Facilities
U.S./Canada
Lone Members
Total Members:
Total Groups:
51,537
4,903
1,168,990
96,100
44,762
760,140
74
2,566
214
2,092,460
103,768
How Big is A.A.?

INTERNATIONALISTS (SEAGOING A.A.s)
Approximately 74 persons in naval service or the merchant
marine on sea duty describe themselves as "A.A.
Internationalists." General Service Office staff members
correspond with these members and make it possible for them
to correspond with each other. Internationalists have been
responsible for starting and encouraging local A.A. groups in
many ports.
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LONERS
Some 214 men and women living in isolated areas throughout
the world (or in areas where it has not been possible to form a
local group) are listed at the General Service Office as Lone
Members. Many achieved sobriety solely through study of A.A.
literature. They correspond with G.S.O. and with their
counterparts in other sections of the world. In a number of
cases, notably U.S. military installations overseas, Loners have
been responsible for establishing local groups.
 How Did A.A. Start?
 What is A.A.?
 How Big is A.A.?
 What Does A.A. Do?
 What A.A. Does Not Do
 The 12 Traditions of A.A.
What Does A.A. Do?

The relative success of the A.A. program seems to be due
to the fact that an alcoholic who no longer drinks has an
exceptional faculty for "reaching" and helping an
uncontrolled drinker.

In simplest form, the A.A. program operates when
recovered alcoholics pass along the story of their own
problem drinking, describing the sobriety they have
found in A.A., and invite the newcomer to join the
informal Fellowship.

The heart of the suggested program of personal recovery
is contained in Twelve Steps describing the experience of
the earliest members of the Society
What Does A.A. Do?

A.A. members share their experience with anyone
seeking help with a drinking problem; they give personto-person service or "sponsorship" to the alcoholic
coming to A.A. from any source.

The A.A. program, set forth in our Twelve Steps, offers
the alcoholic a way to develop a satisfying life without
alcohol. And it is this program that we discuss at A.A.
group meetings.

Newcomers are not asked to accept or follow these
Twelve Steps in their entirety if they feel unwilling or
unable to do so. They will usually be asked to keep an
open mind, to attend meetings at which recovered
alcoholics describe their personal experiences in
achieving sobriety, and to read A.A. literature describing
and interpreting the A.A. program of recovery.
What Does A.A. Do?

A.A. members will usually emphasize to newcomers that
only problem drinkers themselves, individually, can
determine whether or not they are in fact alcoholics.

At the same time, it will be pointed out that all available
medical testimony indicates that alcoholism is a
progressive illness, that it cannot be cured in the
ordinary sense of the term, but that it can be arrested
through total abstinence from alcohol in any form.

Before coming to A.A., about 60% of the members
received some type of treatment or counseling, such as
medical, psychological, spiritual, etc.

A.A. has a long history of cooperating but not affiliating
with outside organizations and being available to provide
A.A. meetings or information about A.A. upon request.
 How Did A.A. Start?
 What is A.A.?
 How Big is A.A.?
 What Does A.A. Do?
 What A.A. Does Not Do
 The 12 Traditions of A.A.
What A.A. Does Not Do
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Furnish initial motivation for alcoholics to recover
Solicit members
Engage in or sponsor research
Keep attendance records or case histories
Join “councils” of social agencies
Follow up or try to control its members
Make medical or psychological diagnoses or prognoses
Provide drying-out or nursing services, hospitalization, drugs,
or any medical or psychiatric treatment
Offer religious services
Engage in education about alcohol
Provide housing, food, clothing, jobs, money, or any other
welfare or social services
Provide domestic or vocational counseling
Accept any money for its services, or any contributions from
non-A.A. sources
Provide letters of reference to parole boards, lawyers, court
officials, social agencies, employers, etc.
 How Did A.A. Start?
 What is A.A.?
 How Big is A.A.?
 What Does A.A. Do?
 What A.A. Does Not Do
 The 12 Traditions of A.A.
The Twelve Traditions of A.A.

During its first decade, A.A. as a fellowship accumulated
substantial experience which indicated that certain group
attitudes and principles were particularly valuable in
assuring survival of the informal structure of the
Fellowship. In 1946, in the Fellowship’s international
journal, the A.A. Grapevine, these principles were
reduced to writing by the founders and early members as
the Twelve Traditions of Alcoholics Anonymous. They
were accepted and endorsed by the membership as a
whole at the International Convention of A.A., at
Cleveland, Ohio, in 1950.

Tradition 3 states: The only requirement for A.A.
membership is a desire to stop drinking.

Tradition 5 states: Each group has but one primary
purpose—to carry its message to the alcoholic who still
suffers.
The Twelve Traditions of A.A.
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
The A.A. Preamble states: Our primary purpose is to stay
sober and help other alcoholics to achieve sobriety
(freedom from alcohol).
Singleness of Purpose and Problems Other Than Alcohol
It’s worth noting that the Third Tradition was written primarily to
keep the doors of A.A. open to everyone who suffered from
alcoholism. We also think the Third Tradition assumes we are
talking about a person who has a drinking problem. Therefore, a
person without a history of problem drinking is not eligible for
A.A. membership. This would of course include nonalcoholic
drug addicts. A drug addict with a drinking problem can become
an A.A. member.
George E. Vaillant, M.D., nonalcoholic trustee of the A.A. General
Service Board, made the following statement: "Singleness of
purpose is essential to the effective treatment of alcoholism.
Unless alcoholism is kept relentlessly in the foreground, other
issues will usurp everybody's attention."
The Twelve Traditions of A.A.

Alcoholism and drug addiction are often referred to as
"substance abuse" or "chemical dependency”.
Alcoholics and non-alcoholics are often introduced to A.A.
and encouraged to attend A.A. meetings. However, it
needs to be made clear that non-alcoholics should only
be directed to “open” meetings and that they understand
they are not eligible to be A.A. members.
– Open A.A. meetings are open to alcoholics and nonalcoholics. However, as an Alcoholics Anonymous meeting,
the topic should always remain on the A.A. message of
recovery from alcoholism. Accordingly, non-alcoholics, having
no relevant experience to share, should sit back, relax and
listen during these meetings.
– Closed meetings are for alcoholics or prospective A.A.
members only.
The Twelve Traditions and Professionals

Part of our responsibility as A.A. members is to help
professionals understand our Traditions. While they are
not bound by them, professionals should understand that
they can negatively impact Alcoholics Anonymous by
refusing to acknowledge our Twelve Traditions.

Sending non-alcoholics to A.A. – with the understanding
that they will be accepted as members – is not only not
correct, it’s in direct defiance of the expressed wishes of
A.A. as a whole.

Our co-founder Bill W. said there is simply no way to turn
a non-alcoholic into an alcoholic. And frankly, why try?
We can’t provide the help they need and they will suffer
as a result. Selfishly and more important to us, they will
divert us from our primary purpose.
The Twelve Traditions and Professionals

What Do You Mean by Cooperation and Not Affiliation?
A.A. has a long history of cooperating but not affiliating with
outside organizations. Upon request, we are always available to
provide information about Alcoholics Anonymous and A.A.
meetings. While we are guided again by our traditions, we need
to understand and respect the regulations, laws and procedures
which dictate the conduct of our professional friends.
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Tradition 6 states: An A.A. group ought never endorse,
finance or lend the A.A. name to any related facility or
outside enterprise, lest problems of money, property and
prestige divert us from our primary purpose.
Our cooperation is never to be taken as an endorsement. We
should never be linked with a facility or group publicly. We also
don’t become active in the official proceedings or procedures of
any outside group, organization or facility.
The Twelve Traditions and Professionals
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Tradition 8 states: Alcoholics Anonymous should remain
forever nonprofessional, but our service centers may
employ special workers. Our Twelve Step work is done for
free. We accept no money for this work.
Tradition 10 states: Alcoholics Anonymous has no opinion
on outside issues; hence the A.A. name ought never be
drawn into public controversy.
As Alcoholics Anonymous members, we express no public
opinion regarding the policies or procedures of the professional
groups or organization with which we cooperate.
Tradition 11: Our public relations policy is based on
attraction rather than promotion; we need always
maintain personal anonymity at the level of press, radio,
and films. We never require our members to attend meetings.
And, we never break or allow others to break our anonymity at
the public level. In addition newcomers should be able to seek
help with assurance that their identities will not be disclosed to
anyone outside the Fellowship.
How You Can Help

The primary purpose of Alcoholics Anonymous is to carry
its message of recovery to the alcoholic seeking help.
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How the Clergy Can Help:
– Professionals such as you will see many more people with
difficulties related to alcohol than we will.
– Many of us found sobriety when a professional who was educated
enough and cared enough made an effective referral to A.A.

Crisis, often a precipitator of sobriety
– Every sober member of A.A. had some sort of personal crisis at the
time they became sober.
– This crisis can range from real consequences related to drinking
such as incarceration, divorce, or loss of a job. to potential or
threatened actions such as warnings to stop drinking from a spouse
or employer or possible legal consequences.
– Crisis can be a springboard for recovery if used right. It has been
our experience that the greatest chance of sobriety happens when
the individual in crisis comes in contact with an experienced sober
member of A.A., with whom they can relate.
How You Can Help

Referring an Individual with an Alcohol Problem to A.A.
– Get to know one or two members of A.A. in your area with
experience in this type of work and whom you feel comfortable
calling on.
– Attend an open A.A. meeting with them to familiarize yourself first
hand with the program.
– Set up a meeting between the A.A. member and the individual with
difficulties related to alcohol (an exchange of phone numbers is
usually adequate).
– If you are not familiar with experienced A.A. members in your area,
contact Richmond A.A., by e-mail (publicinfo@aarichmond.org) or
phone (804-355-1212) and we will put you in contact with a
member in your area who has done a lot of 12th Step work.
– Avoid sending the individual troubled by alcohol directly to A.A.as
experience has shown this to be far less effective.