Alcoholics AnonymousIf you’re suffering from alcohol addiction, one of the best ways to get help is by going to Alcoholics Anonymous (AA). This organization was founded in 1935 to help people overcome their substance abuse before, during, and after entering addiction treatment.

Today, over two million people are involved in AA, meaning the program has a huge impact on alcohol and drug treatment across the country. In particular, AA helps numerous Arizona residents every day. Learn more about AA, what meetings are like, and where you can go to a meeting in Arizona below.

What Is AA?

AA is an organization that helps both men and women battle their alcohol addiction by working through the 12 steps of recovery. Each step works on a different aspect of recovery. Everyone starts at step one, and there is no timeline for reaching step 12. Instead, you’ll go at your own pace by attending regular meetings.

The 12 steps of AA include:

  1. Admitting alcohol rendered your life unmanageable.
  2. Believing a higher power can help you regain sanity.
  3. Deciding to turn your will and life over to this higher power.
  4. Taking a fearless moral inventory of yourself and your actions.
  5. Admitting to your higher power, another person, and yourself exactly what you’ve done wrong.
  6. Becoming ready to have your higher power remove the defects in your character.
  7. Asking your higher power to eliminate your shortcomings.
  8. Creating a list of everyone you’ve harmed and preparing to make amends with them.
  9. Making amends to everyone on your list, except in instances when it might cause more harm than good.
  10. Continuing to take an inventory of yourself and admitting when you’re wrong.
  11. Using meditation and prayer to improve your relationship with your higher power and asking for your higher power’s guidance when it comes to what’s next.
  12. Bringing the message of your spiritual awakening to other alcoholics to help them heal.

As you can see, a main tenet of AA is submitting yourself to a higher power. AA is not affiliated with any specific religion or denomination, so the higher power can be whatever you choose it to be.

While AA is not a replacement for alcohol or drug rehab, many of these facilities utilize AA meetings as a part of recovery.

What Is an AA Meeting Like?

Contrary to what you see on TV, AA meetings don’t involve everyone proclaiming themselves alcoholics at the start of every meeting. Instead, you’ll start with the AA Preamble, which explains a little about the group. Then you’ll head into a short prayer directed to whatever higher power you believe in.

Depending on the goal of the meeting, you might discuss a certain step in particular. Regardless, people will begin to share their stories, progress, and anything else related to their recovery. Overall, the atmosphere is not unfriendly or sterile but rather warm and welcoming.

Where Can You Find an AA Meeting in Arizona?

Luckily, if you’re ready to join an AA group in Arizona, you have plenty of options. The Arizona Area Committee of Alcoholics Anonymous manages numerous intergroups throughout the state, all of which organize local meetings and programming. To find out more, check out your local intergroup:

  • Agua Fria Intergroup — servicing Glendale, Sun City, Litchfield Park, and more.
  • East Valley Intergroup — servicing Chandler, Mesa, Ahwatukee, Tempe, and more.
  • Payson Intergroup — servicing the Payson area.
  • Tucson Intergroup — servicing Oro Valley, Picture Rocks, Catalina, Saddlebrooke, Summerhaven, and more.
  • Tucson Hispanic Intergroup — providing Spanish language services for the Tucson area.
  • Central Mountain Intergroup — servicing Camp Verde, Cornville, Cottonwood, and more.
  • Flagstaff Intergroup — servicing the Flagstaff area.
  • Prescott Intergroup — servicing Prescott Valley, Bagdad, Chino Valley, and more.
  • River Cities Central Office — servicing Bullhead, Lake Havasu City, Kingman, and more.
  • Kingman Intergroup — servicing Kingman, Valley Vista, Meadview, and more.
  • Cochise County Intergroup — servicing Benson, Bisbee, Douglas, and more.
  • Havasu Intergroup — servicing the Lake Havasu City area.
  • Salt River Intergroup — servicing the Phoenix and Scottsdale areas.
  • Yuma Intergroup — servicing the Yuma, Somerton, and Quartzite areas.

If you’re struggling with alcohol addiction in Arizona, join an AA group as a part of your recovery.