The Alcoholics Anonymous Mission Statement

__________________________________________________________________

The Alcoholics Anonymous mission statement is essentially their Preamble.

The Alcoholics Anonymous Preamble

image: middle age female alcoholic in need of alcoholics anonymous The following is the Alcoholics Anonymous 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.

The diagnosis of alcoholism is generally made by reviewing the person's behavior except when the person has symptoms of withdrawal or damage to organs as a result of alcohol consumption.

The Mission Statement of Area Alcoholics Anonymous Groups

It is interesting to note that various Alcoholics Anonymous regions or areas have their own mission statements. 

image: this young female alcoholic could use alcoholics anonymous These more "local" statements of operation do not deviate in any way from the parent AA organization; they merely outline how the local AA areas go about doing their recovery work in their local areas.

For instance, the following is the Mission Statement for area 16, Georgia:

To communicate what Alcoholics Anonymous is to the visitor and to do so in a simple way. Hence the content being the Preamble and the external links to the General Service Offices of Alcoholics Anonymous and the Grapevine.

To direct visitors to meeting places by providing group names, the street address of meeting places, general driving directions to the meetings, and current meeting schedules.

To serve as an internal tool to dispense continually up to date meeting schedules in a cost effective package on one page, for copies, if possible, and with ease of editing for the webmasters.  

According to one study, an overwhelming majority of teenagers and their parents agreed that alcohol use is a greater problem than the use of other drugs.

The Mission Statement of AAOnline

Due to the popularity and the accessibility of the Internet, alcoholics have access to the AA message and recovery program online.  One such online AA organization is AAOnline.  The following represents the mission statement of AAOnline.

image: male ad for alcohol and drug treatment

Call your doctor whenever you or someone you love has an alcohol-related problem. Remember, alcoholism is an illness that can be treated, not a sign of weakness or poor character.

The primary purpose of AAOnline.net is to carry the Alcoholics Anonymous message of recovery to the alcoholic who still suffers. In using this electronic medium, the message of recovery can be brought to those unable to physically attend meetings and shared under the protection of increased anonymity with those who would not otherwise have made contact in any other way.  

During the last stage of alcoholism, benders are typical.  More specifically, during this stage, the alcoholic frequently gets helplessly drunk and may remain in this condition for days at a time.  The unattainable goal for the alcoholic at this time is to find the feeling of euphoria they once experienced.

Our purpose at AAOnline.net also includes supporting the continued recovery of those wishing to supplement their regular face to face meetings of Alcoholics Anonymous in the continuation of their journey of spiritual awakening and in becoming happy and usefully whole.

source:  AAOnline

The Alcoholics Anonymous Mission Statement:  Conclusion

Although the Alcoholics Anonymous mission statement is their Preamble, numerous local Alcoholics Anonymous groups, however, have their own mission statements.

It is important to mention, however, that these local "statements of operation" do not deviate in any significant manner from the parent Alcoholics Anonymous organization; they simply articulate how the local Alcoholics Anonymous groups conduct "recovery work" in their local areas.

image: female ad for alcohol and drug counseling

Please Add Our Website To Your Favorite Bookmarks!

Through prevention and intervention strategies directed at the individual, family, school, and community, knowledge can be provided, belief systems can be changed and social norms can reinforce the message that underage alcohol use is unacceptable. The goal is to enhance young peoples’ self–esteem, self–motivation, and identity formation and to enable them to take responsibility for their own health by making informed, deliberate, and healthy choices regarding alcohol use.

____________________________________________________