Alcoholics Anonymous is well known for helping alcoholics stay sober, but it’s also an effective resource for those who want to prevent a return to drinking, for many people, the first few AA meetings can be challenging many might find them too strict or even uncomfortable.
In addition, some people may wonder about the effectiveness of these meetings for relapse prevention, after all, as we know from science and clinical practice, any kind of external support is less effective than self-help programs such as reading books, working through your personal problems on your own time, or joining a self-help program like AA that you can turn to anytime and anywhere.
In this article, we will explore the reasons why AA meetings are effective at preventing relapses and how they work in conjunction with other recovery tools.
What Are the Benefits of AA Meetings
AA meetings provide a sense of community for alcoholics, and this can be incredibly helpful for people who have struggled with loneliness or isolation during their recovery, furthermore, na meetings in new york can help alcoholics develop a better understanding of their triggers for drinking, which can be a huge benefit for those who frequently drink when they are stressed.
AA meetings can also help people develop skills that will help them cope better with the ups and downs of life, for example, someone who drank because they were bored may find help and perspective in a discussion about how boredom can lead to a relapse.
Someone who drank to relieve stress may learn to deal with stress in a healthier way when connected with other members in an AA meeting.
How Alcoholics Anonymous Meetings Work for Relapse Prevention
AA meetings can help prevent relapse because they encourage members to reflect on how they feel before they drink so they can better understand why they are drinking, in this way, members can become aware of their triggers for drinking, which can help them better manage these triggers and thus prevent a relapse.
AA meetings can also help members make better plans for sobriety by encouraging them to form a more realistic plan for their recovery. They may do this by connecting with other members who have been sober for longer periods of time and who can share their experiences and insight.
AA meetings can also help members prevent relapses by building better support networks, this may sound like a vague idea, but in practice, it means that meeting attendees are more likely to seek support outside of the meeting when they are experiencing a relapse.
Does Alcoholics Anonymous Meetings Work Lasting
AA meetings can be an effective source of support for many people, but it’s important to note that these meetings can be helpful for the short-term but not for the long-term.
AA meetings can be effective for the short term because they provide a sense of community for alcoholics, which is often missing in the long term because alcoholics often find long-term support groups too judgmental or unwelcoming.
However, AA meetings can be helpful for the short-term because they provide a sense of community for alcoholics, but they are not effective for the long-term because they aren’t a sustainable source of support.
AA meetings aren’t a good long-term tool for recovery because they aren’t effective at providing long-term support, though they are a good source of support for the short-term, people who attend AA meetings as a long-term source of support are likely to experience many relapses because they are not a sustainable source of support.
