800-643-9618
Get Help With Alcohol Addiction
- Find meetings near you
- Discover online or in person meetings
- Get 24 hour information on addiction
Who Answers?While you may be tempted to talk to your loved ones about what happens in AA, it is important to be careful not to share anyone else’s private information. If you are struggling with substance abuse, call
800-948-8417
Who Answers?
now to find safe, reliable rehab care that utilizes the 12-step method as part of treatment.
AA and Anonymity
It is important to protect the privacy of others while attending AA and going to meetings. According to the journal of Recent Developments in Alcoholism, “A key principle for 12-step groups is anonymity… Thus members can attend meetings without fear that their addiction or what they discuss… will be revealed to anyone outside the group.”
This is incredibly important to the program, so much so that it is the 12th principle of AA and should be followed at all times. Still, it can be difficult not to share what happens in your meetings with your friends and family members.
Can I Tell My Loved Ones What Goes on in AA?
Don’t share information about other people in AA.
It is important to always protect the anonymity of the other members. Your friends or family members may know them or they may be able to figure out who they are by what you tell them. Therefore, it is important to always put this principle first when discussing AA with others. You wouldn’t want someone in the meeting telling their friends about you, right?
However, there are ways you can talk to your loved ones about AA. Make sure to always focus on what happened to you. You can discuss what you said in the meeting, as this is your choice to make and your confidence to share. You can decide with whom you want to share it and how much of it.
You must never share the things that were said by others, though, especially if they are very personal feelings or stories that the individual would likely want to keep private.
Talk to a Counselor
If you need to talk to someone about your progress in AA and how the program is working for you, it can often help more to talk to a counselor than a friend or family member.
The National Institute on Drug Abuse states, “Twelve step facilitation therapy is an active engagement strategy” that many therapists use to help navigate their patients through AA and other mutual-help groups,” and this program could be very helpful to you as you attend AA.
Talking to a counselor is also safer because they will not reveal the things you have told them in your meetings.
Do You Need Treatment for Substance Abuse?
AA is a very beneficial program with a number of helpful tools for recovering addicts, but attending professional rehab is often the best way to start your recovery.
Call
800-948-8417
Who Answers?
to find rehab centers that use the 12 steps and AA meetings as part of rehab and that will cater to your specific needs by creating an individualized treatment program just for you.
How Al-Anon Helps Keep Loved Ones Engaged in the Drug Treatment Recovery
Addicts in recovery go through a difficult time coming to grips with the effects of addiction and making the needed changes to improve their lives. Likewise, loved ones also enter into a process of change in response to the addict’s growth and development. Change in any form can disrupt families as well as cause distress…