Alcoholics Anonymous is an international mutual aid fellowship founded in 1935 by Bill Wilson and Dr. Bob Smith in Akron, Ohio, USA. A.A's twelve step program is outlined in the book "Alcoholics Anonymous." You can read the book online by clicking on the link.
This is the Foreword (to the book "Alcoholics Anonymous") as it appeared in the first printing of the first edition in 1939:
"We, of Alcoholics Anonymous, are more than one hundred men and women who have recovered from a seemingly hopeless state of mind and body. To show other alcoholics precisely how we have recovered is the main purpose of this book. For them, we hope these pages will prove so convincing that no further authentication will be necessary. We think this account of our experiences will help everyone to better understand the alcoholic. Many do not comprehend that the alcoholic is a very sick person. And besides, we are sure that our way of living has its advantages for all.
It is important that we remain anonymous because we are too few, at present to handle the overwhelming number of personal appeals which may result from this publication. Being mostly business or professional folk, we could not well carry on our occupations in such an event. We would like it understood that our alcoholic work is an avocation. When writing or speaking publicly about alcoholism, we urge each of our Fellowship to omit his personal name, designating himself instead as “a member of Alcoholics Anonymous. “Very earnestly we ask the press also, to observe this request, for otherwise we shall be greatly handicapped.
We are not an organization in the conventional sense of the word. There are no fees or dues whatsoever. The only requirement for membership is an honest desire to stop drinking. We are not allied with any particular faith, sect or denomination, nor do we oppose anyone. We simply wish to be helpful to those who are afflicted.
We shall be interested to hear from those who are getting results from this book, particularly from those who have commenced work with other alcoholics. We should like to be helpful to such cases. Inquiry by scientific, medical, and religious societies will be welcomed."
pp xiii-xiv from the book Alcoholics Anonymous (copyright © 1939, 1955, 1976, 2001 by Alcoholics Anonymous World Services, Inc.)
FAAMATALAGA I LE A.A. Alcoholics Anonymous o le mafutaga a alii ma tamaitai o loo fefaasoaai o latou silafia, malosiaga ma faamoemoega ma isi tagata ina ia foia ai lenei faafitauli taatele ma toe faafoisia ai le malosi ma le ava malosi. Pau lava le aiaiga mo le avea ma sui auai o lou finagalo lea ia tuu le taumafa ava. E leai se totogi mo le avea ma sui auai, matou te tagiilima lava e ala i nai o matou sao tupe. E le faipaaga le A.A. ma isi tamai lala, aulotu, polokiki, faalapotopotoga, e leai se faamoemoe e asosi atu i nisi o vevesi o le talia poo le le talia o soo se ituaiga mafuaaga. O le matou faamoemoe autu ia tumau i le le toe taumafa ava ma fesoasoani i nisi ia ausia lea tulaga.
A.A. PREAMBLE
Alcoholics Anonymous is a fellowship of people 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.
(Copyright © The AA Grapevine, Inc. Service Material from the General Service Office)
AA is nonprofessional and not affiliated with other organizations. The members stay sober themselves through intensive work with other alcoholics.
What A.A. Does
1. A.A. members share their experience with anyone seeking help with a drinking problem; they give person-to-person service or “sponsorship” to the alcoholic coming to A.A.
2. The A.A. program, set forth in our Twelve Steps, offers the alcoholic a way to develop a satisfying life without alcohol.
3. This program is discussed at A.A. group meetings.
a. Open speaker meetings — open to alcoholics and nonalcoholics. (Attendance at an open A.A. meeting is the best way to learn what A.A. is, what it does, and what it does not do.)
b. Open discussion meetings — one member speaks briefly about his or her drinking experience, and then leads a discussion on A.A. recovery or any drinking-related problem anyone brings up. (Closed meetings are for A.A.s or anyone who may have a drinking problem.)
c. Closed discussion meetings — conducted just as open discussions are, but for alcoholics or prospective A.A.s only.
What A.A. Does Not Do
A.A. does not:
1. Furnish initial motivation for alcoholics to recover.
2. Solicit members.
3. Engage in or sponsor research.
4. Keep attendance records or case histories.
5. Join “councils” of social agencies (although A.A. members, groups and service offices frequently cooperate with them).
6. Follow up or try to control its members.
7. Make medical or psychological diagnoses or prognoses.
8. Provide detox or nursing services, hospitalization, drugs, or any medical or psychiatric treatment.
9. Offer religious services or host/sponsor retreats.
10. Engage in education about alcohol.
11. Provide housing, food, clothing, jobs, money, or any other welfare or social services.
12. Provide domestic or vocational counseling.
13. Accept any money for its services, or any contributions from non-A.A. sources.
14. Provide letters of reference to parole boards, lawyers, court officials, social agencies, employers, etc.
Conclusion
The primary purpose of A.A. is to carry its message of recovery to the alcoholic seeking help. Almost every alcoholism treatment tries to help the alcoholic maintain sobriety. Regardless of the road we follow, we all head for the same destination, recovery of the alcoholic person. Together, we can do what none of us could accomplish alone.
We can serve as a source of personal experience and be an ongoing support system for recovering alcoholics.
A.A. World Services, Inc., Box 459, Grand Central Station,
New York, NY 10163. Tel. (212) 870-3400. www.aa.org
The AA Preamble, How it Works, Is AA for Me? The 12 steps and 12 traditions, the book Alcoholics Anonymous are all copyrighted material
by AA General Service Office (G.S.O.) of Alcoholics Anonymous.
The Samoan language translations done by AA members here and Samoa in cooperation with the AA General Service Office in Australia.