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Twelve Traditions
The Twelve Traditions of twelve-step programs provide guidelines for relationships between the twelve-step groups, members, other groups, the global fellowship, and society at large. Questions of finance, public relations, donations, and purpose are addressed in the traditions. They were originally written by Bill Wilson after the founding of the first twelve-step group, Alcoholics Anonymous (AA). Origins Several of the tenets of what was to become AA's Twelve Traditions were first expressed in the foreword to the first edition of the Big Book of Alcoholics Anonymous in 1939. By 1944 the number of AA groups had grown, along with the number of letters being sent to the AA headquarters in New York asking how to handle disputes caused by issues like publicity, religion, and finances. By 1946 AA cofounder Bill Wilson had formulated the basic ideas for the Twelve Traditions based on this correspondence with groups (via the group conscience method), setting guidelines on how groups and ...
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Twelve-step Program
Twelve-step programs are international mutual aid programs supporting recovery from substance addictions, behavioral addictions and compulsions. Developed in the 1930s, the first twelve-step program, Alcoholics Anonymous (AA), founded by Bill Wilson and Bob Smith, aided its membership to overcome alcoholism. Since that time dozens of other organizations have been derived from AA's approach to address problems as varied as drug addiction, compulsive gambling, sex, and overeating. All twelve-step programs utilize a version of AA's suggested twelve steps first published in the 1939 book '' Alcoholics Anonymous: The Story of How More Than One Hundred Men Have Recovered from Alcoholism.'' As summarized by the American Psychological Association (APA), the process involves the following: * admitting that one cannot control one's alcoholism, addiction, or compulsion; * coming to believe in a Higher Power that can give strength; * examining past errors with the help of a sp ...
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Bill W
William Griffith Wilson (November 26, 1895 – January 24, 1971), also known as Bill Wilson or Bill W., was the co-founder of Alcoholics Anonymous (AA) with Bob Smith. AA is an international mutual aid fellowship with about two million members worldwide belonging to AA groups, associations, organizations, cooperatives, and fellowships of alcoholics helping other alcoholics achieve and maintain sobriety. Following AA's Twelfth Tradition of anonymity, Wilson is commonly known as "Bill W." or "Bill". To identify each other, members of AA will sometimes ask others if they are "friends of Bill". After Wilson's death, and amidst controversy within the fellowship, his full name was included in obituaries by journalists who were unaware of the significance of maintaining anonymity within the organization. Wilson's sobriety from alcohol, which he maintained until his death, began December 11, 1934. In 1955, Wilson turned over control of AA to a board of trustees. Wilson died in 1971 ...
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Alcoholics Anonymous
Alcoholics Anonymous (AA) is a global, peer-led Mutual aid, mutual-aid fellowship focused on an abstinence-based recovery model from alcoholism through its spiritually inclined twelve-step program. AA's Twelve Traditions, besides emphasizing anonymity, stress lack of hierarchy, staying non-promotional, and non-professional, while also unaffiliated, non-denominational, apolitical and free to all. , AA estimated it is active in 180 countries with an estimated membership of nearly two million—73% in the United States and Canada. AA traces its origins to a 1935 meeting between Bill W., Bill Wilson (commonly referred to as Bill W.) and Dr. Bob Smith (doctor), Bob Smith (Dr. Bob), two individuals seeking to address their shared struggles with alcoholism. Their collaboration, influenced by the Christian Revivalism, Christian revivalist Oxford Group, evolved into a mutual support group that eventually became AA. In 1939, the fellowship published The Big Book (Alcoholics Anonymous), ''Al ...
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Hazelden
The Hazelden Betty Ford Foundation is an addiction treatment and advocacy organization that was created in 2014 with the merger of the Minnesota-based Hazelden Foundation and the Betty Ford Center in Rancho Mirage, California, in the United States. Background The two organizations have a long history together. Hazelden was founded in 1949, and Betty Ford visited its Minnesota headquarters in 1982 when she was planning to open the facility in Rancho Mirage. The Foundation also includes the nation's largest addiction and recovery publishing house, a fully accredited graduate school of addiction studies, an addiction research center, prevention training, an education arm for medical professionals, family members, and other loved ones, and a children's program. In February 10, 2014, it merged with the Betty Ford Center to form the Hazelden Betty Ford Foundation headquartered in Minnesota. The Hazelden Foundation The Hazelden Foundation was an American nonprofit organization based in ...
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The Big Book (Alcoholics Anonymous)
''Alcoholics Anonymous: The Story of How More Than One Hundred Men Have Recovered from Alcoholism'' (nicknamed The Big Book because of the thickness of the paper used in the first edition) is a 1939 basic text, describing how to seek recovery from alcoholism. The Big Book was written by William G. " Bill W." Wilson, one of the founders of Alcoholics Anonymous (AA or A.A.), with the help of various editors. The composition process was not collaborative other than editing. Bill wrote all of the chapters except for "To Employers" which was written by Bill's right-hand man, Hank Parkhurst. Parkhurst influenced the more liberal notions of "God as we understand him" and "your own conception of God." Drafts of sections were sent back and forth between Bill W.'s group in New York and Robert Holbrook Smith (Dr. Bob), the other AA founder, in Akron, Ohio. Dr. Bob made no major changes. It is the predecessor of the seminal " twelve-step method" widely used to treat many addictions, from alc ...
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AA Grapevine
Alcoholics Anonymous (AA) is a global, peer-led mutual-aid fellowship focused on an abstinence-based recovery model from alcoholism through its spiritually inclined twelve-step program. AA's Twelve Traditions, besides emphasizing anonymity, stress lack of hierarchy, staying non-promotional, and non-professional, while also unaffiliated, non-denominational, apolitical and free to all. , AA estimated it is active in 180 countries with an estimated membership of nearly two million—73% in the United States and Canada. AA traces its origins to a 1935 meeting between Bill Wilson (commonly referred to as Bill W.) and Dr. Bob Smith (Dr. Bob), two individuals seeking to address their shared struggles with alcoholism. Their collaboration, influenced by the Christian revivalist Oxford Group, evolved into a mutual support group that eventually became AA. In 1939, the fellowship published ''Alcoholics Anonymous: The Story of How More than One Hundred Men Have Recovered from Alcoholism'''' ...
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Twelve Steps And Twelve Traditions
''Twelve Steps and Twelve Traditions'' is a 1953 book, which explains the 24 basic principles of Alcoholics Anonymous and their application. The book dedicates a chapter to each step and each tradition, providing a detailed interpretation of these principles for personal recovery and the organization of the group. Bill W William Griffith Wilson (November 26, 1895 – January 24, 1971), also known as Bill Wilson or Bill W., was the co-founder of Alcoholics Anonymous (AA) with Bob Smith. AA is an international mutual aid fellowship with about two million member .... began work on this project in early 1952. By 1957, 50,000 copies were in circulation. Use in AA meetings The book is commonly used at AA meetings and other 12-step programs. A step or tradition is chosen to read and discuss as a prompt for a topic of discussion or sharing at the meeting. References {{Alcoholics Anonymous , state=expanded 1953 non-fiction books Alcoholics Anonymous American non-fiction bo ...
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Twelve-step Programs
Twelve-step programs are international mutual aid programs supporting recovery from substance addictions, behavioral addictions and compulsions. Developed in the 1930s, the first twelve-step program, Alcoholics Anonymous (AA), founded by Bill Wilson and Bob Smith, aided its membership to overcome alcoholism. Since that time dozens of other organizations have been derived from AA's approach to address problems as varied as drug addiction, compulsive gambling, sex, and overeating. All twelve-step programs utilize a version of AA's suggested twelve steps first published in the 1939 book '' Alcoholics Anonymous: The Story of How More Than One Hundred Men Have Recovered from Alcoholism.'' As summarized by the American Psychological Association (APA), the process involves the following: * admitting that one cannot control one's alcoholism, addiction, or compulsion; * coming to believe in a Higher Power that can give strength; * examining past errors with the help of a sponsor (e ...
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Narcotics Anonymous
Narcotics Anonymous (NA), founded in 1953, describes itself as a "nonprofit fellowship or society of men and women for whom drugs had become a major problem." Narcotics Anonymous uses a 12-step model developed for people with varied substance use disorders and is the second-largest 12-step organization, after 12-step pioneer Alcoholics Anonymous. there were more than 70,000 NA meetings in 144 countries. Narcotics Anonymous program Membership and organization The third tradition of NA states that the only requirement for membership is "a desire to stop using." NA says its meetings are where members can "meet regularly to help each other stay clean." All facts and quotes presented in "The Narcotics Anonymous program" section, unless otherwise sourced, come from the ''Narcotics Anonymous (Basic Text)''. Membership in NA is free, and there are no dues or fees. The foundation of the Narcotics Anonymous program is the Twelve Steps and Twelve Traditions. Narcotics Anonymo ...
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Marijuana Anonymous
Marijuana Anonymous (MA) founded in 1989 is an organization and twelve-step program for people with common desire to maintain abstinence from marijuana. History Marijuana Anonymous (MA) formed in June 1989 to address compulsive use of cannabis. Since its inception, the MA fellowship has followed the Twelve Traditions and suggests practicing the Twelve Steps, both of which originated from Alcoholics Anonymous. Among the founders at the first MA conference in Morro Bay were delegates from Marijuana Smokers Anonymous (Orange County, California), Marijuana Addicts Anonymous (the San Francisco Bay area ), Marijuana Smokers Anonymous anta Cruz CAand Marijuana Anonymous (Los Angeles County). Other existing fellowships from Seattle and New York City (1974), enfolded into MA later. Marijuana Anonymous set up in London UK in 2000. Marijuana Anonymous World Services is a non professional non-profit corporation formed to carry out the necessary business and legal affairs of Marijuana A ...
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Addiction Recovery Groups
Drug addiction recovery groups are voluntary associations of people who share a common desire to overcome their drug addiction. Different groups use different methods, ranging from completely secular to explicitly spiritual. Some programs may advocate a reduction in the use of drugs rather than outright abstention. One survey of members found active involvement in any addiction recovery group correlates with higher chances of maintaining sobriety. Although there is not a difference in whether group or individual therapy is better for the patient, studies show that any therapy increases positive outcomes for patients with substance use disorders. The survey found group participation increased when the individual members' beliefs matched those of their primary support group (many addicts are members of multiple addiction recovery groups). Analysis of the survey results found a significant positive correlation between the religiosity of members and their participation in twelve-step ...
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History Of Alcoholics Anonymous
Alcoholics Anonymous (AA) is a global fellowship founded in 1935 by Bill Wilson (known as Bill W.) and Robert Smith (known as Bob Smith (doctor), Dr. Bob), and has since grown to be worldwide. Alcoholism in the 1700s and 1800s Nearly two centuries before the advent of Alcoholics Anonymous, John Wesley established Methodist penitent bands, which were organized on Saturday nights, the evening on which members of these small groups were most tempted to frequent alehouses. The hymns and teaching provided during the penitent band meetings addressed the issues that members faced, often alcoholism. As a result, penitent bands have often been compared to Alcoholics Anonymous in scholarly discourse. Temperance Movement and Prohibition Alcoholism in the 1930s In post-Prohibition of alcohol, Prohibition 1930s America, it was common to perceive alcoholism as a moral failing, and the medical profession standards of the time treated it as a condition that was likely incurable and lethal. Th ...
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