Personal Narrative: My Recovery Community

I attended an open AA meeting at the NABA Club located in Atlanta. Upon observation, I noticed that majority of the people attending were in their early forties to late fifties consisting mostly of men. As I walked in, I felt so welcomed at the meeting because of the positive energy surrounding the room. This is one of those places where everyone is and will always be welcome, regardless of their race, religion, or background.

I attended an Alcoholics Anonymous meeting at a church in Henderson. Going to the recovery meeting was a very interesting experience. I have heard good things about Alcoholics Anonymous because my mom used to be an alcoholic. She has been sober for more than 15 years now and has said that Alcoholics Anonymous was very helpful step in her recovery. The meeting was different than I expected. I expected a small group of people sitting in a circle and telling their stories and it was very different from that. It was an extremely positive place. There were people ranging in ages and people ranging on length of sobriety. Some people there have been sober for over 25 years and some people had less than a week

Accomplishments take me one step closer to happiness and tranquility. For example, maintaining an “A” in a rigorous course, helping others that are struggling, cook for my family, etc. are minor achievements and events that have formed me into a better being. Sometimes, ignorance gets the best of me, and it does conquer my sweet, timid personality that I possess. Accordingly, my accolades never suggest nor imply I am better than anyone else. I never consider highly of myself because we are equally intelligent in our own separate ways. It is a way to build up my confidence level as I am an introvert myself.

I am still not fully recovered and I most likely won’t ever be, there will always be that little voice inside my head. I started my journey with addiction and recovery the summer before freshman year.

I was interested in hearing stories and experiences of those who struggled with drug addiction. I wondered if I would receive any insight regarding my family members who have suffered from drug addiction. Going into the meeting, I was prepared to introduce myself if necessary and did not hold feelings of anxiety regarding the potential necessity for introduction.

In my brief life, I have overcome a lot of adversity. My mom fled Mexico with her three young children to escape domestic violence. When we came to this country we had only a few personal belongings and the promise of a better future. We came to this country and lived in a small trailer with no toilet other than a bucket, and no shower except for the one that was lent to us from the kindness of a stranger, our new neighbor. As a single parent, my mother had to work day and night to support us. While she was working long hours cleaning people’s houses, as the oldest of three children, I had to quickly learn how to cook, how to clean and take care of my siblings. From getting the kids ready for school, helping them with their homework, and

Members of the treatment centre do not only have trouble with substance abuse but may have another problem along with it such as depression. Due to this, the therapeutic community model is the main model used because it is holistic. This model is also the main model used because the program not only focuses on helping individuals recover from substance abuse but also help them be able to become employed or go back to school when they set back out into the world. According to Mr. Jurawan, the centre wants to ensure individuals are able to get back up on their feet and have a better life.

The purpose of this paper is to discuss and reflect on my experience attending an Alcoholic Anonymous meeting. Alcoholic anonymous (AA) was created to help individuals effected by Alcohol collaborate and support each other during their time of need. All AA meetings are structured differently. However, there are only two types of meetings: opened and closed meetings. During my experience, I attended an open meeting where anyone can come regardless of a diagnosed alcohol problem or the level of experience one had with participating in such meetings.

The NA meeting had a guest speaker named Adam, the most surprising thing about meeting were candor and humor evoked by the speaker. Adam acknowledged that he has been addicted to drugs for seventeen years, and this behavior started when he was in the 7th grade. Adam was genuinely outspoken and humorously shared being in and out of treatment facilities over 28 times costing hundreds of thousands of dollars. The group really identified with the speakers story, and this was exhibited by laughter and comments from the crowd.

Alcoholics Anonymous (AA) is a group of individuals from all walks of life, who come together with the hope of abstaining from alcohol abuse. The main goal of this support group is to abstain from alcohol, and to achieve control of their lives without drinking. According to Stuart, “Alcoholic anonymous (AA) The most common type of self-help group for substance abusers is the 12-step group.” (Stuart, p. 467, 2013) One of the important functions of these groups is to let the individual know that they are not alone in this predicament and that “mutual support can give them the strength to abstain” (Stuart, p. 467, 2013). Alcoholics Anonymous (AA) has a model is based on the 12 steps tradition. There are several different self-help groups around

I believe this because of what I observed during the meeting, everyone seemed very open and nonjudgmental. Also the younger people in the meeting seemed very eager to get well or stay well. At the end of the meeting they gave out coins to people that have been sober from 30 days all the way up until multiple years. Every time people went up to get their coin, they were given a standing ovation and gave so much support, you would see people’s faces just light up during that process of getting the coin. The other people in the room made them feel proud of themselves for staying sober for that long and not giving up. One guy David really stood out to me, on Tuesday he celebrated 12 years sober, when he went and got his medal and stated that he was 12 years sober the room immediately congratulated him and told him to keep up the good work. It made me feel like the people there treat each other like family not strangers, and help each other overcome obstacles. Also at the very end of the meeting, while walking out I noticed people talking to the new people that were either new to Alcoholics Anonymous or new to the group at St. Joe’s. They were very welcoming to them and gave them hugs and congratulated the new members for coming. It just made me feel like this group actually helps the members change. This Alcoholics Anonymous group seemed like a very kind and supportive

My assignment was to visit a community agency or clinic that offers substance abuse counseling and discuss my findings. Pro-Active Resources is a drug and alcohol rehabilitation center located in Carmel, IN. The therapist, at Pro-Active Resources, have provided services to over 15,000 individuals and families since its inception in 1985. The focal point, of the agency, is outpatient treatment programs for alcohol and drug abuse. And, the primary population served is persons with mental and substance abuse disorders and active duty military personnel. After speaking with June, I realized addiction knows no stranger or border. Drug and alcohol addiction is becoming widespread right here in Indiana. Every day an alcoholic or drug addict dies on our streets.

Alcoholics Anonymous (A.A.) was founded in 1935 by Bill Wilson and Dr. Bob Smith in Akron, Ohio, and is a spiritual based organization with the sole purpose “to stay sober and help other alcoholics achieve sobriety” threw fellowship. Alcoholic Anonymous (A.A.) foundation is built on a 12 step program that involves taking 12 step that will guarantee your sobriety (according to A.A.) because you start the 12 steps but you never end, it is designed for you to consistently work the 12 steps for the rest of your life to remain sober. There are 12 traditions with the 12 steps and this is what A.A. has taught them as they go through the program. When attending an A.A. meeting there are no membership fees or dues to pay and

Narcotics anonymous (NA) emerged in relation to the Alcoholics Anonymous (AA) program in the 1940s and first emerged in Los Angeles, California in the early 1950s. Similar to AA, NA began as a small US organization but within some years grew into an international organization. It is now considered to be the world’s oldest and largest narcotics organization of its kind. In the beginning, the program grew similar to AA in that it took a few years for it to spread across the country. It began in Los Angeles, California and spread into other large cities like North American cities and Australia around the early 1970s. NA then began to become international and the organization spread to Brazil, Germany,

Or can remind friends and family out of love and concern that there is massive support for people who are suffering from substance use disorders and they can find a new path towards long-term recovery: