1. Alcoholics Anonymous PHE Drug & Alcohol Team and RCGP PANN Group
- 10 April 2013
Daniele Vautrat
Health Liaison – Lewisham and Greenwich
Alcoholics Anonymous

2. The bigger picture
1 in 5 main risk factors to health in the UK (Global Burden of Disease 2010)
Alcohol dependence – 6% of men and 2% of women (ARNAP 2004)
Alcohol disorder - 26% of men and women drink dangerous amounts of alcohol (ARNAP 2004)
Binge drinking – 21% of men and 9% of women (ARNAP 2004)

3. AA’s view of alcoholism
Alcoholism is a progressive illness
Alcoholism is a threefold condition – physical, mental and spiritual
Alcoholics have lost the power to control their drinking

4. How did AA start? 2 million members in 150 countries
AA started is the US in 1935 by two alcoholics: a stockbroker and a doctor
2 million members in 150 countries
25,000 members in Great Britain
700+ meetings a week in London

5. What is AA?
Alcoholics Anonymous is a fellowship of men and women who share their experience strength and hope with each other that may solve their common problem and help others to recover from alcoholism

6. Who can join AA?
The only requirement for membership is a desire to stop drinking

7. No hidden agenda
AA is not allied with any sect, denomination, politics, organisation or institution; does not wish to engage in any controversy; neither endorses nor opposes any causes

8. How much does AA cost? It’s free!
There are no dues or fees for AA membership, we are self-supporting through our own contributions

9. How does AA work? One alcoholic talking to another One day at a time
Local meetings
Newcomers choose when they are ready - to self-diagnose as an alcoholic - to embark on the 12 step programme of recovery - to pick a sponsor of their own choosing - to trust a Higher Power of their own choosing

10. What is an AA meeting? Each group is autonomous and self-supporting
“Closed” and “open” meetings
4,000+ meetings in GB, 700+ in London

11. Who runs AA? 3 admin offices in York, London and Glasgow
Voluntary service
Rotation of service positions
Fellowship of peers relying on tradition, suggestion and example
There are no rules, regulations or governing authority

12. Is AA 100% successful? Not in our experience
40% had not had a drink for between 2 and 10 years
73% had not had a drink for at least 1 year
Source: Survey of AA membership

13. Leading to mutual aid
20-30% of patients attending primary care clinics misuse alcohol (WHO 2005)
Brief alcohol interventions in primary care can significantly reduce hazardous drinking (Cochrane Database Systematic Review 2007)
Systematic encouragement to attend self-help groups is a cost-effective way to enhance treatment outcome (Humphries K 2004)

14. How can AA help?
14% of members first heard of AA from their GP (AA UK survey 2010)
Free posters and contact cards
AA helpline link to local meetings
Professionals welcome to attend “open” meetings
As part of continuing professional development, AA can deliver staff training

15. Desire to change FAST or AUDIT questionnaire Denial of the problem
Resistance to change
Plant the seed. Alcohol will do the rest
AA newcomers will self-diagnose through identification

16. AA’s primary purpose
Our primary purpose is to stay sober and help other alcoholics to achieve sobriety

17. GENERAL SERVICE OFFICE P.O. BOX 1, 10 TOFT GREEN, YORK, YO1 7NJ
GENERAL SERVICE OFFICE
P.O. BOX 1, 10 TOFT GREEN, YORK, YO1 7NJ
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