Why is A.A. "Anonymous"?
Over the years, anonymity has proved one of the greatest gifts that A.A. offers the suffering alcoholic. Without it, many would never attend their first meeting. Although the stigma has lessened to some degree, most newcomers still find admission of their alcoholism so painful that it is possible only in a protected environment. Anonymity is essential for this atmosphere of trust and openness.
Anonymity serves two different yet equally vital functions. First, at the personal level, anonymity provides protection for all members from identification as alcoholics, a safeguard often of special importance to newcomers. Secondly, at the level of press, radio, TV, and films, anonymity stresses the equality in the Fellowship of all members by putting the brake on those who might otherwise exploit their A.A. affiliation to achieve recognition, power, or personal gain.
Who Runs A.A.?
A.A. has no real government. Each group or meeting is free to work out its own customs and ways of holding meetings, as long as it does not hurt other groups or A.A. as a whole. An A.A. group or meeting may have officers but these officers do not give orders to anybody. Their job is to see that the A.A. group runs smoothly.
But the individual group is not cut off from the rest of A.A. Just as A.A. members help each other, so do A.A. groups. Three of the means they use to exchange help are the following:
1. Groups in the same area may set up a central office or "intergroup" office.
2. Groups everywhere share their experiences by writing to the A.A. General Service Office, in New York City.
3. Groups in the U.S. and Canada choose representatives to go to the A.A. General Service Conference, held once a year. All these A.A. offices and the representatives at the Conference make suggestions, based on the experiences of many different A.A. groups. But they do not make rules or issue commands to any groups or members.
What Can Families of Alcoholics Do?
A.A. is just for alcoholics, but two other fellowships can help their relatives. One is Al-Anon Family Groups. The other is Alateen, for teenagers who have alcoholic parents.
What A.A. Does Not Do ?
1. A.A. does not run membership drives to try to argue alcoholics into joining. A.A. is for alcoholics who want to get sober.
2. A.A. does not check up on its members to see that they don't drink. It helps alcoholics to help themselves.
3. A.A. is not a religious organization. All members are free to decide on their own personal ideas about the meaning of life.
4. A.A. is not a medical organization, does not give out medicines or psychiatric advice.
5. A.A. does not run hospitals, wards, or sanitariums or provide nursing services.
6. A.A. is not connected with any other organization. But A.A. does cooperate with organizations that fight alcoholism. Some members work for such organizations - but on their own - not as representatives of A.A.
7. A.A. does not accept money from sources outside A.A., either private or government.
