Introduction
Alcoholism is not known to be a wholly inherited disorder. Alcohol addiction is a disorder in which someone becomes physically addicted to alcohol. There is no known cause for alcoholism, but many environmental factors play a vital role in the development of addiction. An adolescent under constant peer pressure, for example, is someone more prone to drinking more. Someone who has a stressful life or low self-esteem is also more likely to drink more and at a younger age. There are many other environmental factors such as lifestyle, age, other mental disorders, and culture. Per the American Psychiatric Association's Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (2013), alcohol addiction and abuse are the most significant common mental disorder in public with almost eight percent of grownups in anguish from Alcohol addiction and five percent from abusing alcohol.
I attended the AA support today called the @12 Step Study Group of Alcoholics Anonymous. The group session was conducted through a zoom meeting due to COVID-19. There were around twelve members that participated in the zoom meeting, and from their talks and openness, it was evident that they knew each other, and it was not their first time joining or speaking in the meeting. New members were welcomed, and each was given a chance to speak of their experience, but it was not compulsory for newbies to speak. The mood was hopefulness and helplessness for some. I noticed that some members were at home while others at their place of work.
Tony was the leader of the group, and immediately the meeting started, he gave an introduction to the mission and vision of the AA group. Their vision was to build a culture and a relationship of recovery and service to one another in the community. The mission was to serve the community by being obedient to telling about Jesus and re-educating fellowship with others. Everyone was attentive as Tony read the Gospel and shared with the group words of wisdom. He reaffirmed that all healing comes from God and through each other. One must be able to have a strong faith and spread the word regarding the group to the people that require help. There was silence as the rules and regulations of the group were mentioned as the members nod, indicating unison. When it was the turn for the members to share, the group leader coordinated and invited everyone to share. Each group member was given three to five minutes to introduce themselves and share their feelings.
During sharing, the issues were systematically brought to the floor. The members started by sharing their thoughts on how to achieve the mission and vision of the group. Then the sober ones in the group began to talk about the Bible and the evils behind their addiction. Confessions followed this, and the members suggested that they should meditate and pray. It was evident that everyone in the room had a similar problem because it was an addiction to alcoholism and how to overcome that. The group members were supportive verbally to each other as they suggested remaining strong and helping every person to recover fully. Michael shared that having a personal relationship with God can support healing and that it is not an overnight process. He also mentioned that these are only challenges and that everyone should face and turn their lives around.
One of the most evident themes was hope. Although one person stated, he did not have a reliable support system from the family. Instead of this, he had difficulty controlling the drug climate and that his home was not a sober free setting. Another Theme noted was religion. The members were Christians and prayed and meditated to God about the situation a lot during the meeting. There was also the theme of support was also manifested when one group member confessed to being sober. I noticed that they all started cheering and supporting each other.
I noticed that the biggest challenge they faced is the reduction of stress factors such as health issues, financial difficulties, and family and friend's relationships. Lastly, exposure to alcohol while they are recovering from this addiction. I felt moved and touched from experience and understood the hidden struggles alcoholics face every day. The meeting made me realize the detrimental effects of being an alcoholic. It also showed me the strive for fighting alcoholism. These support groups could help anyone battling an addiction to come in the open and receive support from people with the same problem.
