Coolidge, Arizona – Alcoholics Anonymous Meetings

What is Alcoholics Anonymous?

Alcoholics Anonymous, or AA, is an international fellowship of men and women who struggle with alcohol misuse. A multitude of people all over the world who want to stop abusing alcohol are helped by AA services every year.

The following are some AA facts:

• AA meetings led by peers and they support each other. Members share their own experiences with other members.
• All meetings are free to attend and there is no membership fee or dues.
• Membership does require that a person recognizes their need to stop drinking and they have a desire to stop drinking.
• AA meetings have no age limitations.
• AA follows the 12 Steps of Recovery.
• AA believes in sponsorship. A sponsor is one person who is further along in their recovery shares their experiences with someone else individually, apart from the group. This support is closer and allows them to be comfortable with others, talking freely and confidentially.

Alcoholics Anonymous meetings help people who want to stop using alcohol every day. These meetings can be the difference between recovery and relapse. Oftentimes people find it helpful to attend multiple meetings a week, especially at the beginning. At that point in their life, the extra support is what they need.

Coolidge has several AA meetings taking place every week.

What is Al-Anon?

Al-Anon is an organization for the family and friends of someone who struggles with alcohol addiction. They offer support to these families during this time because dealing with the alcohol abuse of a loved one can be very difficult. It can also cause loneliness. Al-Anon can help people cope with these feelings. It is a non-profit organization and there are no fees or dues when a person attends.

Here is additional information about Al-Anon:

• Members share from their own experiences offering strength and hope to other people in the group.
• Al-Anon meetings are anonymous and confidential.
• While there are no fees or dues, most meetings pass around a basket for voluntary contributions. These donations can help pay rent, provide literature and offer support both locally and worldwide. There is no expectation to give and when members do give, they should only give what they can.
• No referral is needed to attend a meeting. If a member needs more information, most groups have a contact person.
• Al-Anon is not for the person with an alcohol abuse problem.

Meetings are held weekly for families with alcohol-addicted loved ones. All of the attendees are experiencing similar situations and can learn from each other. They can support each other through this time.

The Need for Alcohol Addiction Recovery Treatment and Support in Coolidge, AZ – Statistics

The Pinal County Community Health Needs Assessment from 2020 showed the following about alcohol usage:

• The survey participants rated 5 significant health problems facing their local community. 57% rated mental health issues as number one. 53% rated drug and alcohol abuse as number two.
• Of the most significant risky behaviors, 70% rated alcohol abuse or misuse as one of the top five.
• When polling students in 2018:
  • 39.1% of 8th graders reported using alcohol at least one time.
  • 54% of 12th graders reported using alcohol at least one time.
  • The number of 12th graders who have used alcohol decreased by 5.4% between 2014-2018.
• Of the young people surveyed, 20.2% reported using alcohol in a 30-day period.
• Of any substance, alcohol is what young people reported the most.
• 56% of young people do not feel like substance abuse is risky behavior.
• Between 2014-2018, binge drinking among young people significantly decreased in Pinal County.
• 56% of the survey participants said that they, a friend or family member has experienced alcohol abuse or addiction.
• 81% of the survey participants said that they, a friend or family member has a struggle with at least one mental health condition. This can often be linked to alcohol abuse. The following mental health conditions were reported:

• Depression-66%
• Anxiety-66%
• Suicidal thoughts-33%
• Post-traumatic stress disorder-28%
• Self-harm-24%
• Suicide attempt-24%

Support Groups Vs. Professional Treatment – Which is Better?

Many people picture addiction recovery to only be a drug and alcohol rehab program This is a helpful tool for recovery but it certainly is not the only way to obtain that goal. Not all addictions need a professional rehab program. This is an individual decision based on a person’s needs and addiction.

These are the people who might benefit from outpatient support groups:

• Those who are currently in a rehab program or have already finished a one.
• Those who have a solid support system at home.
• Those who have a more mild addiction.
• Those who have not been addicted for a long period of time.
• Those who have no history of relapsing.

Get More Information About Recovery Meetings in or Near Coolidge, AZ

At SpringBoard Recovery, we want to help as many people as we can reach their goal of recovery. We want to provide support and resources to anyone who has a desire to stop drinking. However, not everyone needs a drug and alcohol rehab program. For some people, the support offered by groups like AA and Al-Anon may be exactly what they need. In addition to getting information about Alcoholics Anonymous and Al-Anon meetings, you can also find information on:

• NA meetings
• SMART Recovery meetings
• Alateen meetings

Coolidge, Arizona has several addiction recovery resources available for people who have the desire to change. There are also programs available to help friends and loved ones of addicts get through these hard times.

Would you like to have more about the recovery meetings in and around the Coolidge area? Please contact us today.