12-Step Meeting Mid Term Assignment

Posted: January 4th, 2023

12-Step Meeting Mid Term Assignment

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12-Step Meeting Mid Term Assignment

Alcoholics Anonymous (AA) functions as a multinational group of men and women who have experienced the problems associated with alcohol abuse. The organization while carrying out its mandate almost in every part of the world does not affiliate to any political side, is multiracial in its approach, and strives to be self-supporting (Alcoholics Anonymous, 2020). Members are not restricted by education or age, and all they need to do is to accept they have a drinking problem (Alcoholics Anonymous, 2020). The report is a reflection of attending a 12-Step Meeting in Houston, Texas that took place from October 11-13, 2019 with the sole purpose of reviewing the recovering people’s progress and highlighting areas that require adjustments to achieve the desired objectives.

The 12-Step Meeting brought people of all walks of life together and this was clear based gender, racial, ethnic and age composition of the people present. Both males and females from different racial and ethnic backgrounds were present, and the age bracket varied considerably. The meeting, for instance, brought together Whites and Blacks all who had the same problems. Old people were present likewise to middle-aged and relatively younger participants. The composition of the present individuals reflected one of AA’s core objectives, which is to offer services and assistance to every affected person regardless of their background, age, or affiliation. The broad composition further showed how the problem of alcoholism is a global phenomenon that requires joint effort to overcome the menace.

The meeting, as already stated, brought people of different walks together, but the main participants were the affected persons or victims of alcoholism. The participants of the meeting comprised of instructors who issued guidance on what happens, and also comprised of the people who have the desire to quit alcohol, as well as their loved ones such as family members and friends. The group comprising of people who need assistance comprised of both long-term and short-term addicts, as well as those who belong to high and low social. The group of recovering individuals also comprised of the highly and lowly educated all who needed help on how to overcome alcoholism.  

Discussions among the members offered good avenues to address and familiarize with some of the issues that require improvement and urgent attention. The people present employed both instructor-led and participants-led forms of discussions, whereby a particular person outlines the course of action and the participants discuss amongst themselves respectively. Furthermore, the participants employed the topic-based and the case study-based types of discussion where they consider an issue based on a given topic, or rely on a given incident or case to come up with a resolution. It was evident the open forms of discussions presented a good opportunity to share many ideas that were important during the meeting. The discussions basically followed the AA’s 12-step approach created as guides towards recovery that members can revisit anytime. The participants while discussing their issues acknowledged they are powerless over alcohol and that their lives had become unbearable and that power higher than their selves could restore them to sanity. The partakers of the discussions adhered to the decision to transform their will and their lives over the care of the Almighty as they know him, and that they made a search and moral inventory of themselves, and they agreed to every person, including God of their wrongdoings (Alcoholics Anonymous, 2020). The participants while discussing respected the decisions that they are ready to embrace a new life through God’s guidance, sincerely ask God to remove their weaknesses, and are ready to create better relations with others (Alcoholics Anonymous, 2020). Also as stipulated in AA’s 12-Step approach, the people present adhered to the commitment to always admit when they are wrong, seek meditation and prayer to strengthen their conscious relationship with God, and to have a spiritual rebirth as a result of adhering to these steps (Alcoholics Anonymous, 2020). Generally, the discussions were successful and well orchestrated.  

The participants in the forum seemed to be conversant with the process of communication in the way they relied on the feedback they received to give answers and their views. The participants knew a successful communication process must have a sender, the official message, encoding where the sender uses gestures, pictures, words or a combination of these forms to relay the message, transmission, decoding and comprehension, receiving and reception, and most importantly feedback or response (Nikoi, 2013). It is the reason why many speakers tried to base their argument or reaction based on the feedback they received, and it was the reason why the communication processes did not experience much constraint. More essentially, the participants were keen on how they offered and received feedback while engaging in formal and informal communication processes because their reaction during these two instances really mattered considering that the meeting brought together people of different socioeconomic classes. Even though positive feedback that affirmed past behavior was not uncommon, the group mostly accepted negative feedback that provided corrective comments about past actions.

Looking at the participants in the meeting, one could tell they were happy and optimistic about what they discussed as suitable ways of helping alcoholics and the affected persons. The speakers were not gloomy while giving their presentations, instead they showed confidence with all the information they presented. Every person wanted to show their best because of the setting, which brought together different stakeholders including members of the press, rehabilitators, partners, organizational members, and victims of alcoholism. English served as the primary language for communication because the meeting brought stakeholders from different backgrounds, although someone was free to use a language they find appropriate, especially when conversing within their informal groups or at the discussion level.

Several factors indicate that the 12-step Meetings can play crucial purposes in the recovery process. One of the factors that suggest the approach serves a significant role in facilitating recovery is its commitment to help affected individuals heal from out-of-control, compulsive behaviors and restore order and manageability to one’s life (Alcoholics Anonymous, 2020). Furthermore, it happens that the 12-step facilitation therapy is a tested-and-true credited technique that continues to yield positive results since its introduction in 1935 by Dr. Bob Smith and Bill Wilson who are attributed to be the founders of AA (Alcoholics Anonymous, 2020). One does not have to be religious to achieve the best results while adhering to the principles of the 12-step approach because even though the guidelines were initially based on the values of a spiritual foundation, the world today is the same as it was when the foundation was formed in the first half of the 20^th century. Indeed, AA later replaced the word ‘God” as it appears in the 12-step approach with “Higher Power” to be more applicable to everyone, regardless of faith beliefs or traditions (Alcoholics Anonymous, 2020). The higher power in this case may not have to be God; it could be a person’s support system, fate, karma, the universe, nature, other support systems, or other things that are greater than a person’s ego. More importantly, the 12-step approach seems to be effective towards the recovery process because it urges a person to accept their weakness, which is vital towards the healing process. Various institutions seeking to help drug and alcohol addicts recover from dependence should consider applying the model that proves to be effective.

I would certainly consider referring a client to a 12-Step Meeting considering its holistic nature, and its efficiency. The approach is not instructor-centered, which allows every person to express their feelings, and tribulations without any fears. The design makes everyone feel equal, and gives them the courage to speak out and address their challenges. The process, however, would be less effective and more intimidating if instructors took charge of the entire process, and the victims lack adequate platform to speak out in a way that they find appropriate. Other than allowing the participants to give their views and suggestions, I would refer a client to a 12-Step Meeting because it tries to attach the recuperating person with a religious base while letting them know God does not accept habits such as irresponsible drinking. It would be easier for the client to embrace desirable and responsible behavior when they adhere to religious teachings that advocate for sobriety. Finally, I would refer a client to a 12-Step Meeting because the approach takes the affected person through a series of commitments, which ensure that quit the undesirable behavior.

References

Alcoholics Anonymous. (2020). Welcome to Alcoholics Anonymous. Retrieved from

Nikoi, E. (2013). Collaborative communication processes and decision making in organizations.

             Hershey: IGI Global.