Definition
Alcoholics Anonymous (AA) is an international fellowship of men and women who have struggled with alcohol addiction. Founded in 1935 by Bill Wilson and Dr. Bob Smith in Akron, Ohio, AA is based on a 12-step program that emphasizes admitting powerlessness over alcohol, seeking help from a higher power, making amends for past wrongs, and helping other alcoholics. It is the most famous and widespread addiction recovery program in the world, with over 2 million members in 180 countries. AA is non-professional, self-supporting, and spiritually oriented — though it explicitly states that “higher power” can mean anything, not necessarily God.
Why It Matters
AA invented the language of addiction recovery. Terms like “12-step program,” “sponsor,” “hitting rock bottom,” “one day at a time,” and “dry drunk” all originated in AA or were popularized by it. The 12-step model has been adapted for countless other addictions: Narcotics Anonymous, Gamblers Anonymous, Overeaters Anonymous, and even Debtors Anonymous. AA has been criticized for its spiritual emphasis, its insistence on powerlessness, and its historically low success rates (some studies suggest only 5-10% of members achieve long-term sobriety). But it has also saved millions of lives and created a global community of support. AA matters because it proved that addiction is not a moral failing — it’s a disease that can be treated with community, honesty, and repetition.
Example
“He walked into his first AA meeting at 34, convinced he wasn’t an alcoholic. He just drank too much. He had control. He could stop whenever he wanted. The room was full of people who had said the same thing. They didn’t argue with him. They just nodded. They had been 34 once. They had been convinced. They had been wrong.”
Related Terms
- 12-Step Program — The recovery model AA created
- Sponsor — The mentor relationship central to AA
- Bill Wilson — The co-founder who wrote the AA “Big Book”
- Rock Bottom — The moment of crisis that often leads to AA
- Sober Living — The lifestyle AA promotes