So, you’re an alcoholic. That does not have to stop you from leading a normal and happy life. The chains that bind you can be broken with the will and want to live. The beginning is a process of just accepting and embracing that you have a disease, but the disease does not have to define you.
It is proven that virtually everyone in recovery does better when involved in some type of support group. Alcoholics Anonymous is a support group that has the longest and most successful track record. The only requirement for being a part of AA is the desire to stop the insanity and to stop drinking.
AA prides itself on its anonymity, supportive, nonjudgmental atmosphere for aiding in the road to recovery. The first meeting can be stressful, and you can have many apprehensions, but the amount of support that you will receive will astound you. By working AA’s Twelve Steps, and finding a sponsor to confide are key to beginning a successful recovery.
Alcoholics Anonymous is not a religious organization, so every type of background is welcomed. All that is required is the desire to not drink, simple as that. This is a place that you can begin to be honest with yourself and others that are not “connected” to your immediate family. This generally gives the alcoholic the ability to finally divulge all those mistakes during their drinking in the company of those that have been there too.
Lastly, this is a place to learn from others mistakes, and for others to learn from yours. By having the ability to look at others like yourself you see that you’re not a bad person or the only one struggling with this disease.