SUBS 607 LIBERTY UNIVERSITY Comparing Alcoholics Anonymous & Narcotics Anonymous_2025.pdf

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Support Groups and Treatment Groups Compare and Contrast

Perla Puente

School of Behavioral Sciences, Liberty University

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Abstract

Group therapy is considered a promising modality with high success rates mainly attributed to

universality. Knowing that an individual is not the only one struggling with an addiction or a

mental illness, can give many a sense of hope. Watching others share their testimonies of success

successful. One of the most established support or treatment groups is Alcoholics Anonymous

(AA). Focusing on the 12-step treatment plan and assigning sponsors to newer members has

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Support Groups and Treatment Groups

During this class, I had the opportunity to attend three back-to-back online meetings. The

first support group I attended was Alcoholics Anonymous (AA). This group is guided through

tools such as the 12-step treatment plan that facilitates long-term sobriety for its members. The

The second group I attended was Al-Anon. Al-Anon is similar to AA in the sense that it

does not have group therapy and is not led by a counselor or a therapist but rather complements

an addiction could cause. Similar to the other two groups, the NA meetings focused on obtaining

sobriety and restoring hope to members. This group, unlike Alcoholics Anonymous,

concentrated on the abstinence of all drugs that have become problematic in the lives of men and

women.

This group relies on the 12-step treatment plan that begins with admitting that their

members were powerless over alcohol and that their lives had become unmanageable. The belief

in a higher power is evident in steps five and six; members of the group admitted to God, to

themselves, and others around them the exact nature of their wrongs. They were ready to

surrender or have God remove all these defects in their character. Having a spiritual awakening

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focuses on The Twelve Traditions and Twelve Concepts. (Alcoholics Anonymous World

Services, Inc., 2022).

complete sobriety. These three men made up the core of the first A.A. group, though the name

Alcoholics Anonymous was not yet used. Bill emphasized that alcoholism had connections with

maladaptive conditions in the mind, emotions, and body. The start was slow, but its expansion

was quick. In 1935, a second group of men struggling with alcohol formed in New York. A third

support group surfaced in Cleveland around 1939. During a four-year time frame, about 100

sober alcoholics emerged in the three founding groups. Today, AA continues to grow around the

world and its influence can be found in approximately 180 nations worldwide. (Alcoholics

Anonymous World Services, Inc., 2022).

Meeting Structure and Function

All information discussed originated from The Big Book by Bill S. (Anonymous, 2022).

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them the serenity to accept things they cannot change and the courage to change the things they

can. Lastly, they ask for wisdom to know the difference. Some groups explain or read how it

works, the twelve steps, and the twelve traditions. Each group is different, but in some meetings,

they will expand on a certain step that they have found challenging. Most of the time, the

familiarity and a common goal to remain sober and make amends for the ones they have hurt.

Brief History of Therapy Groups

Lois Wilson was the wife of Bill Wilson, one of the founding members of the AA.

Around 1951, when their husbands attended AA meetings, the wives waited outside and often

shared their struggles with their alcoholic husbands. A safe place to share their struggles

emerged. The use of the 12-step program proved effective in managing the stress and anxiety

symptoms the wives have been experiencing. They also implemented spiritual practices and over

the years, this group steadily grew all over the world.

Meeting Structure and Function

Al-Anon is an extension of Alcoholics Anonymous, but there are a few differences.

Unlike Alcoholics Anonymous who openly share they are addicts, anonymity is highly stressed

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by family members who bravely acknowledge that substance abuse is not the sole responsibility

of the addict. They recognize the fact that family members can be enablers and therefore

contribute to the cycle of addiction. They share personal experiences and reflections. These

family members show up to these meetings with unconditional positive regard and acknowledge

individuals who are worthy and valued. Some meetings are different, and in some meetings, they

will focus on a spiritual reading, prayer, or a step they want to review. Overall, Al-Anon is a safe

all drugs that have become problematic in the lives of men and women.

Brief History of Support Group

All the information was gathered from the Narcotics Anonymous Website. Narcotics

Anonymous was founded in 1953 and currently, members hold more than 72,000 meetings

weekly in 143 countries. Narcotics Anonymous was formed in Los Angeles, California. James

Patrick Kinnon is known as the founder of the support group. Narcotics Anonymous follows

similar tenets of Alcoholics Anonymous in the sense of implementing a safe space to share their

struggles with addiction. However, NA concentrates on the use of addictive narcotics instead of

alcohol, (Lewis, C., 2017).

Meeting Structure and Function

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In the online meeting I attended, the structure was a little different in attendance. This

group was the largest compared to the AA and Al-Anon. They also respected anonymity just like

the Al-Anon. In other words, members did not introduce themselves as “I am an alcoholic” like

in the AA meetings. The facilitator opened with a small prayer and asked members to introduce

not to have as much structure and expertise as the AA support group. They also acknowledged

that they were powerless to substance abuse and acknowledged the need to surrender to God and

to Dr. Robert Schacter, Tuberculosis support groups proved successful and effective. Later on,

group therapy was used to treat shell-shocked soldiers in World War II, (Schachter, 1995).

Therapy Groups Meeting Structure and Function

In psychiatric hospitals and centers for treatment and recovery, it is common to see the

use of psychoeducational and psychoanalytic modalities proven to be effective based on

research. Cognitive Behavioral therapy has proven effective in these groups (Ginsberg, 2018).

Professionals view addiction from several aspects. One aspect is the Moral Model perspective

that postulates individuals are capable of choosing healthier alternatives. Personal choices are

central to this model. Supporters of this model argue that the individual who struggles with

substance abuse is irresponsible, impulsive, and careless due to weak character (Capuzzi &

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passed on genetically but maintained environmentally by the entire family (Capuzzi & Stauffer

2020). In these therapy group meetings, the professional guides the individual to replace and

recognize maladaptive thoughts that lead to the use of substances. They might guide the

individual to develop new coping strategies. Some facilities might provide other structures such

One of the immediate differences I noticed was the credibility of professionals. I mean this in the

groups share a common goal of creating a safe, non-judgmental space where individuals see a

form of universality and feel they are not the only ones struggling. The use of modalities,

education, training, theories, research, licenses and certifications, and the use of the latest

technology are evident advantages compared to unlicensed facilitators who speak from

experience. The goal is the same, to help individuals obtain sobriety and diminish the

destructiveness that comes with addiction. They both show acceptance and a level of support.

After hearing the countless testimonies in the support groups I attended, I concluded that these

are individuals who are suffering. Many people who see addicts on the street automatically judge

them or think “Why don’t they just quit” After their bodies build a tolerance for the alcohol or

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genuine unconditional positive regard for these individuals. HAn individual might be genetically

predisposed but not necessarily feel the social pressure to fit in. Or if an individual is genetically

predisposed and encounters despair such as divorce or grief that leads them to abuse substances,

plus they have a family that models this behavior, the perfect recipe for drug addiction might

thing at the same time, will do anything to avoid withdrawals. I see myself using an

unconditional positive regard approach with these individuals. Not necessarily accepting their