Attend two open AA group meetings and write a 2-3 page (typed and doubled spaced) summary of your group meeting experiences. You can check the website for an open meeting, no smoking (ONS) unless you do not mind smoking

Alcoholics Anonymous is a well known organization that helps recovering alcoholics and addicts to find sobriety and stay sober. This program has been in effect since the 1930’s. AA has millions of members worldwide and is respected by the medical profession. Many alcoholics and or addicts are referred to AA meetings by nurses, doctors, therapists and various other medical professionals. It is the one program that will change an addicted person’s life.
1. Attend two open AA group meetings and write a 2-3 page (typed and doubled spaced) summary of your group meeting experiences. You can check the website for an open meeting, no smoking (ONS) unless you do not mind smoking at www.aabosmeetings.org or call AA at 617-426-9444. Do not go to a meeting too close to where you live because there is a risk of seeing someone you know and increasing that person’s anxiety about confidentiality. It is best to go alone, but if you go with a fellow student, no more than two students should be at the same meeting to minimize disruptions. Students are encouraged to attend open meetings. When searching for a meeting online students should pick a meeting that is categorized as O or OD. O type meetings are general open meetings where AA members arrive and speak in front of the group. OD meetings are open discussion where there is usually only one speaker and then the meeting is opened to a discussion by a show of hands.
2. You should be honest and identify yourself as a nursing student who will be observing as part of your coursework. AA members may ask if you are new, which means a newly sober person, kindly decline and state your purpose of being at the meeting. All are welcome at open meetings of AA.
3. Be very sensitive to the importance of being anonymous at the meeting. Respect the need to be confidential about those in attendance.
4. Read Chapter 10 on Therapeutic Groups and Chapter 23 on Substance Related and Addictive Disorders in Townsend.
5. Do not take notes or use a tape recorder during AA group meetings.
Guidelines for written summary:
1. Name, date, and location of each group meeting.
Road of Happy Destiny At the Metro West Medical Hospital in Natick MAJanuary 27, 2019 and Drop In Center in Framingham Ma January 28, 2019.
Compare similarities and differences in the two groups for Questions 2-4:
2. How did it feel to be at each group meeting?
What were your observations and what was the general atmosphere of each group meeting?It felt different in the sense of not knowing what to expect. Each meeting was different and had different types of people. Some people didn’t appear like they would be an alcoholic, but then some people appeared not in a better place. For example some looked like they could be my grandma and then some looked more like a street thug. I felt the feeling of unknown and surprise. Observations and atmosphere: the Natick group was in a nicer auditorium in a hospital setting. It was clean and bright. It was held in a nicer town and setting. It felt safe going there. The people were all recovering alcoholics and seemed to be better off. Such as having jobs and homes. The people were also more slightly on the older side. These people were very nice and informative and welcoming. This place gave me the sense of people being more friendly and open. They believed that alcohol ruined them with their family’s but AA helped them and to bring them back together with their families. Everyone had a family story to share. They took the time to talk to me about the program and had conversations with me before and after the meeting like what school am I at, what program am I studying etc…
The, Framingham group the place it was held at was more run down looking, not as clean and more, dim. The place was older and not as nice. The area it was held at was not as nice and safe of a location. Wasn’t exactly the ghetto, but not the nicest area you would want to go to. The people varied in age from 24 to older than 50. Most of the people were smokers and were there for alcoholism and addiction. Some people lived in half way houses and some people didn’t have jobs. Some people were in and out of recovery meaning they have relapsed numerous times and starting the program again. There were more people at this group and more variety. Peoples stories were different as well, not just about hurting family, but also about how they used drugs or situations or crime they committed etc… The people here welcomed me, but no extra conversations were held. The people in this group a lot grew up on the streets so had a rougher side to them. It felt very different attending this meeting oppose to the other meeting because the Natick meeting seemed more real and organized as well as the people were there to really be sober and commit, where as the Framingham meeting the people seem to be a little rougher with how they carried themselves. For example when talking like they would swear a lot when telling their stories and it seems as though a lot had relapsed more than the other group. These people seem to be less put together then the other group of people. Being sober was harder for them. They presented themselves more in run down street clothes and baggy attire.
Both groups were religious in the sense they believed in god, or a higher being. They were spiritual and felt that they needed that to help them get through this or to stay sober. Some believed they couldn’t do this without the help from God or a higher being. The groups would say prayers either at the end or beginning of the meeting.
3. What type of leadership and group member roles did you observe in the group meetings?
The Natick group had one woman who seem to lead the group in starting the meeting and ending the meeting. She is a well respected member of the AA groups and she helps coordinates other meetings as well. The Framingham group seemed less organized and whoever volunteered that meeting would lead the group.
4. What traditions or rituals did you observe? What elements of cohesiveness did you observe in the group meetings?
The Natick group would always start their group with the serenity prayer and then someone would talk. They would end the meeting with the woman reading a passage from the AA guideline book and then we would stand hold hands in a circle and say the our father prayer. People would then talk for a little while after. The Framingham group once someone would step up to start they would start by reading a passage from the AA handbook and then start to talk and then offer the floor to someone else. During the meeting they have a stop time to ask if anyone has a burning desire. A burning desire is for anyone who at that moment is wanting to go get high or drink. They would let them talk and the group would help that person. At the meeting I was at no one was having a burning desire, so the meeting continued on. Once the meeting was over everyone would stand and hold hands and end the meeting with the serenity prayer. People all seemed to just leave after that.
5. Briefly explain how the 12 step program guides its members toward growth and recovery.
The Natick group the woman who they look at to be the leader she said that the number one step is the most important. Being able to admit you’re an alcoholic. Please look up and write something about this section as well about the 12 steps of AA.
6. How can AA group meetings be helpful to psychiatric &/or medical patients and society at large?
Please write about this as well.
7. Do you have a deeper understanding of the recovery process after attending these groups?
Would you recommend AA to a patient, friend or family member? Yes I have a deeper understanding and yes I would recommend to anyone who needs help. Please elaborate more on this.
8. How has your perspective on substance use and recovery changed after attending the group meetings?
Please write about this as well in the sense that my perspective of recovery has changed for the better. Elaborate on this as well.
MK/F16

The post Attend two open AA group meetings and write a 2-3 page (typed and doubled spaced) summary of your group meeting experiences. You can check the website for an open meeting, no smoking (ONS) unless you do not mind smoking appeared first on Ink Essays.