What is Alcoholics Anonymous (AA)?

The short answer

Alcoholics Anonymous (AA) is a free, worldwide fellowship of people who help one another recover from a drinking problem. It is non-professional and peer-led — members are not therapists or doctors, just people who have been through it and stay sober by supporting each other. Founded in the 1930s, AA is the oldest and largest mutual-help recovery program, and the model that most other 12-step fellowships were built on.

The only requirement

AA's single requirement for membership is a desire to stop drinking. There are no forms, no dues, no fees, and no one is turned away. You can come whether you have years of sobriety or have not stopped yet. You do not have to "qualify," be referred, or prove anything to walk in.

How the program works

AA rests on a few familiar pillars that work together:

• Meetings — regular gatherings where members share their experience honestly and support one another.
• The 12 steps — a personal process of honesty, change, repair, and service, worked at your own pace, usually with a sponsor.
• Sponsorship — a more experienced member who walks alongside you and shares what worked for them.
• One day at a time — staying sober for today rather than being overwhelmed by forever.

Spiritual, not religious

AA describes itself as spiritual rather than religious. It asks members to draw on a "higher power" of their own understanding — which each person defines for themselves, from a faith, to the group, to a simple principle like honesty. AA is not tied to any church or denomination, and agnostic and atheist members are common.

Anonymity and confidentiality

Anonymity is built into the name for a reason. Members identify by first name only, and what is shared in a meeting is expected to stay there. That privacy is part of what lets people speak honestly without fear of judgment or exposure.

Open vs closed meetings

Some AA meetings are open — anyone curious, including family and friends, can attend. Others are closed, meaning they are for people who think they may have a drinking problem. Both are listed in the official finders, so you can choose whichever feels right for a first visit.

Where to start

AA's own website and its free Meeting Guide app list in-person and online meetings everywhere. Online and phone meetings run around the clock, so support is there even late at night. You can attend and simply listen — that counts.