Twelve-step Fellowships
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Twelve-step fellowships are recovery groups that are based on the Twelve-step program of Alcoholics Anonymous (abbreviated A.A.). The same principles that have proven to cure alcoholism are applied to other behavioral dysfunctions or substance dependency such as drug addiction, overeating or sex addiction. The recovery community has over 300 recovery fellowships today worldwide with several million recovering members. Members share their experience strength and hope with each other to solve their common problems. Through support and identification members who felt hopeless with their situation receive support and solutions. Help through 12 steps work and wisdom is passed to new fellows trough the study of literature or the sharing of personal experiences during meetings. Members are encouraged to have individual sponsors who guide them through the Twelve-step process.
[edit] History
The first group to use the AA principles in order to establish a new form of recovery other than the one from Alcoholism was Al-Anon. Al-Anon was founded by the life partners and family members of the first AA members who were not necessarily alcoholics themselves but whose lives had become unmanageable due to the effects of others alcoholism. The 12 step principle appeared to be adaptable to other kinds of addictions and dysfunctions. Soon other twelve-step fellowships were founded by AA members and their peers. Many people in recovery discovered that they had more than one addiction so it became very common to attend several support groups in order to work on those issues. People who attend both A.A. and Al-Anon meetings call themselves double winners, for example.
