Alcoholics Anonymous^® are a fellowship of men and women who share their experience, strength and hope with each other in order to solve their common problem and help other alcoholics to recover.

• The only requirement for membership in AA is a desire to stop drinking. AA does not charge dues or fees; we support ourselves through our own contributions.
• AA is not associated with any sect, religious or political denomination, organization or establishment; it does not wish to engage in any controversy; it does not endorse or contest any cause.
• Our primary goal is to stay sober and to help other alcoholics become sober.

Copyright © by AA Grapevine, Inc.
Translated and reproduced with permission.
Original title
The “God” Word
The original version of this leaflet was published by
AA General Service Office
(Great Britain)
PO Box 1
10 Toft Green
York YO1 7NJ England
Adapted for the United States and Canada,
with permission from the CSG of Great Britain.
Copyright © 2018
by Alcoholics Anonymous World Services, Inc.
All rights reserved.

Mailing address:
Box 459, Grand Central Station
New York, NY 10163, USA
www.aa.org

Introduction

Alcoholics Anonymous is not a religious organization. There is only one requirement for membership in Alcoholics Anonymous, and that is the desire to stop drinking. AA welcomes people of all beliefs and non-beliefs. Many members believe in God in some way, and we have members who grew up in all kinds of religions and still practice them. But many are also atheists or agnostics. It is important to remember that AA is not a religious organization; we simply hold the belief that there is a Power greater than ourselves as individuals.

What we all have in common is the program that helps us find an inner strength we were previously unaware of—the difference lies in how each person identifies that source. For some, the concept of GOD may refer to a guiding force or simply to the AA group itself, but many believe in the existence of something greater than ourselves, something that helps us today. This power may reside in the religious beliefs of some, or it may be completely separate from religion. For example, a member gazing at the sea may accept that it is a power greater than themselves. We could ask ourselves, «Do I believe in some way that there is a power greater than myself?»

In 1965, Bill W., co-founder of AA, wrote:

We have among us atheists and agnostics; people of virtually every race, culture, and religion. In AA, it is our shared suffering that unites us. Thus, we must consider it essential to allow everyone the freedom to practice any religion, or to follow any spiritual or therapeutic practice. Therefore, let us never impose our personal or even collective opinions on anyone. Rather, let us extend to everyone the respect and love due to every human being who is trying to find their way toward the light. Let us always strive to be inclusive rather than exclusive; let us remember that every alcoholic among us is a member of AA, provided he or she declares it.

Bill W. (AA Grapevine, July 1965)

Whatever you do, don't let someone else's religious beliefs prevent you from finding the solution available to you in Alcoholics Anonymous.

An Atheist's Experience in AA

My name is Paul, and I'm an alcoholic. I'm an atheist. I believe there probably is no God. I can't prove there's no God, because it's impossible to prove such a negative statement. I've been an atheist since long before I joined AA. I have a higher power. It's very tangible, very easy to understand and access: it's the Alcoholics Anonymous Movement. When I joined AA, I was a battered man. I was lucky, and I'm grateful for that. I haven't had a drink since that first meeting, one day at a time.

During that first meeting, the word "God" in the Steps—and later in reading the Big Book—troubled me, but I was hopeless. I attended many meetings, listened a lot, and read a lot, and I didn't touch that first drink. I took my first steps in our recovery program. In the years that followed, I realized that Bill is very clear in the Big Book. He speaks several times of a Higher Power or God "as we understand Him." The God of the Big Book is the God that Bill W. understood. I had tried several times to stop or control my drinking. I could stop for a day or two—and, 18 months before I came to AA, I stopped for three months. Every effort ended in failure because I was still in complete denial.

I believed that if I really applied myself, I would be strong enough to quit. Every time I tried to quit, I went back to drinking, and it just got worse. It was an extremely painful time. I believe my recovery began when I was able to be truly honest with myself, when I admitted that I was ruled by alcohol and that I couldn't do anything about it on my own. I needed a power greater than alcohol and greater than myself—and I found that power in Alcoholics Anonymous. When I honestly admitted that alcohol ruled me, I also admitted that I had lost control of my life. Because if alcohol rules my life, then I'm not the one making the decisions, and therefore, by definition, I've lost control of my life. For me, that's Step One. I am on a journey, and my understanding of the Twelve Steps evolves as I progress through the program. I need this regular, conscious contact with the Movement to remain abstinent, one day at a time.

Living without alcohol as an agnostic

Before joining the Fellowship, I thought AA was a Christian organization. I also thought it was terribly old-fashioned. I tried psychotherapy, and it didn't help. I tried other types of therapy, and they didn't work either. I drank myself into oblivion every day. For me, AA was a last resort and proof that I was truly willing to try anything. It seemed to me that the meetings were all about God—in the Twelve Steps, in the publications, and in the members' sharing—but I didn't care at the time because I felt I was in the right place. I was among alcoholics like myself, and they seemed okay.

It was only when I started feeling better and looking more closely at these mysterious Twelve Steps that I wondered how I was going to be able to do them without a belief in God. People in the Movement told me that this higher power could be anything, a number 19 bus if I wanted, which was completely crazy. I settled on the idea that the Movement itself could be my higher power, while remaining open to the possibility of developing a religious belief, because our publications implied that in the end I would need to believe in God if I wanted to stay sober. It seems to be said that it's okay to be an atheist or agnostic, but that to achieve true sobriety and a happy life, you have to have God in your life sooner or later. I know now that this isn't true, but at the time, I had a sponsor who was guiding me through learning the Twelve Steps; I shared my Fourth Step with her and prayed with her. I felt hypocritical and dishonest, but I did it because I thought it was the right thing to do.

At times, this lack of religious belief made me feel like I was on the fringes of AA rather than truly part of it, but I attended meetings regularly and served wherever I could. Gradually, AA worked for me despite my initial reluctance. I developed a conscience within AA and learned to be honest with myself and others. I learned the value of service and how to make friends without alcohol. I haven't had a drink in 25 years and I've stopped waiting for my religious conversion. I'm still agnostic. I don't know if a supernatural power exists or not, but I can't believe in it, and having a few years of sobriety under my belt gives me enough confidence to speak openly about my unbelief. I'm aware that there are others who have a harder time, and I'm glad that there are now some meetings for atheist members where newcomers can share freely.

I have a practice that I wouldn't call spiritual, although some people do. I meditate every day, and I think it helps me stay balanced mentally and emotionally. I desperately wanted to stop drinking, and I joined AA even though the idea repulsed me. And I became sober. I know that if I look at my heart, with clarity and humility, and if I listen to my instincts and conscience, I will do the right thing, and my life will be useful and meaningful. If I'm ever in doubt, other alcoholics I trust can help me. There is a place for atheists and agnostics in AA, as well as a path to a happy life without alcohol—and we should help each other find it.

Neil's story

As a child, I was forced to attend catechism and church, even though my parents rarely went. When I was a teenager, one of the local pastors ran off with a parishioner's wife. His replacement dismissed my catechism teacher on the pretext that she was single and pregnant. I found it all terribly hypocritical, so I rejected God, rejected religion, and rejected the church. Toward the end of my teens, I read the following sentence in a magazine: "If you can't believe in anything else, believe in yourself." That article suddenly transformed me into Superman, and that's how I lived for many years.

When I finally arrived at AA, I admitted for the first time that I was incapable of managing my own life and that I wasn't Superman. After reading the Twelve Steps, I had no trouble admitting that there was a power greater than myself: vodka and cocaine. I made the decision to surrender my will to the care of Alcoholics Anonymous because you, a bunch of complete strangers, couldn't possibly make a worse mess of my life than I had already made of it. After about three weeks in the Fellowship, I suddenly realized that I hadn't had a single argument during those three weeks. Almost my entire life, I had had at least one argument with at least one person every single day. It was then that I understood that I had been living in accordance with my conscience, even though I hadn't made the decision to do so. I felt so good that I decided right then and there to live according to my conscience. That's what I've been doing for many years and I'm still doing very well.

Little by little, over time, I've come to believe that there's something within me that guides me through life and watches over me. I don't know who or what, but I'm convinced that there is "something." Sometimes I call it "God," simply because it's a single syllable that just comes out of my mouth. However, I still consider myself an agnostic. The first words of the second stage are: "We have come to believe." These words tell me that it's a gradual process. I haven't seen those great bursts of light that transform you instantly, but several small things have happened in my life that have convinced me that "something" exists. And that's enough for me.

Mikey's story

I am an atheist. I experienced 15 years of rewarding growth in AA, but the lack of agreement on religious matters was a hindrance. Once I began to follow AA's suggestions, confusion gave way to clarity, and the gifts of AA—happiness, serenity, and gratitude—gradually entered my life. But for me, there was a stumbling block during those early years. Meeting after meeting, I heard that if I wanted to achieve lasting sobriety, I would somehow have to "come to believe" that a mystical force was in charge of my life, that I would have to "surrender my will" to this supernatural power, and even seek to discover "its will for me." I was horrified at the thought of having to pay such a price for my sobriety: I would have to give up my rational beliefs. I was in despair.

Then I found a sponsor who gave me some good advice. He accompanied me through my First Stage inventory and taught me that sobriety was possible for an alcoholic who was incapable of pretending that reality was something it wasn't. In fact, he told me, honesty required that I stop pretending anything at all; and honesty was a prerequisite for sobriety. But in order to be honest, I would have to examine myself carefully; I would have to embrace a power that would allow me to see myself as I was. I would have to surrender my life to this rational power that would "restore my sanity." After all, my alcoholic madness consisted essentially of a cognitive break with reality. After I "surrendered my life" to the higher power of reason, the madness slowly dissipated. I discovered that life could be governed by the principles of the Stages rather than by my impulses and desires.

By "committing my life" to the principles of the Steps, my old drinking habits faded into the background. My flaws were all tied to the cravings and impulses of my former alcoholic life. The more I aligned my life with the Steps principles, the more clearly I saw the world and the less I was at the mercy of my impulses and cravings, anger and resentment, guilt for harming others, or simply my fears. I was free! This could not have happened while drunk; it could not have happened without the discovery of the Steps. It happened when the Steps principles were put into practice by a mind that the higher power of reason had set free. It is a blessing for which I will be eternally grateful.

The story of Sheila

I joined the Fellowship seven years ago. I was a self-proclaimed atheist. I had worked for many years in an Anglican school and had therefore gotten into the habit of simply ignoring any mention of "God." I didn't join others in prayers, and so on. I desperately needed help and knew I needed AA, but I thought I could continue to ignore mentions of "God"—for example, by beginning the Serenity Prayer with the word "Give." The more I committed myself to my own sobriety and to the AA program, the clearer it became that I couldn't ignore these things indefinitely. I knew I had to find a way that worked for me.

The chapter "We Agnostics" and the relevant steps in The Twelve Steps and the Twelve Traditions didn't help me, since it wasn't a specific concept of God I was rejecting; it was the very idea that anything could be in charge, have a purpose for my life, or "watch over me." Someone suggested I use the Movement itself, as represented by the AA group, as the "Higher Power." Steps Two and Three then became simply believing that this program was effective, and then the willingness to follow the suggestions and do my best. That was perfect for me. Since then, my understanding has deepened. The most important thing is knowing that I don't control anything. I didn't control my drinking, and now I don't control the people, places, things, or events that life puts in my path. However, I discovered that I had always believed — not in some kind of magical man in the sky, but in the power of nature.

If I cut my hand, the wound will heal on its own over time, provided it remains clean. My body has been busy healing, recovering from the damage caused by alcohol. I believe this also applies to my psychological well-being. Thanks to the human capacity for compassion and the unconditional support I receive from the members of this Association, and with the help of the tools in our Twelve Steps program, I am giving this healing process a chance. This is a power that is certainly greater than myself.

Dean's story

When I first arrived at AA, I was a desperate, lost alcoholic who was also an atheist. As soon as I saw the word "God" on the Serenity Prayer card on the table, I thought, "That's it. I don't belong here. This is a religious cult." The person leading that first meeting told me not to worry too much about it, to keep attending meetings, and that things would start to become clearer with time. Because I was willing to do anything to stop drinking, that's what I did. I learned that it was a God as I understood Him and that AA wasn't about religion. For the next four years, I just attended meetings and took on a few service tasks. During those four years, I became even sicker, until the day I had to make a choice: commit suicide or take a sponsor who would help me work through the Stages.

I found a sponsor with whom I began learning about the Steps, but I was already stumbling at the Second. I still had no idea what the word "God" meant. My sponsor, who is a Christian, said he couldn't help me find my own God; that was a journey I had to undertake myself. So that no one could accuse me of being dismissive before I'd studied the matter, I considered several religions. I soon learned enough to move on to the next Steps. I knew there might be something there; I didn't know what, but there were enough recovering alcoholics around me to convince me that something was at work. In all, I spent about a year studying different religions and spiritual beliefs. I attended parish and pastoral meetings, gatherings of congregations, and more informal get-togethers. Some beliefs were very appealing: Buddhism and Taoism had a lot to offer and they fit with the kind of life I was trying to live.

But there was still something I disliked, and that's what kept me from going further down either path. After all that, I thought I'd wasted my time. My friends in AA and my sponsor disagreed. They pointed out that I'd spent a year discovering what God wasn't for me. After thinking and sleeping on the matter for a while, it dawned on me that after everything I'd seen and learned during the past year, it was possible to be an atheist in AA. My higher power is the love and wisdom I find in AA rooms, and all the beautiful things I see walking in nature. I have no difficulty using the word "God" with or without a capital G. My role in AA now is to carry the AA message to the still-suffering alcoholic, and that includes my own journey to find a God that is right for me.

A recovering atheist

I ended up in Alcoholics Anonymous because I couldn't stop drinking and I needed to get my life back on track. The word "God" was the first thing I noticed. I knew it would be a problem. I thought AA was a cult and they were going to brainwash me into becoming a religious fanatic, but I was ready to try anything and I had nowhere else to go. I felt safe in the meetings, where no one ever judged me. Everyone seemed to have the same problem with alcohol as me. I started listening. I started sharing.

The word God was, and still is, a problem. I'm an atheist. I've also been completely sober since the day, more than six years ago, I first set foot in an AA room. I continued to attend meetings. I made friends in AA. Life gradually improved. I noticed that my luck and circumstances had changed. I told my sponsor that I felt like I had a guardian angel. She asked me if it could be my Higher Power, or even God. I replied that I preferred to believe it was the power of the rooms and the support of the people who fill them. All I know is that I couldn't have stopped drinking on my own. I'm living a good life now. I practice the Steps, I serve, I help newcomers, and I share my experience, my strength, and my hope. My own experience demonstrates that you don't need to find God to live without alcohol. This simple program works for me.

I love the diversity in the rooms. We are all different. We are all unique. It's an inclusive club where, as the Third Tradition says, "the desire to stop drinking is the only requirement for membership." At the end of the Big Book, in Appendix II, The Spiritual Experience, it says: "In our opinion, the spiritual aspect of our program should not pose a difficulty for anyone. Goodwill, honesty, and an open mind are the necessary elements for recovery." I owe my life to AA and the people who make it up. I came to find a way to stop drinking, not to find a religion. I no longer think of the Fellowship as a cult. For me, it's a lifeline.

The word "God"«

I respect the fact that many AA members place their faith in a God as they conceive Him, but I cannot imagine a supernatural being residing in heaven, possessing human characteristics (especially male), and orchestrating my life and the lives of others as if he were a master puppeteer. Yet I have no difficulty accepting a power greater than myself, and I know that such acceptance is essential for ongoing recovery. I suppose this makes me an agnostic, but I dislike being defined by a label, though I use it myself when speaking to someone who is struggling to find a higher power.

There is no doubt that the power of the AA group is greater than my own, and the continuation of my recovery depends on my relationship with that power: Aristotle said that "the whole is greater than the sum of its parts." But in my daily life outside of meetings, and even in applying the Steps that mention the word "God," I need a different conception of a power greater than myself. On page 62, the Big Book says, "We have found the Great Reality deep within us." Through the daily practice of meditation, I experience—behind the chatter of the mind and fleeting bodily sensations—a deep sense of calm and peace from which I draw the strength to face whatever comes my way in daily life ("the strength to carry it out," as Step Eleven says).

This is what I identify with my true nature, which is common to all. It is also, for me, the Great Reality spoken of in the Big Book, which is beyond all concepts and labels and resists any attempt at description.

The universe is my higher power

My name is Jon, and I'm an alcoholic. I'm also an atheist. I went to rehab many years ago and saw the Serenity Prayer written on the blackboard with the word "God" as big as the rest of the prayer. When I learned that this prayer was recited in Alcoholics Anonymous meetings, I immediately shut my eyes, ears, and mind to everything related to AA. I attended dozens of meetings while I was in rehab, and I don't remember a thing, not even the Twelve Steps. When I returned to AA years later, I had friends who advised me to use the rooms themselves as a higher power and to pray, even though I don't believe in any religious deity.

When I got to the Third Step Prayer, I rebelled, mostly because of the Old English words "thy" and "thee." How could a prayer published in 1939 use such archaic language? It took me a few years to read the sentence in the following paragraph that explains the words in the prayer don't matter. Again, the work of my closed mind. My godfather asked me to keep track of all the happy coincidences in my life, especially those that came after I stopped drinking. He thought it would lead me to embrace a God of love, but to me, they were just happy coincidences. That said, my higher power evolved. It wasn't something religious. It was an acceptance of myself as a tiny thing in a vast and beautiful universe. It served me very well. I was able to make my way through the Twelve Steps with the universe as my higher power. I still "pray," but not to any religious deity. My "prayer" is a moment of calm that comes when I manage to take stock of whatever issue is occupying my mind and stop considering it the biggest problem in the world.

In light of everything and everyone around me, my biggest problems aren't the most important things in the universe, and neither am I. Other sponsors and people I meet in meeting rooms sometimes try to guide me toward a higher power of a religious nature, but the one I have now satisfies me completely. Like everyone else, I owe a debt of gratitude to Bill W. and Dr. Bob, but I'm also grateful to Jimmy B. for his role in the Big Book. Many years have passed since my last drink. I am happy and content. And I owe it all to the Movement.

Johnny's story

I am an alcoholic and I am also an atheist, and it is for people like me that I write: the atheist, the agnostic, the one who is still searching. As an atheist (and all indications present suggest I will remain one until my dying day), I respect everyone's right to find whatever kind of power they need to remove a burden from their personal will, and I expect others to let me find my own way of doing the same. For some of us, this atheistic stance we take is one of the few spiritually honest things we have ever done. Our minds may be more open than many people realize. I attend many AA meetings, and one theme always comes up in my mind: many stories are of alcoholics who have found their place in life and, most importantly, in AA. In every case, there is a struggle, a surrender, and an acceptance. If you have an atheist or deeply agnostic mindset like me, chances are you'll walk into a meeting room, see the Steps hanging on the wall and feel like screaming, laughing or running away.

People tell me their stories—about God, the divine, the power of love, an intelligent creator. I tell them I believe in mathematics. Some look at me with despair. And it's not uncommon for me to be asked, "So, you think you're the most important thing in the entire universe?" I reply, "On the contrary. I think I'm one of the smallest. Cosmically speaking, I barely exist." If you break down any matter, you always end up with the same thing: what scientists call a quark. I find this phenomenon not only fascinating but wonderful, and it inspires in me a mixture of awe and humility. I believe the most important spiritual principle in AA is humility. Many years ago, I tried AA, and after just one meeting, I left and went on to drink for another year—12 horrible, degrading months that made my previous nine years of alcoholism seem child's play. Fed up with people and life, and people and life fed up with me, I turned once again to the last door open to me: AA. That first night back at AA, I don't think I would have flinched if God himself had led the meeting: I would have stayed, and I did; and if the monkeys don't get too rowdy up there in my overactive head—which I call my traveling circus—I will stay every day and every 24 hours of every day, one at a time.

I believe there is room in the world and in AA for people who lack the capacity to believe, and that we are no greater or stranger curiosities than those who do believe. After all, faith is not something you find pre-packaged in a supermarket. You either believe or you don't, and if you don't, stop worrying about it. You can still stay sober. Does God exist or not? I say it doesn't matter. In AA, we acknowledge that we are imperfect, that we can and should change, and that our purpose not only in recovery but in life is to be of service to others. I believe I exist by chance, but I do not exist alone, and that as long as my quarks remain bound, my only function on this spinning planet will be to give what I can to others. That keeps me sober. Amen.

Where to find AA

There are AA groups in major cities, towns, and rural areas all over the world. Many intergroups and central offices have websites where you can find information about local AA meetings, and almost everywhere in the United States and Canada, you will find an AA telephone number. These resources will help direct you to a meeting near you. In addition, information about local AA meetings can often be obtained from doctors and nurses, clergy, the media, the police, hospitals, and alcohol treatment centers that are familiar with our program. Every AA group strives to provide a meeting room where everyone can feel safe and secure in a welcoming environment. In AA, the shared experience, strength, and hope of recovering alcoholics are essential to our sobriety; our common suffering and common solution transcend most difficulties, helping us create the conditions necessary to carry our message of hope and recovery to the alcoholic who still suffers. Most atheists and agnostic alcoholics feel comfortable in any AA group. However, in some areas, there are specialized groups where it may be easier for atheists and agnostics to acknowledge their alcoholic status or to speak openly about certain personal issues.

If you are unable to find a group in your area, contact the General Services Office, Box 459, Grand Central Station, New York, NY 10163, (212) 870-3400, www.aa.org. They will put you in touch with the AA group closest to you.

AA publications and other resources that may be helpful:

The Third Tradition, abridged and complete

AA Worldwide Services Brochure:

«"A newcomer wants to know" (in particular, questions about AA, religion, and "God")

«"Do you think you're different?" (in particular, Ed's story and Jan's story)

“Different avenues towards spirituality”

Books:

Alcoholics Anonymous (The Big Book). In particular:

• Foreword to the first edition
• Preface to the second edition, p. XV
• Chapter 2: "There is a solution", pp. 30-33
• Chapter 4: "We, the agnostics", pp. 50-64
• The story "The Vicious Circle"«
• Appendix II: "The Spiritual Experience"«

One Big Tent: Atheist and agnostic members share their experience, strength and hope (from AA Grapevine)

The Twelve Steps and the Twelve Traditions, «Second Step»

Living…without alcohol

We have come to believe

Bill's reflections, selections on the "Higher Power"«

‘'Pass it on' The AA Movement is coming of age,

• «Unity, the second leg», p. 81 and
• «The third leg: service», pp. 173-174

The twelve steps of Alcoholics Anonymous

THE TWELVE STEPS OF ALCOHOLICS ANONYMOUS

1. We admitted that we were powerless against alcohol, that we had lost control of our lives. 
2. We came to believe that a Power greater than ourselves could restore us to sanity. 
3. Made a decision to turn our will and our lives over to the care of God as we understood Him 
4. Made a searching and fearless moral inventory of ourselves. 
5. Admitted to God, to ourselves, and to another human being the exact nature of our wrongs. 
6. Were entirely ready to have God remove all these defects of character. 
7. Humbly asked Him to remove our shortcomings. 
8. Made a list of all persons we had harmed, and became willing to make amends to them all. 
9. We have made direct amends to these people wherever possible, except where doing so would cause harm to them or others.
10. We continued our personal inventory and promptly admitted our mistakes as soon as we realized them.
11. We have sought through prayer and meditation to improve our conscious contact with God, as we conceive Him, asking Him only to know His will for us and to give us the strength to carry it out.
12. Having experienced a spiritual awakening as a result of these steps, we then tried to convey this message to other alcoholics and to put these principles into practice in all areas of our lives.

The Twelve Traditions of Alcoholics Anonymous

THE TWELVE TRADITIONS OF ALCOHOLICS ANONYMOUS

1. Our common welfare should come first; personal recovery depends on AA unity. 
2. In the pursuit of our common goal, there is only one ultimate authority: a God of love as He can manifest in our collective consciousness. Our leaders are merely trusted servants; they do not govern.
3. The only requirement for A.A. membership is a desire to stop drinking. 
4. Each group should be autonomous except in matters affecting other groups or A.A. as a whole. 
5. Each group has but one primary purpose — to carry its message to the alcoholic who still suffers.
6. An A.A. group ought never endorse, finance, or lend the A.A. name to any related facility or outside enterprise, lest problems of money, property, and prestige divert us from our primary purpose. 
7. Every A.A. group ought to be fully self-supporting, declining outside contributions. 
8. Alcoholics Anonymous should remain forever non-professional, but our service centers may employ special workers. 
9. As a Fellowship, Alcoholics Anonymous should never have a formal structure, but we can form boards or service committees directly responsible to those they serve.
10. Alcoholics Anonymous does not express opinions on outside issues; therefore, the name AA should never be involved in public controversy.
11. Our public relations policy is based on attraction rather than promotion; we need always maintain personal anonymity at the level of press, radio, and films.
12. Anonymity is the spiritual foundation of all our traditions, ever reminding us to place principles before personalities.

AA Publications

Here is a partial list of AA publications. A complete order form can be obtained by contacting:

The Office of General Services
Alcoholics Anonymous,

Box 459, Grand Central Station,
New York, NY 10163. Telephone: (212) 870-3400.
Website: www.aa.org

BOOKS:

• Alcoholics Anonymous
• THE TWELVE STAGES AND THE TWELVE TRADITIONS
• DAILY REFLECTIONS
• BILL'S REFLECTIONS
• OUR GREAT RESPONSIBILITY
• The Alcoholics Anonymous movement is coming of age.
• DR. BOB AND THE PIONEERS 'PASS IT ON'‘

BOOKLETS:

• LIVING... WITHOUT ALCOHOL
• WE HAVE COME TO BELIEVE
• AA IN PRISON: A MESSAGE OF HOPE

BROCHURES:

Experience, strength, and hope:

• AA FOR WOMEN
• Hispanic Women Among the AA
• The AA and the Native Americans of North America
• YOUNG PEOPLE AND AA
• AA FOR THE OLDER ALCOHOLIC — IT'S NEVER TOO LATE
• AA FOR BLACK OR AFRICAN AMERICAN ALCOHOLIC
• LGBTQ alcoholics from AA
• THE WORD "GOD": AGNOSTIC AND ATHEIST MEMBERS IN AA
• AA FOR ALCOHOLIC RELICIOUS PEOPLE WITH MENTAL ILLITY — AND THEIR SPONSORS
• ACCESS TO AA: MEMBERS TELL HOW THEY OVERCOME OBSTACLES
• The AA and the Armed Forces
• DO YOU THINK YOU'RE DIFFERENT?
• DIFFERENT PATHS TO SPIRITUALITY
• MESSAGE TO THE PRISONER
• BEHIND THE WALLS: A MESSAGE OF HOPE (Illustrated brochure for people in detention)

Information about AA:

• Frequently Asked Questions about AA
• ARE AA FOR ME?
• ARE AA FOR YOU?
• A NEWCOMER WANTS TO KNOW
• IS THERE AN ALCOHOLIC IN YOUR LIFE?
• HERE ARE THE AA
• QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS ABOUT SPONSORSHIP
• THE AA GROUP
• PROBLEMS OTHER THAN ALCOHOLISM
• AA MEMBERSHIP AND MEDICATIONS AND OTHER DRUGS
• FINANCIAL AUTONOMY: AN ALLIANCE OF MONEY AND SPIRITUALITY
• EXPERIENCE HAS TAUGHT US: AN INTRODUCTION TO OUR TWELVE TRADITIONS
• THE TWELVE ILLUSTRATED STEPS
• THE TWELVE ILLUSTRATED CONCEPTS
• THE TWELVE ILLUSTRATED TRADITIONS
• COLLABORATION OF AA MEMBERS IN OTHER TYPES OF AID FOR ALCOHOLICS
• AA IN DETENTION CENTERS
• AA IN TREATMENT FACILITIES
• PROMOTING CLOSER RELATIONSHIPS
• THE AA TRADITION AND ITS DEVELOPMENT
• LET'S COLLABORATE WITH OUR FRIENDS
• THE MEANING OF ANONYMITY

For professionals:

• AA IN YOUR ENVIRONMENT: A SHORT PRACTICAL GUIDE TO AA
• ARE YOU PROFESSIONALLY INVOLVED IN DEAL WITH ALCOHOLISM?
• AA: A RESOURCE FOR HEALTH PROFESSIONALS
• MESSAGE TO PROFESSIONALS IN CORRECTIONAL FACILITIES
• IS THERE A PROBLEM DRINKER IN YOUR WORKPLACE?
• Religious leaders are learning about AA
• AA MEMBER SURVEY
• A MEMBER'S VIEW ON AA

VIDEOS (available at www.aa.org, with subtitles)

AA VIDEOS FOR YOUNG PEOPLE

AA: A HOPE

A NEW FREEDOM

THE TRANSMISSION OF THE MESSAGE BEHIND THESE WALLS

For professionals:

AA VIDEO FOR HEALTHCARE PROFESSIONALS

AA VIDEO FOR PROFESSIONALS IN THE JUDICIAL AND CRIMINAL SECTORS

AA VIDEO FOR EMPLOYMENT AND HUMAN RESOURCES PROFESSIONALS

PERIODICALS:

AA GRAPEVINE (monthly, in English, www.aagrapevine.org)

LA VIÑA (bimonthly, in Spanish, www.aalavina.org)

DECLARATION OF UNITY
Because we are responsible for
the future of AA, we must: place our
common well-being first and foremost and preserve
the unity of the AA association, because of this
unity depends on our lives and those of others
members to come.

Publication approved by the
General Service Conference.

Copyright © by AA Grapevine, Inc.
Translated and reproduced with permission.

Original title
Is There an Alcoholic in Your Life?

Copyright © 2017 by Alcoholics Anonymous World Services, Inc.

All rights reserved.

Postal address:
Box 459, Grand Central Station
New York, NY 10163, USA

www.aa.org

FP-86