IF YOU ARE A PROFESSIONAL: Alcoholics Anonymous wants to work with you.

Cooperation with the professional community is an objective of A.A., and has been since our beginnings. We are always seeking to strengthen and expand our communication with you, and we welcome your comments and suggestions. They help us to work more effectively with you in achieving our common purpose: to help the alcoholic who still suffers.

A.A. as a Resource for the Health Care Professional

From the beginning, A.A. members have regarded alcoholism as an illness. Alcoholics cannot control their drinking because they are ill in both their bodies and minds. A.A. members believe that once an alcoholic, always and alcoholic. Thus, A.A. does not offer a "cure" for alcoholism, but, rather, a continuing process of recovery that involves complete abstinence from alcohol through reliance on a power greater than themselves to help them follow the simple principle of not drinking one day at a time.

Few health professionals have had the experience of having their diagnosis rejected. Few have been told," I certainly am not a diabetic!" Yet, when making a diagnosis of alcoholism, and alcoholic will often be evasive, offer a myriad  excuses for his or her drinking, or flat out reject the propositions altogether. This is to be expected and anticipated. Self-delusion is symptomatic of alcoholism. A.A. members, having broken through their own self-delusion and faced with the truth about their drinking, are particularly suited to help others break through their self-delusion.

Some professionals refer to alcoholism and drug addiction as "substance abuse" or "chemical dependency" collectively. We differentiate. Practical experience has demonstrated that A.A. cannot be all things to all people. We draw the line at working only with those who suffer from alcoholism.

The health care professional who works closely with A.A. is in a key position to provide leadership, education and support in an area which will pay great dividends in the quality of care and recovery rates of alcoholics. Many doctors have found the following pamphlets helpful in introducing patients to A.A.: "This Is A.A.," "Is A.A. For You," "Do You Think You're Different," and many others. For copies of these pamphlets, or to view a list of all the A.A. literature available to you, please feel free to contact the Public Information Committee at (443-880-2158).