How to Support a Family Member in AA

How to Support a Family Member in AA

How to Support a Family Member in AA

It's important to support a family member that's in AA. Here's a complete guide on what you should do to help support a sustainable recovery.

Keyword(s): Support a Family Member

Did you know that there are over 1.3 million people in Alcoholics Anonymous (AA) in the United States as of 2021? Being in AA is a step towards recovery, and people in it will need support.

If a loved one is in AA, you want to ensure you're doing what you can to promote sustainable recovery. Keep reading, and we will guide you through how to support a family member in AA.

What Is Alcoholics Anonymous

Alcoholics anonymous is an international support group that helps people with an addiction to alcohol and other substances that can be linked to this issue. The program is based on recovering through a 12-step program and ridding alcohol from your life completely.

People going through alcoholics anonymous may face withdrawals and setbacks because the process can be challenging. If you have a loved one in AA, you will want to research the best ways you can help support them while they work through their addiction and recovery.

Support A Family Member In AA

If you're supporting a family member in AA, you want to be there for them to support them through milestones. AA groups use a chip or token system that displays how long that person has been sober.

A few ways that you can lean into providing support include:

  • Encourage your friend or family member and applaud them on their courage for taking the first step to recovery
  • Learn more about AA and what the 12-step program entails
  • Be understanding if they can't spend as much time with you as they used you or need to lean on you more
  • Promote healthy activities you can do together
  • Talk through what triggers them so you can avoid situations that might upset them

Open communication is key to being supportive. You want your friend or family member to feel comfortable coming to you so you can be that beacon of support as they go through this challenging process.

Your family member might need further or more extensive treatment, such as inpatient where you live in a facility. There are many different routes for what type of treatment you can choose.

You can walk through the different types of treatments on your own and do research online or through brochures and books. However, you will want to work with professionals when guiding them to decide what's best for them and what will help them reach recovery to the fullest extent.

Learn More About AA Today

Now that you understand the ways you can start to support a family member in AA, you can do your research to prep and have a better understanding of the recovery process.

You want to make sure you are encouraging, make an effort to learn about the recovery process, be understanding as your relationship may not be the same, promote new activities that are healthy for your loved one, and avoid triggering situations.

Browse Alcoholics Anonymous literature at The Token Shop, where you can find many helpful AA resources, tokens/chips, and supportive gifts today.