Alcoholics Anonymous established at SJU

A handful of Saint Joseph's students and faculty have started an Alcoholics Anonymous chapter this semester, and welcomes the University's community to share in this supportive group. After acknowledging dependence problems of their own, the group's founders were spurred to action in the hope of sharing A.A.'s recuperative power with others at Saint Joseph's.

"We wanted A.A. to be on campus to help anyone who struggles with addiction," said a St. Joe's student, sober for over a year, who helped found the Saint Joe's chapter. She asked that her name and the names of those involved with the group not be revealed. All of the identities of the meetings' attendees are kept anonymous as a principle of A.A.

"The purpose of meetings is that, as recovering alcoholics we have a daily reprieve from drinking, and meetings help to maintain our sobriety by keeping us in contact with other recovering people," she said in an e-mail. This student said she attended A.A. meetings outside St. Joe's before starting the new chapter.

With the help of a faculty member, this student contacted Joan Bradley at the counseling center, who helped them get started. Bradley had previously held an interest meeting with students and faculty about beginning an A.A. chapter on campus. She had also received emails from Father Timothy Lannon, the university President, and Dr. Linda Lelii, Vice President of Student Life, advocating a St. Joe's chapter. So far the group has met twice and usually draws four or five participants.

"They are open meetings and anyone can attend," said the chapter's student founder. "Any student that thinks his or her drinking is a problem would benefit."

Though the group is officially intended to accommodate alcoholics, meeting attendees often struggle with other addictions. One member attended because of an eating disorder.

As the group is in its infancy, the meetings are informal consisting of discussions or readings from "the Big Book." "Alcoholics Anonymous" is a 575-page book which outlines personal stories from the earliest members and includes "the 12 Concepts"-the 12 steps to recovery.

"The value of A.A. is in its support and structure," said Bradley. "Each person uses A.A. differently, but [the members] are there specifically to help you. This is what gives A.A. its strength and what makes it successful."

A.A. started in 1935 when a New York stockbroker and a surgeon from Ohio met in Akron, Ohio, to talk about their alcohol addictions. The men immediately recognized the benefit of their interaction-the openness and solidarity that encouraged them-and began meeting with other alcoholics in Akron's hospital. As this group slowly grew and its techniques proved successful, its founders wrote "the Big Book" and published it in 1939. Its publication made A.A. a national success as independent groups spread throughout the country.

Today, A.A. is an international fellowship with an estimated membership of over two million. Its success has proven so effective that courts often order alcoholic offers to attend A.A. meetings. Colleges and universities have made A.A. meetings part of their counseling services to aid students who have become overwhelmed by alcohol. Though there is a danger among college students not to admit an alcohol problem because of the social stigma attached to it, the founder of the St. Joe's chapter said that this has not been a problem yet.

"All the members have a pretty good respect when it comes to keeping people anonymous," said the chapter's student founder. "We need each other to stay sober. Meetings are the place where we gain a support system to help us through tough times and to share our successes."

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