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.

Most people who have never suffered from addiction problems seem to think that the process of overcoming addiction is just a matter of quitting and moving on. This couldn't be further from the truth; in fact, nearly 85% of all addicts will relapse within their first year of treatment.

Relapses are common and you shouldn't beat yourself up too much over them, but one way to avoid them altogether is to identify your addiction triggers and try to avoid them.

What Are Addiction Triggers?

A trigger is anything that can bring back any feelings, memories, or thoughts of a particular addiction. Part of your addiction treatment will be to help you recognize and avoid these triggers.

Triggers can be either physical or mental, and they're not just experienced by people who are getting past addiction to substances. Addiction triggers can also occur for people trying to overcome food or gambling addictions, or any other kind of addiction.

Addiction Trigger Examples

The particular triggers you experience will depend on your specific experience of addiction, and the circumstances surrounding your addiction. That being said, here is a list of some common triggers for people overcoming substance abuse.

• Drug paraphernalia
• Going to an area you used to pick up drugs from
• Movies or TV shows that depict drug abuse
• Certain songs
• Seeing old friends from when you were addicted
• Specific Smells

It's not always things as obvious as that. Sometimes certain feelings and situations can morph into addiction triggers for you. These include things like:

• Stress
• Feeling of rejection
• Grief
• Getting fired
• A relationship ending
• Family troubles
• Loneliness

Remember that these lists aren't exhaustive and your triggers will be personal to you. During your time in rehab, you'll learn how to recognize your own personal triggers and how they affect your recovery.

What to Do Once You Know Your Triggers

If you already know what your triggers are, then congratulations, you've fought half the battle already. But once you know what your triggers are, you need to be able to take some action to avoid relapse.

Well, it depends on what stage of recovery you're at. When you're in early recovery, the best thing that you can do is avoid your addiction triggers altogether. It will keep you out of any compromising situations during the most difficult stage of recovery.

When you're a little further down the road to recovery, and you've got a few chips to your name, you can start to manage your exposure to your triggers and find your threshold for tolerating them.

Celebrate Your Recover Success

Addiction triggers are one of the biggest causes of relapse. Try your hardest to avoid them so that you can stay on the path to recovery. If you manage to do that, then you can continue to celebrate a clean life.

If you or a loved one is on the road to recovery, then grab a recovery chip today. Chips are a great way to mark your progress through AA or any other similar recovery program. You deserve to celebrate the small victories along the way.

Going through the AA process will be the most worthwhile thing a person with alcohol addiction can do, but it's also very likely to be the single hardest thing you have ever done. Relapses are common, in fact, they're expected, over 85% of people getting addiction treatment will relapse within their first year of treatment.

The key is to stay focused and motivated in your recovery. If you can avoid a relapse, then that is a fantastic thing and a cause for celebration. If you can't, just remember it's not the end of the world and you just need to work a bit harder on staying motivated.

Here are some excellent tips for staying focused while you're in recovery.

Set Goals for Yourself

The easiest way to stay motivated when going through the Alcoholics Anonymous process is to set yourself achievable goals. This is a great way of breaking down the bigger goal of sobriety into more manageable, confidence-boosting targets.

Your goals don't have to revolve solely around your sobriety, though. You can set other life goals that maybe you were never able to achieve while you were drinking.

Get creative and think of a list of all the things you want to do. Pick a few of the most realistic ones and get going. It's a great way to keep your mind off drinking.

Ditch the Unhelpful Mentality

As we've covered, relapses are commonplace among those in recovery. Some days are going to be great, and some days are going to be awful.

If you're going to stay motivated during your treatment, then you need to forget about approaching it with an all-or-nothing mentality. Holding yourself to unattainable standards of perfection just adds far too much pressure onto your shoulders.

Journal

If you don't keep track of how far you've come, you can begin to lose all sense of perspective. That's why journaling is great. On days when you're struggling, you can open your journal and see all of the things that you have overcome to get to where you are today.

You can also tie your journaling in with the goals that we discussed earlier. Use your journaling to stay on top of your goals and keep track of how far you've come in achieving them.

Practice Self Love

This is perhaps the most important aspect of recovery. You're on a path of self-betterment and improvement, so it's vital that you show kindness and compassion to yourself while you're on this journey.

Self-care will help you remember that you matter and that you are worth your sobriety. It will help you overcome any feelings of worthlessness and doubt. Remember that you are not your addiction and you are worthy of love.

Celebrate Your Progression Through the AA Process With a Token

Staying motivated during the AA process can be difficult, and this article is not intended to be an exhaustive list of all the things that you can do to keep your eye on the prize of sobriety. Take some time to look up some other methods that could work for you.

Something that many people in the program find helpful is a recovery chip or token. These are great little reminders of how far you've come on your journey. Check out our stock of amazing AA coins, chips, and tokens today.

Around one-third of alcoholics recover and stay sober. But a person's chances of recovering significantly increase when they seek help for their addiction.

One of the most common treatment options for staying sober is Alcoholics Anonymous (AA). This organization has helped millions of people over the years break their addictions.

Today, you can attend in-person meetings or online AA meetings. You might wonder if online meetings are as effective as in-person meetings, and the answer is yes.

Read on for a guide that will help you learn more about online AA meetings.

The Basics of AA

AA is an organization created around 1935 to help people struggling with alcoholism. Today, the organization is still around and strong. In fact, most people know about AA, and many alcoholics use this program.

This program is an effective option for people who struggle with alcohol. It offers a welcoming and non-judgmental environment to anyone who attends. Additionally, it helps addicts develop a support system.

Attending AA meetings is always the same, whether you meet in person or online. Every AA group uses the same curriculum and schedule and falls into the group therapy category.

In other words, you meet as a group, and everyone is there for the same purposes.

How Online AA Meetings Work

In-person meetings take place at various locations, such as churches or libraries. However, online meetings occur through a website.

You begin by choosing an online group. Next, you click the link to the group when the meeting starts, which connects you to the group. You can generally do this from a computer, laptop, or phone.

When the meeting begins, the leader will start by reading from the big book. The big book is the curriculum that all AA groups use. The leader then works through the meeting's agenda, which covers numerous steps.

During this meeting, the leader might acknowledge members who achieved goals. For example, if someone reaches the one-week sober mark, they'll acknowledge them.

After achieving their goals, people attending AA meetings can earn coins and other items. However, you'll need to order the coins yourself if you meet online, and you can choose from many types.

Benefits of Attending Online Meetings

Seeking help is the best thing you can do if you struggle with alcoholism. Individual counseling is one treatment option that helps addicts get and stay sober.

Attending online AA meetings is also beneficial. First, online meetings offer convenience. You won't have to leave your home and can attend from anywhere, including your car.

However, they also benefit people who need support but don't have a car.

Finally, they're convenient for people with busy work schedules. After all, you can find meetings at all times of the day, allowing you to choose one that works with your schedule.

Join an Online Group Today

Online AA meetings offer a convenient way to attend group therapy. You'll feel connected to your group when you attend weekly meetings and have the support you need to live a sober life.

Feel free to check out online AA services. You can choose one that works for your schedule and sign up for it.