Alcoholics Victorious is a network of Christian support groups for chemically dependent persons. We believe that alcoholism is an addiction, and that the alcoholic is an individual who cannot, as a matter of will power alone, control his or her own dependency. Some groups also sponsor meetings for the spouses and concerned friends of addicts.

Believers struggling with an addiction to alcohol/drugs who, although committed Christians, may still be suffering in silence out of fear, shame, guilt, and lack of ability to trust -- all of which are characteristic responses to this family disease. Non-Christians still addicted to alcohol/drugs who feel compelled to search out the true "higher power" Jesus Christ, attempting to identify Him, to come to know Him, and then to trust Him for healing power.

Alcoholics Victorious is now an official program of the Association of Gospel Rescue Missions. AGRM is an association of over 300 rescue missions and other inner city ministries. Founded in 1913, is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization and is a member of the Evangelical Council for Financial Accountability. The association is governed by a Board of Trustees with twenty members.

To establish and maintain affiliation with the AV Headquarters, individual Alcoholics Victorious groups must request an application for an annually renewable charter. Each group must designate a contact person who is responsible for communication with AV Headquarters. This individual must be a Christian with at least one year of sobriety, subscribe to our Doctrinal Statement, and be in good standing both in his/her local church and in the community.

The Alcoholics Victorious program can supplement a residential recovery program. The meetings provide people in recovery programs with a safe, non-judgmental setting where they can express struggles, thoughts, ideas, and feelings without fear of rejection. Hearing the stories of others with similar difficulties and how they overcame them, gives the struggling addict great encouragement to go on in a life of sobriety.

There are two practical ways to describe A.A. The first is the familiar description of purposes and objectives that appears earlier: quot;Alcoholics Anonymous is a fellowship of men and women who share their experience, strength and hope with each other that they may solve their common problem and help others to recover from alcoholism. The only requirement for membership is a desire to stop drinking. There are no dues or fees for A.A.

No ! If you can identify with The Problem or have several of the characteristics of the "Laundry List" ACA will benefit you.

A.A. is just for the alcoholics, but two other fellowships can help their relatives. One is Al-Anon Family Groups. The other is Alateen, for teenagers who have alcoholic parents. Back to Top

This is an important and valid question. According to AA statistics, there are currently 1.6 million alcoholics in the U.S. attending its program. It is likely that there may be somewhat less who are consistently sober and are meaningfully involved in the AA program. In any event, AA is a wonderful, effective program with success in helping the willing alcoholic. It has proven to work for those who are able to take advantage of its resources and tools.

The number of women who are finding help in A.A. for their drinking problem increases daily. Approximately one-third of present-day members are women; among newcomers, the proportion has been rising steadily. Like the men in the Fellowship, they represent every conceivable social background and pattern of drinking. The general feeling seems to be that a woman alcoholic faces special problems.

In the first edition of The Victorious Opposition, the map appears to place Philadelphia in New Jersey and other similar errors. The map is printed from multiple plates. One of the plates got shifted, resulting in city names and rivers not lining up with the states' borders. It should be corrected in future editions.

Anonymity is the spiritual foundation of A.A. It disciplines the Fellowship to govern itself by principles rather than personalities. We are a society of peers. We strive to make known our program of recovery, not individuals who participate in the program. Anonymity in the public media is assurance to all A.A.s, especially to newcomers, that their A.A. membership will not be disclosed. 1

Yes. After 5 years of abstinence the risk of relapse drops to 20%, about that of other chronic diseases once they have been in remission for that length of time.

Yes. They also have more suicide attempts and suffer depression more frequently as compared to the general population.

We see alcoholism and drug addiction as basically identical and we welcome people into our meetings regardless of their "drug of choice."

Most meetings have one. Some will even give you a copy if you can't afford it. Also, check bookstores, and especially stores for used books. World Services sells the 3rd edition on DOS diskettes. Your Central Office should be able to order it for you. There are copies of the first and second edition online for reading inside the US. Any copies of the third edition would be in violation of AAWS's copyright. If you have a WWW browser you can check out this OK.

Again only time will tell, but here's one tip. When the person checks "don't drink", this is a yellow flag, not a green light. Find out WHY they "don't drink".

Yes, BrainReload will not affect your sobriety and is perfect for individuals who wish to have a healthy functioning brain again. It will help alleviate the unhealthy affects of alcohol and drug use by restoring the brains needed nutrients.

Yes. While a current illegal user of drugs is not protected by the ADA if an employer acts on the basis of such use, a person who currently uses alcohol is not automatically denied protection. An alcoholic is a person with a disability and is protected by the ADA if she/he is qualified to perform the essential functions of the job. An employer may be required to provide an accommodation to an alcoholic.

Yes. Studies show that children of alcoholics are much more prone to alcoholism, probably due to both nature and nurture, a combination of genetic factors, and the impact of growing up in an alcoholic home. Alcoholics are three times as likely to be male as female.

Fact: the younger they are when they start using mind-affecting chemicals, the greater chance they will become alcoholics and addict. Normally parents are told to watch for a drop in grades, a change in friends and secrecy to determine if their child is abusing drugs. What they are not told is that kids into sports are more likely to drink and abuse steroids than their counterparts, that grades have little to do with addiction, and drug use/abuse does not mean the same as drug addiction.

b. Alcohol-related performance or attendance problems can be legitimate grounds for discharge or discipline. Alcoholic employees, even those who are still drinking, may be entitled to reasonable accommodations (e.g., leave of absence for rehabilitation) if such accommodations would enable them to perform the essential functions of their positions.

The 12 Steps are principles based on actual recovery experiences of early members. They provide not just a means of staying dry, but also a suggested program for living.

FDA Directs ADHA Drug Manufactures to Notify Patients about Cardiovascular and Psychiatric Adverse Events

Bill W., cofounder of Alcoholics Anonymous put it: "Any Family, wife and children, who have had to live with an alcoholic a number of years are bound to be rather neurotic and distorted themselves. They can't help it". Alcoholism affect family and friends emotionally, spiritually, and often physically. Without spiritual help, living with a problem drinker is too much for most of us. We become nervous, irritable, and resentful.