Alcoholics Anonymous

Alcoholics Anonymous (AA) is a peer-based self-help organisation that aims to help members achieve and maintain sobriety. It is readily available in Australia, cost-effective and easily accessible, and may play a useful role in an extended care plan. 

Research suggests that patients who attend AA as part of a structured treatment program, in addition to individual outpatient sessions, and who begin attendance early in their treatment, demonstrate better outcomes than people attending either AA or treatment alone. 

Established in the United States in 1935, over 125,000 AA groups exist worldwide with a total membership of approximately two million. In Australia, more than 1,800 groups operate in all states and territories, making AA the most widely available program for alcohol-dependent people in Australia. For those unable to access face-to-face groups, a number of groups run online at AA.