AA offers help amid increasing membership

Alex de Vos
When Rachel hit “rock bottom” she made a brave decision to call Geelong’s Alcoholics Anonymous.
Now, after living two years without a drop of alcohol in her system, Rachel couldn’t be happier.
Her only regret is not having made the call much earlier.
Rachel extended the organisation’s helping hand as Christmas and new year indulgences threatened to expand Alcoholics Anonymous be-yond its record membership in Geelong.
The recovering alcoholic now spends her time encouraging fellow addicts to join the self-help group and follow her path to sobriety.
“For me, the fellowship is fantastic – knowing you’re not the only one out there,” she said.
“You get a lot of hope from the meetings and you see people leading happy and fulfilling lives.
“There’s also a lot of support and guidance from older, sober members who have gone through the same thing.”
Rachel urged alcoholics to phone the voluntary organisation at the first sign of addiction.
“It usually takes people to lose everything before they come to AA,” Rachel observed.
“But the disease of alcohol is progressive and it will get worse – the sooner you get in, the better.
“You can stop it before you lose everything.”
Every day hundreds of alcoholics converge at centres around the region in attempts to combat their addiction.
After 54 years of meetings, Rachel said the Geelong group was “the biggest it’s ever been”.
“We run 12 meetings each week and have hundreds of members,” she said.
“This time of year is also very busy – it’s always around Christmas and new year when everything comes to a head or it’s their new year’s resolution.”
Rachel said some members were living on the street and also battled drug addictions.
“A lot of people come in because they’ve lost their marriage, children or business,” she explained.
“They face a whole range of issues.”
Rachel said members ran the group, which operated without funding.
“Everyone is so grateful for the gift of sobriety that they want to give something back.
“The 12-step program for living helped me so much – I don’t have to escape reality by being drunk.”
Rachel urged anyone wanting more information to phone Alcoholics Anonymous on 5229 1710.