Does a person need to say that he or she is an alcoholic to attend AA or other support groups?

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Judith Welles Cousins
Licensed Clinical Social Worker, private practitioner
judithwellescousinslcsw.com  
703-921-1166

Judith has worked in the field of mental health and substance abuse since 1988,  She received her Masters in Social Work from Virginia Commonweatlh University in 1991 and was licensed as a clinical social worker in 1994.  In her private practice, Judith sees adults, families, children and adolescents, and couples. She addresses such issues as substance abuse, depession, anxiety, family discord, couple conflict, poor school performance, and  life transitions. Judith believes that within each individual, family, and couple are the resources to change, heal, and thrive.  Through the process of psychotherapy, she assists clients to identify and use these resources to gain personal and relational well-being.      

Does a person need to say that he or she is an alcoholic to attend AA or other support groups?

In this video, Judy Cousins, Clinical Social Worker, will provide answers to questions regarding reasons to quit drinking. Judy will include information regarding the nature of alcohol use, the positive and negative consequences of use, and effective strategies for quitting drinking.

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Host: Does a person need to say that he or she is an alcoholic to attend AA or other supports group?

Judith W. Cousins: A person does not need to say, I am an alcoholic to attend any thrust up program or to attend Rational Recovery or any other, informal support group and the reason for that is that number one, identifying oneself as an alcoholic usually takes time to do.

It is a very serious and profound diagnosis, if you want to put it that way. So, that is number one. Also, a person only needs to really say, I am having a problem with drinking. My drinking is causing me negative consequences and that is enough for me to attend AA meeting or attend Rational Recovery or to -- in this the help of a counselor.

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