New Year’s Resolutions Not Enough : AA Offers Hope to the Truly Hung-Over

Some New Year’s resolutions hurt more than others.

On The Morning After, when millions of Americans suffer the righteous wrath of a hangover, many shake their heads--gingerly--to swear it is the last time.

For most, however, the resolution is only one in a string of promises that will be broken. For recreational drinkers, who only pay their dues on the holidays, that won’t be a problem. For alcoholics, broken promises and bottle seals are daily problems.

Paul is an alcoholic, working at the central office of Alcoholics Anonymous in Los Angeles. Every year, he says, AA experiences an upsurge in the number of people seeking help for their problems at the year-end holiday season.

No Statistical Evidence

Paul admits there are no statistics to back him up: “We don’t keep records as such, because we’re an anonymous organization,” he said.

But “The phones ring more often” after New Year’s Eve, he said, as alcoholics of all backgrounds call for help from the world’s oldest alcoholic treatment program.

“There’s more stress at the holiday season,” Paul said. People douse themselves with more alcohol to alleviate that stress.

It doesn’t work, said Paul, who like the vast majority of people participating in the program, doesn’t offer a last name.

Not a Hospital Plan

Unlike programs advertised in magazines and on television, there is no hospitalization involved with Alcoholics Anonymous, though there are AA meetings at many hospitals that treat the disease. Also unlike the recovery programs touted elsewhere, there is never a charge for AA.

“We’re not a health care organization. This is a self-help program,” he said. “A three-week program is what many of these hospitals suggest . . . and many talk about follow-up care.”

Most suggest strongly that people get in touch and stay in touch with Alcoholics Anonymous.

“We’re entirely independent. AA neither endorses nor condemns any organization,” Paul said.

Only an Address

While many AA meetings take place at hospitals or churches, they are seldom identified as such in directories published by the group. A group is named, and an address is given without naming the building, “to avoid the appearance that we’re endorsing any religion” or any other group that lends space to AA.

AA, even though it does not charge for its services, insists on paying rent for facilities it uses. That way it’s not beholden to any group.

“We discourage hospitals from using AA in their advertising,” Paul said. “We will go in and talk, but that’s the extent of our involvement.”

How successful is AA?

It’s “100%,” Paul said. “In my case.”

“This is a program of individual recovery,” he said, with each alcoholic responsible for his or her own destiny.

AA has 24-hour telephone hot lines in the white pages of the phone book, and 1,500 meetings are held weekly in the Los Angeles area.