Attending Alcoholics Anonymous (AA) meetings may help people with alcohol problems deal with depression as well. A team of researchers from Massachusetts General Hospital found that those who attended AA meetings more frequently had fewer symptoms of depression, along with less frequent drinking, when compared with people who didn’t attend AA meetings as often.
Since people with alcohol problems often experience depression, it’s good news that AA meetings are helping to alleviate the problem more quickly.
AA, which began in 1935, is a fellowship of both women and men who share their experiences, strength and hope with each other as they work together to solve their common problem, alcohol abuse. There are no dues or membership fees. The only requirement to participate in AA is a desire to stop drinking. There are 53,665 AA groups in the US, and members attend an average of 2.4 meetings each week.
“Our study is one of the first to examine the mechanisms underlying behavioral change with AA and to find that AA attendance alleviates depression symptoms,” said study leader John F. Kelly, PhD.
Mood problems, such as depression, usually improve after several weeks in recovery, but the mood improvement can happen more quickly for AA participants.
Kelly speculates that the social aspects of AA meetings help people feel better psychologically and emotionally. While AA doesn’t specifically address depression, 12 steps and other aspects of AA support well being. Kelly noted that doctors can now tell patients that, in addition to supporting abstinence, attending AA meetings can help improve their mood.
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