Tradition 8 of AA (Alcoholics Anonymous)

Table of ContentsView AllTable of ContentsWhat Is Alcoholics Anonymous?What Is Tradition 8?The Power of Tradition 8The Meaning of “Forever Non-Professional”What Are “Special Workers?“The Importance of Tradition 8How Tradition 8 Connects to the Other Traditions

Table of ContentsView All

View All

Table of Contents

What Is Alcoholics Anonymous?

What Is Tradition 8?

The Power of Tradition 8

The Meaning of “Forever Non-Professional”

What Are “Special Workers?”

The Importance of Tradition 8

How Tradition 8 Connects to the Other Traditions

12-step recovery programsare celebrated for the community, support, and effectiveness provided to those healing from addiction.

The most prominent 12-step program isAlcoholics Anonymous, also known as AA. AA is a peer-run group with rotating leadership. Acts of service are an integral part of the program and are performed through taking on commitments at meetings and guiding others in their sobriety journeys.

How to Stay Sober

The twelve traditions provide a roadmap for the program, with each practice existing as a shared agreement amongst community members. In honoring these traditions, outsidedisruptions and stressorsare minimized, allowing the program to function as seamlessly as possible.

The 12 Traditions of the AA

Tradition 8 states, “Alcoholics Anonymousshould remain forever non-professional, but our service centers may employ special workers.”

In other words, AA is a program of service. When a newcomer to the program reaches out to someone in the program incrisis, help is extended in afreeand non-professional manner.

This ties into an overarching theme in AA which is to “give yourrecoveryaway.” Sharing your wisdom and insight can help give someone hope and support on their healing journey.

Going to AA isn’t like going to atherapy groupwhere a clinician guides every individual through their experiences.

By relying specifically on peer support, there is no one in a position of power that can overthrow the group’s goals. But, conversely, that also means there isn’t someone in a position of power that members can defy.

There are members of AA who identify asmental healthand medical professionals. However, their profession does not apply when engaging in the AA program. Again, all support in AA is non-professional, and their professional roles do not apply when they participate in the program.

Based on the experiences of the founder and the group’s history, professionalizing Alcoholics Anonymous only harms the efficacy of its mission. Simply put, when receiving money and career advancements begin to collude with the desire to stay sober and help others get sober, the dignity of the program as a whole is atrisk.

The Preservation of Anonymity

Another concern with professionals branding their services as part of Alcoholics Anonymous is the breaking ofanonymity.

Before solidifying the terms of this tradition, there were experiences where members of Alcoholics Anonymous would open a recovery or sobriety-related venture. Naturally, program members would be hired to work at the business. In turn, that broke the anonymity of those AA participants, thus violating a sacred part of the program.

Remember, the term “special workers” means that even when receiving money in exchange for the work provided, those providing the work are doing so to continue spreading the word of AA. This is not professionalized work, meaning it is not someone paying another to receive sponsorship or other forms of AA support.

Step 7 of the AA 12-Step Program

Tradition 8 Protects Members From Controversy and Anonymity Breaches

Past experiences informed the group’s decision to ensure there were no authority figures within the group. Finally, this tradition outlines clear boundaries of roles and transactions within the program.

Every tradition exists to protect the mission and work ofAlcoholicsAnonymous. The othertraditionsinclude prioritizing the health of the group as a whole, allowing individual groups the ability to tailor the details of their meetings, and strictly enforcing a policy of not accepting outside donations.

Going to Your First 12-Step Meeting

2 SourcesVerywell Mind uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.Tusa AL, Burgholzer JA.Came to believe: spirituality as a mechanism of change in alcoholics anonymous a review of the literature from 1992 to 2012.J. Addict. Nurs. 2013;24(4):237-246. doi: 10.1097/JAN.0000000000000003Alcoholics Anonymous.Twelve Steps and Twelve Traditions.

2 Sources

Verywell Mind uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.Tusa AL, Burgholzer JA.Came to believe: spirituality as a mechanism of change in alcoholics anonymous a review of the literature from 1992 to 2012.J. Addict. Nurs. 2013;24(4):237-246. doi: 10.1097/JAN.0000000000000003Alcoholics Anonymous.Twelve Steps and Twelve Traditions.

Tusa AL, Burgholzer JA.Came to believe: spirituality as a mechanism of change in alcoholics anonymous a review of the literature from 1992 to 2012.J. Addict. Nurs. 2013;24(4):237-246. doi: 10.1097/JAN.0000000000000003Alcoholics Anonymous.Twelve Steps and Twelve Traditions.

Alcoholics Anonymous.Twelve Steps and Twelve Traditions.

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The Preservation of Anonymity#

Tradition 8 Protects Members From Controversy and Anonymity Breaches#

The Preservation of Anonymity

Tradition 8 Protects Members From Controversy and Anonymity Breaches