You Are Not Alone. AA members share a message of connection and hope this Mental Health Month. From isolation to connection: people who once struggled with alcohol are reaching out to those still struggling.
Alcoholics Anonymous
Sydney, October 2026
This Mental Health Month, members of Alcoholics Anonymous (AA) have a simple message for anyone worried about their drinking: you are not alone, and help is available.
For many AA members, problems with alcohol reached well beyond the drinking itself. Members speak from their own experience of isolation, strained relationships, trouble at work and home, and the guilt and worry that came with trying, and failing, to control or stop.
"For me, drinking became a very lonely experience," said one AA member. "I knew alcohol was causing problems in my life, but I didn't know how to stop. Meeting other people who understood what that was like made a tremendous difference."
AA is not a medical, counselling or mental health treatment service. What it offers is a fellowship of people who help each other stay sober, and a program of recovery based on twelve suggested steps. At meetings, members talk about what their drinking was like, what happened, and what life is like now. For someone who feels trapped, hearing from people who have been there can bring connection, encouragement and hope.
"One of the most powerful things I discovered in AA was that I wasn't the only person who had felt the way I did," another member said. "Nobody tried to diagnose me or tell me how to live my life. They simply shared what had worked for them. For the first time, I felt understood."
Membership is open to anyone with a desire to stop drinking. There are no dues or fees, and no diagnosis or referral is needed to attend a meeting.
Carrying the message into the community
Recovery often brings a wish to pass on the help that was freely given. One way members do this is by visiting treatment and recovery facilities, where invited, to share their experience.
Recently, members of a local women's AA group made their first visit to a treatment facility's day program. They offered no counselling or professional advice. They simply shared their own stories of alcoholism and recovery, so people in treatment could hear first-hand that a different way of life is possible.
Help is available
AA's message this Mental Health Month is simple: if you are having trouble with alcohol and want to stop drinking, you are not alone.
AA recognises the difference between the help its fellowship offers and professional care. Anyone with mental health concerns, worrying withdrawal symptoms or other health problems should also seek professional help. In an emergency, call 000.
- AA 24-hour Helpline: 1300 222 222
- AA meetings and online chat: aa.org.au
- Lifeline (24/7 crisis support): 13 11 14
- Beyond Blue (24/7): 1300 22 4636
- Emergency: 000
About us:
About Alcoholics Anonymous
AA is a fellowship of people who share their experience, strength and hope to stay sober and help others recover from alcoholism. Members follow a program of recovery based on twelve suggested steps. AA is self-supporting through voluntary member contributions, is not affiliated with any other organisation, and does not engage in public controversy."