Confidant Vs. Alcoholics Anonymous (AA)

You may be wondering if Confidant Health is right for you and how it differs from other addiction services you have heard more about.

Confidant is a virtual environment for positive behavior change. That means we offer a range of one-on-one clinical and therapeutic services to support you in reaching your goals around drugs and alcohol, as well as improving your quality of life. Some people use our services in conjunction with other support services, like AA, while others do not.

What is AA?

Alcoholics Anonymous (AA) is an international mutual aid fellowship designed to help all members stay sober. The AA program consists of weekly meetings that anyone can attend. During these meetings, you have an opportunity to share your personal story and get support from others in similar situations. 

AA follows the 12-step program for recovery and offers members a safe space for building a community or connecting with sponsors to hold them accountable. Some AA chapters also have a strong religious (typically Christian) focus. AA is free for all and is always in a group setting. AA is not a medical intervention, but has been useful for millions of people to achieve and maintain sobriety from alcohol.

How Confidant Health Differs

AA has no connection to any health care professionals, though there may be healthcare professionals in the rooms for support of their own. Confidant Health connects you with a dedicated team of clinical professionals.

Confidant Health encourages you to develop a growth mindset and believe that you can change, without requiring abstinence to be your end goal. This differs from AA, and other 12 step programs, which are largely focused on sobriety and do not support different forms of moderation. At Confidant, you are able to meet goals that you establish for yourself, and to get therapeutic support beyond just your substance use. For some, this does mean sobriety, but many others find a different path.

Similar to AA, Confidant offers group service to build a community of support. Confidant support groups are facilitated by trained professionals, and are typically topically focused. Confidant may offer 12-step groups, but many guests that seek this kind of support also attend outside AA meetings.

While AA can be complimentary to our approach for some guests, this is not a required part of our treatment approach.

Treatment for All Substances

It is important to note that AA only addresses alcoholism. Confidant Health offers treatment and support for all substances in addition to mental health services. In today's society, it is common for people to use more than one substance, and AA typically does not address this. If you're seeking support for drug use and looking for a 12-step meeting, you may find that Narcotics Anonymous (NA) is better suited to your needs.

Confidant Health's Recovery Coaches often serve as resource brokers, and can help you find the best supports to meet your needs in your community, including AA or NA meetings.