What is Debtors Anonymous (DA)?
In Debtors Anonymous (DA), our purpose is threefold: to stop incurring unsecured debt, to share our experience with the newcomer, and to reach out to other debtors. DA is a non-profit organization based on the Twelve-Step principles of Alcoholics Anonymous. Compulsive debting can also affect those who are self-employed or business owners. For them, Business Debtors Anonymous (BDA) meetings are available to address their specific needs.
Debtors Anonymous offers a program of recovery that works. Those who wish to stop debting are encouraged to attend meetings, read DA literature, seek the advice of a program sponsor, and follow the 12 Steps of the Debtors Anonymous program.
Meetings
If you are having problems with money and debt and think you may be a compulsive debtor, it is suggested that at first you attend at least six meetings over a period of two weeks to have time to identify with the speakers and absorb the DA concepts. You will meet people at the meetings who will be happy to answer your questions. We found we are stronger together than when we tried to conquer our debting problems alone. Refer to our Meetings page to find meetings in local towns in Washington DC, Maryland, Northern VA, Richmond, Virginia Beach, and West Virginia, as well as to search for worldwide, phone, and online meetings.
Literature
Reading DA literature plays an important role in recovery and can be ordered from our General Service Office (World Service) website where you will also find some literature free for download.
Our DA Literature includes “A Currency of Hope,” and “The Twelve Steps of Debtors Anonymous,” along with pamphlets on over a dozen DA topics from communicating with creditors, to finding a sponsor, and more. You will also find most meetings and many of our Events have DA literature for sale.
Business Debtors Anonymous (BDA)
Compulsive debting can also affect those who are self-employed or business owners. Business Debtors Anonymous (BDA) meetings are available to address the specific issues and concerns of business owners who have the financial responsibility for the conduct of that business. BDA is a distinct but not separate part of DA and members of BDA support one another in applying the DA principles and tools when owning and running a business. Our Business DA page explains more.
Below is an excerpt from the book, “A Currency of Hope” which is the first publication by the Debtors Anonymous 12 Step fellowship, and describes how DA offers experience, strength, and provides a way to help all those who want to stop incurring unsecured debt, such as credit cards, unsecured loans, personal loans, unpaid taxes, and more.
“We, the men and women of Debtors Anonymous, come together to solve our common problems of compulsive debting. We share our experience, strength, and hope with one another to arrest the disease of debting. We have found compulsive debting to be a painful, confusing and destructive disorder. Compulsive debting takes many forms from incurring unsecured debt to compulsive shopping, from grandiose thinking to deprivation mentality. All these symptoms of debting seriously affect our quality of life – financially, emotionally, mentally, spiritually, physically and socially. As members of Debtors Anonymous, we have chosen a spiritual path of healing and growth which requires working the “Twelve Steps” and using the “Twelve Tools of Debtors Anonymous.” The Twelve Steps form the foundation for our recovery. The DA Tools aid us in working the Steps. As a result of beginning this recovery process, we have been able to stop incurring new unsecured debt, one day at a time, and to retire our existing debt through reason able debt repayment within our means. We are learning to understand ourselves and form genuine loving connections with others and discover a relationship with a Higher Power of our own choice. We hope that if you identify with some, or all, aspects of compulsive debting, you will join us on the path of recovery from compulsive debting and find the peace, joy, hope and love that is here for you.”