Recovery from an addiction issue is rarely straightforward or easy.
Whether someone begins their addiction journey through detox, or they enter a structured rehab, or they attend community meetings, each and every recovery journey is individual to the person recovering from an addiction.
Alcoholics Anonymous, also known as the AA, is one of the most recognisable community groups used to support people who are recovering from alcohol addiction.
It follows the 12 step process, and during Alcoholics Anonymous meetings, people are able to mark the progress they make through the use of things called chips, keytags and medallions [1].
These small tokens carry a huge emotional weight for those recovering from an addiction to alcohol. This is because they represent the commitment, perseverance and the hope for those overcoming an addiction issue.
In this block, we explore how Alcoholics Anonymous works, how they use milestones and the meaning behind chips and medallions.
Likewise, we will also explore why they remain such a powerful part of recovery culture at Alcoholics Anonymous.
Sobriety milestones at Alcoholic Anonymous are essentially markers that acknowledge and celebrate the length of time a person has remained free from alcohol or other addictive substances.
At Alcoholics Anonymous, these are typically recognised with physical tokens such as chips or coins.
A sobriety coin is usually a small medallion. These are typically given to people to acknowledge how long they have maintained abstinence from alcohol.
However, offering medallions or coins is not an official part of the Alcoholics Anonymous doctrine, although they are widely used across Alcoholics Anonymous meetings worldwide.
When you join Alcoholics Anonymous, milestones often begin immediately, usually within the first 24 hours of joining.
In fact, they continue to be a huge part of your recovery journey and your time at Alcoholics Anonymous for months and years.
These markers are especially valuable during the early recovery days, when motivation can fluctuate up and down following a medical detox or discharge from inpatient drug or alcohol rehab.
Interestingly, Alcoholics Anonymous chips are not formally endorsed by Alcoholics Anonymous as an organisation.
Instead, they have evolved naturally and organically over time as a practice within meetings which millions of people benefit from.
Some people say that these tokens date back to days where Alcoholics Anonymous was more closely linked with religious movements, where coins and medallions were given to followers to encourage abstinence.
These days, individuals working in addiction treatment settings and inpatient rehab centres have begun to hand out these tokens to those leaving a medical detox or hospital care to encourage people to remain sober and avoid relapsing once they leave.
Over time, Alcoholics Anonymous groups up and down the country have begun to create their own systems of chips, coins, and keytags themselves.
While there is no single official standard for these tokens, most groups follow a broadly similar timeline when it comes to rewarding these milestones to people.
Although they are often used interchangeably, there are subtle differences between chips, keytags and medallions.
For example, Alcoholics Anonymous chips are coin-like tokens that are often made from plastic, aluminium or bronze.
They are given during the early stages of someone’s recovery journey, usually days or months into their journey, to mark the small, subtle changes an individual is making to their life and the first, crucial steps they take to recovery.
Keytags are used slightly differently. For starters, they are rectangular plastic tags which are often used instead of chips.
They are very common across Alcoholics Anonymous meetings in both the UK and the USA. They also represent small milestones often made in the first few days or weeks after joining Alcoholics Anonymous.
Medallions differ in that they are high-quality coins that are given once a year. They are often engraved or marked in some way and state how long the individual has been sober for.
They are given to the individual during a ceremony and are for the individual to keep long-term.
Regardless of what type of reward you are given, each type serves the same purpose, in that they are there to make the individual reflect and feel proud of just how much progress they have made during their recovery.
It is important to understand that these sobriety milestones are far more than just symbolic objects. In fact, they represent a number of things, including accountability, motivation to continue, connection with other people and a sense of pride and achievement.
Receiving a reward like this is often a huge moment for the individual and their community, where fellow members get the chance to celebrate together.
Sharing this pride and recognition helps to reduce isolation and loneliness which are both common challenges in addiction recovery.
Most Alcoholics Anonymous groups all follow a similar structure when it comes to chip colours and milestones.
For example, a white chip highlights a starting point which is usually rewarded to people within 24 hours of joining an Alcoholics Anonymous group.
Likewise, red chips highlight 30 days, and gold chips signify 60 days. Green chips usually highlight 90 days sober.
It is important to understand that these early milestones are crucial and that the transition from medical detox into everyday life is often the most challenging stage of anyone’s addiction recovery.
When it comes to monthly milestones, purple coins usually signify 4 months sober, and dark blue coins highlight that an individual has remained sober for 6 months.
Once an individual hits 12 months sober, then they will be rewarded with a bronze medallion each and every year that they remain sober.
There are a number of reasons why these sobriety milestones matter when it comes to your addiction recovery journey. For example, they break addiction recovery down into manageable steps, so that recovery does not feel too overwhelming.
Likewise, they provide tangible rewards for positive behaviour. Gaining a token reinforces the progress that you have made and can serve as a reminder of your hard work during difficult moments.
Finally, each milestone that you receive reinforces the belief that long term recovery is possible and insight. Seeing others collect coins and medallions will also likely motivate and inspire newcomers to stay committed to the process.
When an individual at an Alcoholics Anonymous meeting receives a chip, it is usually presented at a presentation or ceremony.
Receiving a chip is usually a simple but meaningful ritual, which involves the individual receiving the reward to come to the front, receive their chip and gain applause from others. This moment will help individuals to feel seen and valued.
If you or a loved one is struggling with an addiction to alcohol or drugs, then it is important to understand that you will need to seek professional support if you want to recover in the long run.
Whilst a medical detox and professional rehab services provide a safe foundation for recovery, ongoing support groups like AA help to sustain long-term sobriety.
In fact, combining structured rehab treatment with community support, such as Alcoholics Anonymous offers individuals who recover the strongest chance of lasting and long-term recovery.
[1] https://www.aa.org/the-twelve-steps
Boris is our editor-in-chief at Rehab 4 Addiction. Boris is an advisor with more than 20 years in the field. His knowledge covers a broad of topics relating to addiction, rehab and recovery. Boris is an advisor and assists in the alcohol detox and rehab process. Boris has been featured on a variety of websites, including the Verywell Mind and Healthline. You can connect with Boris online at LinkedIn or X.com.
