Author: James Anderson

What Are A A. Meetings and How Do They Work?

Members who determine the format of their meetings. By Buddy TBuddy T is a writer and founding member of the Online Al-Anon Outreach Committee with decades of experience writing about alcoholism. Because he is a member of a support group that stresses the importance of anonymity at the public level, he does not use his photograph or his real name on this website. However, the organization reinforces that it is not interested in who made the referral to A.A.

Groups cooperate in different ways. The nature and extent of any group’s involvement in this process is entirely up to the individual group. The chair usually opens the meeting with the A.A. Some call for a moment of silence and/or recite the Serenity Prayer. The chair will often ask if there are any people new to A.A.

What to Expect at an A.A. Meeting

Attending the meeting who would like to introduce themselves. It isn’t mandatory to identify yourself but it might be helpful if you are attending your first meeting. Many meetings begin with a reading from the Big Book — frequently a portion of Chapter 5 (“How It Works”) or Chapter 3 (“More About Alcoholism”).

Fortunately, there are many different types of meetings for people from different backgrounds or with similar situations. The only way to know for sure whether A.A. May be a good fit is to attend a meeting.

Outcomes were also improved for individuals with co-occurring substance use and mental health issues. We also discuss who can join Alcoholics Anonymous and what research has found about the effectiveness of attending these meetings when overcoming alcohol misuse or abuse. Studies show that volunteering can be a powerful tool for recovery from AUD and other substance use disorders. In one study, participants who did volunteer work showed better mental health outcomes and lower depression rates.9 Volunteering of any kind produced these mental health boosts for study participants. After doing the necessary work in rehab, it’s incumbent on you to make sure you do everything you can to protect your sobriety.

How Often Should I go to AA?

The portal organized by the OIAA should help you sort out meetings by format, time zone, preferred language, and meeting type, among many other options. The chairperson then opens up the meeting. It might be a Step Study meeting, where the focus and discussion revolve around one of the 12 Steps. More likely, it will be an open meeting, where members can talk about anything recovery-related that’s on their mind. Most of the time, the meetings are held in places connected to churches or community centers.

If you feel you can walk right out of rehab and never look back, that’s fine. Unfortunately, most people can’t do that. For them, some form of active participation in aftercare treatment is necessary to help keep them on the straight and narrow road of recovery. How often or how little you attend AA meetings is ultimately up to you. However, most experts agree that attending more frequently—especially in the beginning—is more likely to lead to a successful recovery.

1. There are no dues or fees, so it doesn’t cost anything to try it out.
2. In AA and NA, the program literature stresses that each person should commit to one meeting per week.
3. Essentials mission is to renew lives impacted by addiction through personalized and complete behavioral healthcare.
4. Eventually, everyone takes a seat on one of the chairs arranged in a semi-circle.
5. The authors also reported that these programs appear to be as effective as other alcohol treatment methods.

There are no dues or fees, so it doesn’t cost anything to try it out. Meetings aren’t based on a specific religion, they do include spiritual aspects. For some, these aspects of the program can be a stumbling block. Alcoholics Anonymous meetings may be accessible, but do they work? Do they truly help attendees achieve and maintain sobriety? According to research, the answer is yes.

Still, to make your search as successful as possible, there are a few things to keep in mind that might make a meeting experience better (or worse) for you. You might even decide—when determining what the right AA meeting for you is—that you’d prefer one of these formats to in-person meetings. Virtual meetings can actually be quite useful for those with tight schedules, transportation issues, or physical disabilities. Still, many experts advise that in-person meetings should at least be tried when a person first begins the 12 Step program. Meetings welcome attendees from court programs and treatment facilities.

How Long Can I Stay in AA?

This communal atmosphere can empower you to stay sober even if you choose not to share about the situations that are making it more difficult to stay sober during the meetings. In AA and NA, the program literature stresses that each person should commit to one meeting per week. For someone with years of recovery, one meeting a week is usually enough to keep them connected to their recovery. They always have the option of attending more meetings if they feel their lives are getting out of control. I’ve been going it alone (staying sober and not getting fucked up on pills either) for a month after a major surgery.

The ability they had to be supportive of each other in tough times eventually led to the first formal AA meeting in 1935. Later, Narcotics Anonymous (NA) came into being in the 1950s. A group that can help you grow will also listen and treat the discussions as opportunities they are for seeking change and healing. As the meeting progresses, you’ll naturally get a better idea of the types of people attending it—and whether or not they’re a group you want to share your recovery with. Try not to be dismayed–every meeting attended is still a step in the right direction, whether or not you feel particularly connected to the group.

In fact, even if you no longer need the support of weekly meetings to avoid using alcohol yourself, you can transition your role in AA to that of a sponsor. Meeting size is another factor—with some people feeling more comfortable in larger groups or smaller groups. Some groups, with the consent of the prospective member, have an A.A.