“Many of us were sent to our first A.A. meetings by judges, employers, counselors, or some other authority, as a result of being arrested for drunken driving, family disputes, or some other problem involving alcohol. If you’ve come to A.A. at the direction (or suggestion) of someone else, you probably have some questions.”
This page is for you.
Is AA for you?
Only you can decide whether you want to give A.A. a try — whether you think it can help. The questioner may help you make a decision.
We who are in A.A. came because we finally gave up trying to control our drinking. We still hated to admit that we could never drink safely. Then we heard from other A.A. members that we had an illness. (Some of us thought so for years!) We found out that many people suffered from the same feelings of guilt and loneliness and hopelessness that we did. We found out that we had these feelings because we had the disease of alcoholism.
We decided to try to face up to what alcohol had done to us. Here are some of the questions we tried to answer honestly. If we answered “Yes” to four or more questions, we were in deep trouble with our drinking. See how you do. Remember, there is no disgrace in facing up to the fact that you have a problem.
If you believe you do have a problem, call Central Office at (559) 592-6999.
What is A.A.?
Alcoholics Anonymous is a fellowship of men and women who come together to solve their drinking problem. It doesn’t cost anything to attend A.A. meetings. There are no age or education requirements to participate. Membership is open to anyone who wants to do something about their drinking problem.
A.A.’s primary purpose is to help alcoholics to achieve sobriety.
What to Expect at an A.A. Meeting
There are a variety of formats for A.A. meetings and each meeting takes on the feel of their local area. At most meetings you will hear members talk about what drinking did to them and to those around them. Most also share what actions they took to stop drinking and how they are living their lives today.
The purpose of all meetings is for A.A. members to “share their experience, strength and hope with each other that they may solve their common problem and help others to recover from alcoholism.”
Attending Meetings
Meetings are the backbone of AA. We attend meetings on a regular basis to connect with others who are like us and to learn about the program of recovery. Most of us go to several meetings per week, and many of us go every day. You are free to choose your own schedule, but it is recommended that we put at least as much effort into our recovery as we did our drinking, especially in the beginning.
If you’re nervous about going to your first meeting, don’t be. Newcomers are the lifeblood of AA, and the people you’ll meet at meetings are all there to help you. Most importantly, they’ve all been where you are. Stay after the meeting and make some friends. Ask for telephone numbers at every meeting you attend.
Meeting Types
- Open AA Meetings are available to anyone interested in Alcoholics Anonymous program of recovery from alcoholism. Nonalcoholics may attend open meetings as observers.
- Closed AA Meetings are for A.A. members only or for those who have a drinking problem and “have a desire to stop drinking.”
At both types of meetings, it may be requested that participants confine their discussion to matters pertaining to recovery from alcoholism.
Whether open or closed, A.A. group meetings are conducted by A.A. members who determine the format of their meetings.
Common Meeting Formats
- Discussion Meeting
Whether closed or open, an A.A. member serving as “leader” or “chair” opens the meeting using that group’s format, and selects a topic for discussion. Background for many topic meetings derives from A.A. literature, such as Alcoholics Anonymous (Big Book), Twelve Steps and Twelve Traditions, As Bill Sees It, Daily Reflections, and from AA Grapevine. Usually the person speaking is not interrupted. We each share our own experience on the topic and don’t address what someone else says. This is called “Cross Talking”. Many discussion meetings are “open,” and spouses or loved ones often attend as observers. - Speaker Meeting
At a speaker meeting, a speaker tells his or her story, usually for the entire meeting, following a format of:- (Experience) What we were like
- (Strength) What happened to make them stop drinking
- (Hope) What we are like now
Some groups prefer that members who speak have a minimum period of continuous sobriety. Speaker meetings often are open meetings. - Beginners
Usually led by a group member who has been sober awhile, these are sessions to help newcomers. Beginners meetings may also follow a discussion format, or focus on Steps One, Two and Three. (A Guide for Leading Beginners Meetings is available from G.S.O.) - Step, Tradition or Big Book
Because the Twelve Steps are the foundation of personal recovery in A.A., many groups devote one or more meetings a week to the study of each Step in rotation; some discuss two or three Steps at a time. These same formats may be applied to group meetings on the Big Book or the Twelve Traditions. Many groups make it a practice to read aloud pertinent material from the Big Book or Twelve Steps and Twelve Traditions at the beginning of the meeting.
What Happens at Meetings
The chair usually opens the meeting with the A.A. Preamble and a few remarks. 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. 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”). A statement about anonymity in A.A. as a valuable privacy principle for new and longtime members might be read. Many meetings close with members joining in a moment of silence followed by a prayer, or perhaps by reciting the Responsibility Statement or other A.A. text.
After the Meeting
People gather and talk, and there is a social air in the room once the meeting is over. Some may introduce themselves to you and offer their help or share their experiences getting sober. While many members find this time after the meeting valuable, it is up to you if you want to stay and socialize.
Referred to A.A. through Court Programs and Treatment Facilities
A.A. meetings welcome attendees from court programs and treatment facilities. The strength of our program lies in the voluntary nature of membership in A.A.; however many of us first attended meetings because we were pressured to by someone else. Continual exposure to A.A. educated us to the true nature of the illness.
Who made the referral to A.A. is not what A.A. is interested in. It is the problem drinker who is our concern. We cannot predict who will recover, nor have we the authority to decide how recovery should be sought by any other alcoholic.
Proof of Attendance at Meetings
Sometimes a referral source asks for proof of attendance at A.A. meetings. Groups cooperate in different ways. There is no set procedure. The nature and extent of any group’s involvement in this process is entirely up to the individual group.
Some groups, with the consent of the prospective member, have an A.A. member acknowledge attendance. This may be provided on a slip that has been furnished by the referral source, or via a digital method if the group is online. The referred person is responsible for returning the proof of attendance.
Proof of attendance at meetings is not part of A.A.’s procedure. Each group is autonomous and has the right to choose whether or not to provide proof of attendance at their meeting.
Participating in A.A.
Most A.A. members participate by going to meetings at their local groups. But there are many opportunities for service in A.A., and most of us have found that volunteering to do service improves the quality of our recovery. We freely share our time and talent in an effort to stay sober and carry the message of Alcoholics Anonymous to those who are suffering from alcoholism. In other words, you get what you give.
The Big Book says, “Rarely have we seen a person fail who has thoroughly followed our path.” We do see people fail who don’t, however, so it’s important to participate. Here are some tips on how to do that:
- Members of AA participate in many activities, such as conventions, seminars, dances, beach parties, cook-outs, and just about any other kind of social function you can think of. These activities are usually posted on bulletin boards of clubs or at Central Office.
- Study the Big Book and the Twelve and Twelve. These contain exact instructions on how to take the steps and how to recover from alcoholism.
A.A.’s Responsibility Statement
I am responsible, when anyone, anywhere reaches out for help, I want the hand of A.A. always to be there. And for that: I am responsible.
Getting involved in A.A. service
A.A.’s Twelfth Step suggests that we carry the message of recovery. That is the basic service that A.A. provides. Any action that helps A.A. to function as a whole is service. Most A.A. members start out providing service in their group.
Circles of Love and Service
Circles of Love and Service
Circles of Love and Service
This leaflet explains the A.A. service structure through full-color diagrams. Ideal for A.A.s who are new to service.
A Newcomer Asks
This leaflet is intended for people approaching Alcoholics Anonymous (A.A.) for the first time. In it we have tried to answer the questions most frequently in the minds of newcomers — the questions which were in our minds when we first approached the Fellowship.
A Newcomer Asks…
A Newcomer Asks…
Looking for a Sponsor
A sponsor will answer questions about Alcoholics Anonymous and will guide you through the Steps. Choose a sponsor who has taken the steps themselves and with whom you can communicate. As you grow in the program, you’ll find that you can’t keep what you don’t give away, and you’ll have an opportunity to sponsor others yourself. It is in helping others that we help ourselves.
Questions & Answers on Sponsorship
Questions & Answers on Sponsorship
Questions and Answers on Sponsorship
Uses shared A.A. experience to answer 34 questions likely to be asked by persons seeking sponsors, persons wanting to be sponsors, and groups planning sponsorship activity.
Visiting Students and Professionals
Students and counselors who are seeking information about the program are welcome to attend all meetings (unless marked “closed”). If you are called upon to speak, it’s usually best to pass to allow those who are there seeking recovery to speak. You are also requested to respect the anonymity of those you see at meetings and not use their names in anything you write. If you need additional information on the principle of anonymity, please ask the chairperson after the meeting.