After all, you are essentially reaching out for help from complete strangers. It's likely that you've put off going to AA for a long time. If you are reading this post, it's likely that you are serious about attending AA this time around. You've told yourself that you can no longer control your drinking and that the days of telling it will be 'just one more drink' are well and truly over. This means you have made real progress. The first step towards sobriety is overcoming denial, so well done.
When you initially attend AA, you will likely be required to do so at a local church or community centre. You may be worried that someone you know will notice your presence at an AA meeting.
If this is a concern, we suggest you consider joining an AA meeting that's not located directly in your hometown. Before you attend an AA meeting, you are advised to take stock of all the reasons why you are attending in the first place. It's likely you are simply looking for a 'way out'. Your drinking has become uncontrollable and you simply hope AA will give you the strength to stop drinking alcohol once and for all.
Essentially, there exist two broad types of AA meetings. The first is referred to as 'open meetings'. This means these meetings are open to all who wish to attend. During these meetings, there will be an initial announcement. This announcement is followed by the reading of the '12 Steps' and the '12 Traditions of AA'.
Following this introduction, a member will stand up and share his or her feelings as they relate to 'being in recovery'.
The second type of AA group is known as a 'closed group'. These groups are not open to members of the public. People may choose to form a closed AA group so that they know everybody who attends has also experienced alcoholism.
This may encourage members to be more open about their experiences and feelings towards their alcoholism. When you attend an open meeting, you will be informed that this group is open to the public i. Closed groups tend to be more intimate. Open groups are usually 'speaker-led'. Content Use Policy. This information is both for people who may have a drinking problem and for those in contact with people who have, or are suspected of having, a problem.
Most of the information is available in more detail in literature published by A. This sheet tells what to expect from Alcoholics Anonymous. It describes what A. Alcoholics Anonymous is an international fellowship of men and women who have had a drinking problem. It is nonprofessional, self-supporting, multiracial, apolitical, and available almost everywhere.
There are no age or education requirements. Membership is open to anyone who wants to do something about his or her drinking problem. Nonalcoholics may attend open A. The A. Open speaker meetings — open to alcoholics and nonalcoholics.
Attendance at an open A. At speaker meetings, A. Open discussion meetings — one member speaks briefly about his or her drinking experience, and then leads a discussion on A.
Closed meetings are for A. Closed discussion meetings — conducted just as open discussions are, but for alcoholics or prospective A. Step meetings usually closed — discussion of one of the Twelve Steps.
Alcohol Safety Action Project and D. Driving While Intoxicated programs. These meetings about A. Provide detox or nursing services, hospitalization, drugs, or any medical or psychiatric treatment. Provide housing, food, clothing, jobs, money, or any other welfare or social services. Accept any money for its services, or any contributions from non-A. Provide letters of reference to parole boards, lawyers, court officials, social agencies, employers, etc.
In recent years, A. Some have come to A. We cannot discriminate against any prospective A. Although the strength of our program lies in the voluntary nature of membership in A. But continual exposure to A. Who made the referral to A. Home Group? How do you become an A. How do I join A. What advice do you give new members? What is the purpose of anonymity in A.
What are A. Who runs A. How much does A. What is the difference between open and closed A. What can the families of alcoholics do? Can I bring my family to an A. Alcoholics cannot control their drinking, because they are ill in their bodies and in their minds or emotions , A. If they do not stop drinking, their alcoholism almost always gets worse and worse. Both the American Medical Association and the British Medical Association, chief organizations of doctors in those countries, also have said that alcoholism is an illness.
Not all alcoholics have the same symptoms, but many at different stages in the illness show these signs: They find that only alcohol can make them feel self-confident and at ease with other people; often want just one more at the end of a party; look forward to drinking occasions and think about them a lot; get drunk when they had not planned to; try to control their drinking by changing types of liquor, going on the wagon, or taking pledges; sneak drinks; lie about their drinking; hide bottles; drink at work or in school ; drink alone; have blackouts that is, cannot remember the next day what they said or did the night before ; drink in the morning, to relieve severe hangovers, guilty feelings and fears; fail to eat and become malnourished; get cirrhosis of the liver; shake violently, hallucinate, or have convulsions when withdrawn from liquor.
We in A. We are not professional therapists. Our only qualification for helping others to recover from alcoholism is that we have stopped drinking ourselves, but problem drinkers coming to us know that recovery is possible because they see people who have done it. Through the example and friendship of the recovered alcoholics in A. Instead of swearing off forever or worrying about whether they will be sober tomorrow, A. By keeping alcohol out of their systems, newcomers take care of one part of their illness their bodies have a chance to get well.
But remember, there is another part. If they are going to stay sober, they need healthy minds and healthy emotions, too.
So they begin to straighten out their confused thinking and unhappy feelings by following A. These Steps suggest ideas and actions that can guide alcoholics toward happy and useful lives.
To be in touch with other members and to learn about the recovery program, new members go to A. Like other illnesses, alcoholism strikes all sorts of people. So the men and women in A. They are rich and poor and just average. They work at all occupations, as lawyers and housewives, teachers and truck drivers, waitresses and members of the clergy.
From these reports, total A. Make medical or psychiatric diagnoses or prognoses, or offer advice. Provide drying-out or nursing services, hospitalization, drugs, housing, jobs, money or other welfare services. Accept any money for its services or contributions from outside sources. Provide letters of reference to parole boards, lawyers, court officials, social agencies, employers, etc. Engage in or support education, research, or professional treatment.
As the long form of Tradition Three clearly states, Our membership ought to include all who suffer from alcoholism. Hence we may refuse none who wish to recover. Nor ought A.
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