Theo Nash
Alcoholics Anonymous (AA) is a fellowship of people who gather to solve their drinking problems. AA meetings are free and open to anyone who wants to address their drinking problem. The meetings are typically listed as open or closed. Open meetings are available to anyone interested in AA's recovery program, while closed meetings are for AA members only or for those with a drinking problem who want to stop drinking. AA has been helping alcoholics recover for over 80 years, with its program built on the foundation of one alcoholic sharing their experiences with another. The purpose of the meetings is for members to share their experiences, strengths, and hopes, so they can solve their common problem and help others recover from alcoholism.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Purpose | For AA 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" |
| Who can attend | Anyone with a desire to stop drinking is welcome, regardless of race, gender, sexual orientation, religion, income or profession. Non-alcoholics may attend open meetings as observers. |
| Cost | Free |
| Format | Meetings are typically listed as "open" or "closed". At both types of meetings, it may be requested that participants confine their discussion to matters pertaining to recovery from alcoholism. |
| Leadership | An AA member serves as "leader" or "chair". |
| Topics | Topics for discussion are selected by the leader. Background for many topics comes from AA literature, such as Alcoholics Anonymous (Big Book), Twelve Steps and Twelve Traditions, As Bill Sees It, Daily Reflections, and from AA Grapevine. |
| Speakers | One or more members selected beforehand "share" their experiences. |
| Beginners | Usually led by a group member who has been sober for a while, these are sessions to help newcomers. |
| Anonymity | Anonymity is a valuable privacy principle for new and longtime members. |
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What You'll Learn
- Alcoholics Anonymous (AA) meetings are free to attend
- Meetings are open to anyone with a drinking problem who wants to stop
- Members share experiences, strength, and hope to solve their common problem
- Meetings are held in-person, online, or over the phone
- AA has no age or education requirements for participation
Alcoholics Anonymous (AA) meetings are free to attend
The meetings are typically listed as ""open" or "closed". Open meetings are available to anyone interested in AA's program of recovery from alcoholism, including non-alcoholics who may attend as observers. Closed meetings are for AA members only or for those with a drinking problem who want to stop drinking. At both types of meetings, participants may be asked to confine their discussion to matters pertaining to recovery from alcoholism.
The meetings are usually opened by a designated "leader" or "chair", who may begin with the AA Preamble, a moment of silence, or the Serenity Prayer. The chair may also ask if there are any newcomers to AA who would like to introduce themselves, although it is not mandatory to identify yourself. Many meetings also begin with a reading from the "Big Book", specifically Chapter 5 ("How It Works") or Chapter 3 ("More About Alcoholism").
During the meeting, one or more members may "share" their experiences, telling "what we were like, what happened, and what we are like now". The meeting may also involve a discussion on a topic selected by the leader, often derived from AA literature such as the "Big Book", "Twelve Steps and Twelve Traditions", or "Daily Reflections".
AA meetings are held in-person, online, or over the telephone. They are free of charge and do not have any age or education requirements. Anyone with a desire to stop drinking is welcome, regardless of race, gender, sexual orientation, religion, or income.
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Meetings are open to anyone with a drinking problem who wants to stop
Alcoholics Anonymous (AA) is a fellowship of people who come together to solve their drinking problem. AA meetings are open to anyone with a drinking problem who wants to stop. There are no age or education requirements to participate. AA's primary purpose is to help alcoholics achieve sobriety and recover from alcoholism. The program is built on the foundation of one alcoholic sharing their experience with another.
AA meetings are typically listed as "open" or "closed". Open meetings are available to anyone interested in AA's program of recovery from alcoholism, including non-alcoholics who may attend as observers. Closed meetings are for AA members only or for those who have a drinking problem and want to stop drinking. At both types of meetings, participants may be requested to confine their discussion to matters pertaining to recovery from alcoholism.
The chair usually opens the meeting with the AA Preamble and a few remarks, sometimes calling for a moment of silence and/or reciting the Serenity Prayer. The chair will often ask if there are any newcomers attending the meeting who would like to introduce themselves. It is not mandatory to identify yourself, but it might be helpful if it is your first meeting. Many meetings begin with a reading from the Big Book, such as a portion of Chapter 5 ("How It Works") or Chapter 3 ("More About Alcoholism"). A statement about anonymity in AA as a valuable privacy principle may also be read.
During the meeting, one or more members selected beforehand will "share" their experience, telling "what we were like, what happened, and what we are like now". After the meeting, people often gather and talk, and there is a social air in the room. Many meetings close with members joining in a moment of silence followed by a prayer or the recitation of an AA text, such as the Responsibility Statement.
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Members share experiences, strength, and hope to solve their common problem
Alcoholics Anonymous (AA) is a fellowship of people who gather to help each other solve their drinking problem. AA meetings are free and open to anyone who wants to do something about their drinking problem. The only requirement for membership is a desire to stop drinking. AA meetings are typically listed as "open" or "closed". Open meetings are available to anyone interested in AA's program of recovery from alcoholism, while closed meetings are for AA members only or for those with a drinking problem who want to stop drinking.
At AA meetings, members share their experiences, strength, and hope with each other to solve their common problem of alcoholism and help others recover. One or more members selected beforehand share their stories, including what they were like, what happened, and what they are like now. AA's program of recovery is built on the foundation of one alcoholic sharing with another. AA members work together to help the alcoholic who still suffers, and helping each other is key to staying sober.
The chair usually opens the meeting with the AA Preamble and a few remarks, sometimes calling for a moment of silence or reciting the Serenity Prayer. The chair may also ask if there are any newcomers attending the meeting who would like to introduce themselves, although it is not mandatory to identify oneself. Many meetings begin with a reading from the Big Book, such as a portion of Chapter 5 ("How It Works") or Chapter 3 ("More About Alcoholism"). A statement about anonymity in AA as a valuable privacy principle may also be read.
AA meetings are held in-person, online, or over the telephone, and there is no set procedure for how groups cooperate. Some groups may provide proof of attendance for members, but this is not part of AA's official procedure. AA has helped millions of alcoholics stop drinking and recover, and its primary purpose is to help alcoholics achieve sobriety. AA's Twelve Steps are a set of spiritual principles that, when practiced, can expel the obsession to drink and enable recovery from alcoholism.
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Meetings are held in-person, online, or over the phone
Alcoholics Anonymous (AA) meetings are available in-person, online, or over the phone. AA is a fellowship of people who come together to solve their drinking problem. AA's primary purpose is to help alcoholics achieve sobriety and recover from alcoholism. The program is built on the foundation of one alcoholic sharing their experiences with another.
AA meetings are typically listed as "open" or "closed". Open meetings are available to anyone interested in AA's program of recovery from alcoholism, including non-alcoholics who may attend as observers. Closed meetings are for AA members only or for those with a drinking problem who want to stop drinking. At both types of meetings, participants may be requested to confine their discussion to matters pertaining to recovery from alcoholism.
The chair usually opens the meeting with the AA Preamble and a few remarks, sometimes including a moment of silence or the recitation of the Serenity Prayer. The chair may also ask if there are any newcomers to AA who would like to introduce themselves, although it is not mandatory to identify yourself. Many meetings begin with a reading from the Big Book, such as Chapter 5 ("How It Works") or Chapter 3 ("More About Alcoholism").
Online meetings are often held on Zoom, with the meeting password provided in the meeting description. Some meetings may require you to contact the group directly for the password or other information. Proof of attendance at meetings may be provided for those who need it, either on a slip or via a digital method for online groups.
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AA has no age or education requirements for participation
Alcoholics Anonymous (AA) is a fellowship of people who come together to solve their drinking problem. AA meetings are free and open to anyone who wants to address their drinking problem. There are no age or education requirements to participate in AA meetings. The only requirement for membership is a desire to stop drinking. AA meetings are typically listed as "'open' or 'closed'. Open meetings are available to anyone interested in AA's program of recovery from alcoholism, including non-alcoholics who may attend as observers. Closed meetings are for AA members only or for those who have a drinking problem and want to stop drinking.
At AA meetings, members share their experiences, strengths, and hopes with each other to solve their common problem and help others recover from alcoholism. The meetings are usually led by a group member who has been sober for a while, and they may begin with a reading from the "Big Book", such as Chapter 5 ("How It Works") or Chapter 3 ("More About Alcoholism"). The purpose of these meetings is to provide a supportive environment for individuals struggling with alcoholism to connect with others going through similar challenges and to find strength and hope in shared experiences.
AA's program of recovery is built on the foundation of one alcoholic helping another. The Twelve Steps and Twelve Traditions are spiritual principles that guide members in their journey towards sobriety. By practicing these principles as a way of life, individuals can overcome their obsession with drinking and recover from alcoholism. AA recognises that recovery is a personal journey and respects the autonomy of individuals in deciding how to seek recovery. While some groups may provide proof of attendance at the request of a referral source, this is not a standard procedure.
AA meetings are conducted in-person, online, or over the telephone, making them accessible to people from all walks of life, regardless of their age, educational background, or location. The absence of age and education requirements ensures that anyone struggling with alcoholism can access the support they need without feeling excluded or inadequate. This inclusive approach aligns with AA's core values of acceptance, anonymity, and unity. By welcoming individuals from diverse backgrounds, AA fosters a sense of community and mutual understanding among its members, reinforcing the idea that alcoholism does not discriminate and that recovery is achievable for all who seek it.
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Frequently asked questions
Alcoholics Anonymous is a fellowship of people who come together to solve their drinking problem. A.A. meetings are gatherings where members share their experiences, strength, and hope with each other to recover from alcoholism.
Anyone with a desire to stop drinking is welcome at A.A. meetings, regardless of race, gender, sexual orientation, religion, income, or profession. There are no age or education requirements. Non-alcoholics may attend open meetings as observers.
The chair opens the meeting with the A.A. Preamble, a moment of silence, or the Serenity Prayer. They may ask if there are any newcomers who would like to introduce themselves. The meeting may then involve a reading from the Big Book, a discussion on a selected topic, and sharing from one or more members about their experiences. The meeting often closes with a moment of silence, a prayer, or an A.A. text.
A.A. meetings are typically listed as "open" or "closed". Open meetings are for anyone interested in A.A.'s program of recovery from alcoholism, while closed meetings are for A.A. members or those with a drinking problem who want to stop drinking. Meetings may be held in-person, online, or over the telephone.
It doesn't cost anything to attend A.A. meetings, and there are no mandatory fees or charges.
