Explained: The Types of Alcoholics Anonymous Meetings

If you are agnostic or atheist, you can find your own higher power. Most atheists simply believe it is the power of many people sharing a common problem and solution coming together that helps them. People who attend Al-Anon and Alateen are also asked to remain anonymous. The same steps, traditions and format for meetings are followed. Alateen is specially designated for teens and young adults.

What Is the Role of Spirituality in Alcoholics Anonymous, and How Does It Support Recovery?

The Big Book is the foundational text of Alcoholics Anonymous (AA), published in 1939. It contains the Twelve Steps and personal stories of recovery, providing guidance and inspiration for those seeking to overcome alcohol addiction. These meetings provide a deeper understanding of AA’s principles and can benefit individuals who resonate with the book’s teachings. Big Book meetings focus on AA’s foundational text, “The Big Book.” In these gatherings, members explore the book’s contents, which include the Twelve Steps and personal stories of recovery.

Step 1: Honesty

• Instead, the organization encourages members to draw spiritual strength from their own faith-based beliefs.
• However, prayers are optional, and participants are allowed to share without judgment.
• When you’re humble, you’re cognizant of the fact that you’re not a major part of the bigger picture.
• Also, if you share about your story when asked to lead you don’t have to share anything that you’re not comfortable speaking about.

Meetings or whether it is necessary to do so at all. Our sober living homes in Los Angeles complement the principles of AA by providing a structured and nurturing space for individuals committed to staying sober. Some people may benefit from a combination of AA and professional alcohol treatment, including addiction medicine and therapy. However, AA has a significant presence in countries where alcohol addiction is widespread, and the organization has been established for many years.

Our Primary Purpose

But no matter the external perceptions, AA still serves an integral role in the recovery process for countless individuals. To learn more about Alcoholics Anonymous, read why it still works all these years after its creation. If you’re interested in learning how you can leverage a 12-step group to help your recovery, contact FHE Health and learn what does aa stand for alcohol about our aftercare and support group options. Of course, there are many other books and resources available on the 12-step program, and what works best for one person may not work for another. It can be helpful to explore different options and find what resonates with you personally. Step 10 relates to its own principle very clearly.

Travelers from already-established centers, many new groups began. At the year’s end, the membership stood at 2,000. Bill emphasized that alcoholism was a malady of mind, emotions, and body.

Wilson was the first to kick his alcohol dependence. He attributed his success to working with other alcoholics. He based his principles on that work and on his meetings with Smith, whom he also helped to achieve sobriety. He believed strongly that alcoholism affected the body, mind, and spirit.

• One good reason for closed meetings is that members feel safer talking about some issues if the meeting is not open to non-alcoholics.
• You also have to be willing to make amends, which shows that you truly care for the people on your list.
• These and many other activities had become indispensable for A.A.

Bill W. & his spiritual awakening

The prayer encourages individuals to accept things they cannot change, to find the courage to make changes where possible, and to seek the wisdom to distinguish between the two. Expect a recovery meeting to last anywhere from one to two hours. After the meeting, some groups include additional social time.

Recovery Begins at 12 Keys

It opens up a sense of acceptance toward others. Meeting Guide is a free mobile app for iOS and Android from A.A. Service entities with more than 100,000 weekly meetings. Struggled with this question and often wrote about the dilemma facing newcomers as they grappled with their disease, often for the first time and often in a relatively “public” way at A.A. AA speaker meetings are a great way to unwind after a hard day. You can leave the room with a sense that no matter how scary life seems, things will work out if you just keep trudging the road of happy destiny a day at a time.

Bill learned this important fact from Dr. William D. Silkworth of Towns Hospital in New York. Bill had often been a patient of Dr. Silkworth. Though a physician, Dr. Bob had not known alcoholism to be a disease.