| Index | What to expect at an AA (Alcoholics Anonymous) meeting | |||
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The contents of this page are derived from conversations with individual members of AA. The page reflects the opinions and experiences of a few individuals, and in no way expresses the opinion of Alcoholics Anonymous. First, before attending a meeting, one should be aware of the distinction between an “open” and a “closed” meeting. Everyone is welcome at an open AA meeting, so long as one does not engage in any conduct that is disruptive of the meeting. A closed AA meeting is for those who have a problem with alcohol and wish to refrain from drinking. If you are not an alcoholic or a person with a drinking problem, you should probably stay away from any meeting that describes itself as a closed meeting. If you are attending a meeting as an observer, you should be sure to ascertain from your source of information about the meeting (e.g., website, telephone call, directory, friend, etc.) that the meeting is indeed an open meeting. At some meetings, animals other than seeing-eye dogs may be unwelcome. Many meetings take place in church basements or parish halls, sometimes in public buildings, and sometimes in private buildings. It may not be immediately obvious which entrance to the building you should use, but with a little bit of investigation you should be able to see which entrance other people are using. Some meetings may offer free coffee and tea. At others, people may bring their own. At a few places, beverages may be forbidden by the owner of the space. If a meeting is not listed as a “no-smoking” meeting, there will probably be many people smoking cigarettes during the meeting. More and more meetings are forbidding smoking, sometimes at the request of the owner of the space, but there are still many meetings where smoking takes place. At some meetings, you may be greeted at the door when you arrive. You can ask the greeter any questions that you may have about the meeting. At many meetings there is no greeter. Meetings often last an hour or an hour and a half. At some there is a short break at some point roughly in the middle. Meeting formats vary. At some, often called a “speaker meeting,” individuals will speak from the podium and will tell their individual stories of recovery. At some, one person will tell his or her story, and then the meeting will be opened up for discussion. At a literature discussion meeting, one person may read a chapter from an AA book, or the book may be passed around the room for each person to read a few paragraphs. After the reading, the meeting is opened up for discussion. Sometimes in order to participate in the discussion, one must raise one’s hand and be recognized by the moderator. At others, the discussion may proceed in “round robin” fashion through the room. If you don’t want to say anything, you can say that you pass. If you are asked to give a name, you can give your first name, or you can make up a first name. At an open meeting you would be under no obligation to say “I am an alcoholic.” You may wish to say “I’m visiting.” If you are attending the meeting as a student who is going to write a paper, you should probably not take notes during the meeting, since other people may be upset. People who speak at meetings want to feel that their identities and communications will not be reported to others outside of the meeting. Since open meetings are open to everyone, you do not need to hide from anyone your reason for attending the meeting if you are there to write a paper. Under no circumstance should you ever take a photograph at an AA meeting. Nor should you use a recording device. At some point, a basket may be passed around for donations. You are under no obligation to contribute anything. A dollar is a good amount to give if you wish to contribute something. Many people may be happy to talk with you before the meeting, during a break, or after the meeting, to answer any questions that you might have. Some members may offer their telephone numbers to newcomers in order to be helpful to people who may be newly sober. You are under no obligation to give out your own telephone number. If the meeting concludes with a prayer such as the Serenity Prayer or the Lord’s Prayer, you may remain silent if you do not wish to join in. --- Some links What to expect at an AA meeting What to Expect When Attending "Open" 12-Step Meetings and Suggestions regarding Etiquette --- Listing of Boston meetings, AA Central Service Committee of Eastern Mass. |
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