Closed meetings are one of the most critical components of AA for members who wish to quit drinking. An open meeting can be a very good way to break into the AA community and understand how the program can help you or your loved one on your way toward sobriety. AA meetings offer a variety of formats and benefits, providing different approaches to sobriety. Exploring the peculiarities of different types of AA meetings will help you find the format that will suit you best in your recovery journey.

AA meetings provide a time and place for people to share their personal experiences with addiction and recovery with others in a group setting. In AA meetings, people share their experiences, strengths, and hopes for their common problem, alcoholism, and help each other to recover. If people cannot feel safe going to AA meetings they may die of alcoholism. We share a common problem with alcoholism; meetings should stay focused on how to remain sober and help others to achieve sobriety.

When you imagine going to AA meetings, you may think of a fairly simple set up. If you are an Aetna member and require more information about your addiction services coverage, please feel free to connect with our teamtoday. While meetings may mention a “higher power,” members define that concept individually. You can search by location, time, and meeting type through the official AA website or your local AA chapter.

Many meetings open with How it Works from the big Book or the AA Thought for the Day. You’ll encounter AA words what is ayahuasca benefits, side effects and retreats when you attend in-person or virtual meetings. You may have heard of the 12 steps before, but what does Alcoholics Anonymous actually mean?

Other Types Of Meetings

While all AA groups follow the same 12-Step structure, each meeting may have a different focus, format, or tone. Given the number of individuals struggling with or at risk for an AUD, it is understandable that AA has grown to what it is today—an organization with more than 115,000 groups worldwide. If you or someone you know has a problem with alcohol, Mountainside can help. Understanding AA words and the language and terminology of Alcoholics Anonymous is essential for anyone embarking on the path to recovery.

• You’ll encounter AA words when you attend in-person or virtual meetings.
• Before the meeting starts, people will probably be dotted around the room, some talking, some keeping to themselves, and some enjoying the free coffee provided.
• It’s often used alongside clinical addiction treatments.
• 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.
• Alcoholics Anonymous (AA) is one of the most well-known recovery support groups in the world, yet many still ask, what happens at an AA meeting?
• For people seeking recovery, AA meetings provide a widely available and effective support system comprising of people who have gone through the same kinds of struggles.
• Therefore, for many members, this is an aspect of recovery best dealt with collectively.

At 405 Recovery, we help clients understand the value of AA and 12-step meetings. At 405 Recovery, we guide clients through early recovery while encouraging involvement in local AA meetings. These meetings help clients apply what they’ve learned in treatment to real-life situations. Sponsors help sponsees work through challenges, apply the steps in daily life, and stay grounded in recovery. AA meetings take place in various locations, such as churches, community centers, office buildings, or treatment facilities. Members talk about how alcoholism affected their lives, what brought them to AA, and what recovery looks like now.

• Such systematic working of the recovery process through these steps helps gain a deeper understanding of the steps.
• This useful recent addition to the types of meetings focuses on meditation and prayer.
• Most 12-step programs (and AA, specifically) have defined principles to follow.
• Focusing on their 12-step program and group sessions, Alcoholics Anonymous provides support and healing for people struggling with alcohol addiction.
• Refine Recovery is where clinical excellence meets concierge-level service, supporting clients across the country with the highest standard of care.

Whether you choose in-person or virtual meetings, AA provides community, accountability, and hope for long-term recovery. AA can be a powerful tool for sustaining recovery, but it’s most effective when combined with evidence-based clinical treatment and ongoing support. Knowing what to expect in an AA meeting can help ease those fears and prepare you for this critical step in your recovery journey. Whether you attend in person or join virtually, AA offers a welcoming space where you can share experiences, find encouragement, and build a supportive network.

Some people may benefit from a combination of AA and professional alcohol treatment, including addiction medicine and therapy. These meetings create tailored support networks, ensuring members feel understood and supported within their unique circumstances. These meetings offer inspiration, hope, and a connection with someone who has successfully overcome alcoholism. Members attend AA meetings to discuss their struggles, receive support, and offer support to others, creating a nurturing and empathetic community dedicated to achieving and maintaining sobriety. Alcoholics Anonymous (AA) is a globally recognized support group that assists individuals struggling with alcohol addiction. The group usually sets a time limit for sharing1 to allow more people to have a chance to share.

Tips on How to be Successful in 12-Step Programs

The primary purpose of AA is to famous people with fetal alcohol syndrome carry its message of hope to those struggling with alcohol abuse. AA is self-described as “nonprofessional, self-supporting, multiracial, apolitical, and available almost everywhere.” Alcoholics Anonymous (AA) is a fellowship of men and women who currently have or have had a drinking problem in the past.

Sharing Personal Experiences

In speaker meetings, guests often share personal stories of recovery. Topic meetings allow people to explore how alcohol use connects with deeper issues. Step meetings focus on a specific step from the 12-step program. Some who struggle with long-term heavy drinking may want to seek treatment beyond AA meetings alone. AA and other alcohol support groups create an environment that promotes emotional safety, where people have the experience of being connected and feeling understood and accepted unconditionally. AA was developed as a method to help people recover from alcohol addiction and to maintain abstinence, with the only requirement for membership being a desire to stop drinking.

What to Know About Alcoholics Anonymous (AA)

This focused network of support could be a strong motivator for people at every stage of their recovery. They keep the meeting space safe and confidential so that members feel comfortable sharing their experiences and difficulties. Understanding the different formats of AA meetings is extremely important for anybody who is setting out on the path to recovery. Anthropologist Helen B. Schwartzman defines a meeting as “a communicative event involving three or more people who agree to assemble for a purpose ostensibly related to the functioning of an organization or group.” For her, meetings are characterized by “multiparty talk that is episodic in nature, and participants either develop or use specific conventions for regulating this talk.” A meeting is when two or more people come together to discuss one or more topics, often in a formal or business setting, but meetings also occur in a variety of other environments.

How do I choose the proper AA meeting format for me?

You do not need to be unable to attend an in-person meeting to participate in an online AA meeting. An AA chip or how to store urine for drug test Sobriety Token is a coin commemorating the length of time a person has remained sober. People can choose to share their stories, and some receive AA chips. Nobody is forced to share, donate money, or participate in prayers.

The 12-Step Program of Recovery

The presence of different members, each with unique experiences, reinforces that you’re not alone—and that recovery is possible at any stage. This respect helps every meeting feel like a refuge. Though you’ll find different meetings with varying formats, one constant is mutual respect. These writings are distributed by Alcoholics Anonymous World Services, ensuring consistency across meetings worldwide.

At the heart of Alcoholics Anonymous lies a set of writings that shape the fellowship’s identity and approach to recovery. Every group exists to help people get better, and your presence reminds others why they continue. AA members often say the most important person at any AA meeting is the newcomer.

We all know people who are never really present no matter the occasion. You can always say something to that person after the meeting or during the break. This is called ‘cross-talking’ and it’s against the rules.It’s less of a faux pas but also a questionable practice to address that person directly during your sharing time. The primary purpose of Alcoholics Anonymous is for AA members to stay sober and help others to achieve sobriety. Like any social situation, there are rules and traditions which people practice to keep things running smoothly.