Can someone explain AA, the 12 steps, what a typical meeting is like? How much God talk is involved?
Pros and cons?
Can you not be in AA and still connect with a sponsor?
Are there alternative groups out there that meet?
Anyone else have any questions about AA and how it works?
Anyone have any answers to the questions above?
I’m gonna post a couple links first.
https://www.alcoholics-anonymous.org.uk/about-aa/newcomers/frequently-asked-questions
I’m on the way out of the house and will write more. Hopefully this will help a little. Great questions!
i gotta get to work. But I’ll check in later. I’m sure you will get some good stuff from the other folks.
The most important thing I wanna say is you will hear the word “God” at meetings. But not in a religious sense. I have never heard someone say Jesus or Alah in a meeting before
God in AA is a power greater than yourself. That power can be ANYTHING! The universe or nature. The ocean or the sky. Literally anything greater than my drunk self that I can lean on.
I’ll check back later:)
Good for you. Mosy people need a program to remain sober. I sure did.The only person who can honestly answer your questions is you. Only you can decide if AA is for you. The important thing to remember is that AA is first and foremost about sobriety. Everything else is suggested. Go to a few different meetings. Find the ones that meet your needs, will help you stay sober. I am not a very religious person, but for me, AA was the answer.
Here is a reading to get you started on your quest to find a sobriety program that works for you:
The twelve steps are the suggested program of AA but is in no way a requirement. The only requirement for AA membership is the desire to stop drinking.
Basically the steps allow you to put the drink down, clean up the wreckage of your past, become a better person and finally give back to another alcoholic.
As far as God goes we have plenty of athiests in my local AA area. Their definition of higher power is anything that stands between them and a drink. I understand people aren’t religious or don’t believe in God and they have success in AA.
A sponsor, through AA, is a person who is there to guide you through the steps. You can find other supportive people and call them a sponsor if you’d like. But to have an AA sponsor you have to at least go to AA fairly often.
There are many other programs out there and I have tried a good number of them, with little success. It has been my experience, and mine alone, that AA saved my life. Also, AA has been around for a long time and helped a lot of people so it must be doing something right. I didn’t need to question it any further than that bc I was so desperate to quit that I would do anything.
I would suggest checking out at least 15 meetings to get a feel for it. The worst thing that happens is you don’t like it. The best thing that could happen is it saves your life. There’s really no downside when compared to the possible benefits.