Frequently Asked Questions
Is Alcoholics Anonymous for me?
Only you can decide whether you want to give Alcoholics Anonymous a try— whether you think it can help you. We who are in A.A. came because we finally gave up trying to control our drinking. We still hated to admit that we could never safely drink. Then we heard from other A.A. members that we were sick. (We thought so for years!) We found out that many people suffered from the same feelings of guilt and loneliness and hopelessness that we did. We found out that we had these feelings because we had the disease of alcoholism. We decided to try to face up to what alcohol had done to us.
Will I find people like me in A.A.?
Like other illnesses, alcoholism strikes all kinds of people. So the men and women in A.A. are of all races and nationalities, all religions and no religion at all. They are rich and poor and just average. They work at all occupations, as lawyers and housewives, teachers and truck drivers, waitresses and members of the clergy.
What does membership in A.A. cost?
Membership in A.A. involves no financial obligations of any kind. The A.A. program of recovery from alcoholism is available to anyone who has a desire to stop drinking. Most local meetings "pass the basket" to defray the costs of rent, coffee and supplies. A.A. is entirely self-supporting (voluntary contributions from A.A. members only), and no outside contributions are accepted.
Can I go to any Alcoholics Anonymous meeting?
The purpose of all A.A. group meetings, as the Preamble states, is for A.A. 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.” Toward this end, A.A. groups have both open and closed meetings. Closed meetings are for A.A. members only, or for those who have a drinking problem and “have a desire to stop drinking.” Open meetings are available to anyone interested in Alcoholics Anonymous’ program of recovery from alcoholism. Non-alcoholics may attend open meetings as observers. At both types of meetings, the A.A. chairperson may request that participants confine their discussion to matters pertaining to recovery from alcoholism. Whether open or closed, A.A. group meetings are conducted by A.A. members who determine the format of their meetings.
Resources
Do you have questions about Alcoholics Anonymous?
Here are some links to valuable A.A. literature.
A Brief Guide to AA
The A.A. Group... Where it all begins
The A.A. Group... Where it all begins
Alcoholics Anonymous 4th edition - Big Book
The A.A. Group... Where it all begins
A Newcomer Asks
Alcoholics Anonymous 4th edition - Big Book
Alcoholics Anonymous 4th edition - Big Book
Alcoholics Anonymous 4th edition - Big Book
Alcoholics Anonymous 4th edition - Big Book
Alcoholics Anonymous 4th edition - Big Book