Open and Closed AA Meetings: Which One Is Right for You?

You’ll see the days, times and places AA meetings are held. Meetings marked with (O) are Open Meetings – anyone can attend, while those marked with a (C) are Closed Meetings – for people who have a desire to stop drinking. AA is not affiliated with the courts, treatment centers or any medical institution.

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You may find yourself leaving the speaker meeting with the feeling that you just enjoyed a standup comedy act. Many people in recovery have a dark sense of humor and we mainly laugh at ourselves. After years and sometimes decades of drinking we’re easy targets to poke fun at.AA speakers tell their story and frequently the story is sad (but also funny).

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Closed meetings are only for those who identify as alcoholics. If you’re on a court card or attending to placate a family member but you aren’t sure whether you are alcoholic you shouldn’t attend a closed meeting. It’s common at closed meetings for everybody to introduce themselves in turn, and identify as an alcoholic in turn. If you cannot identify as alcoholic you may be asked to find a different meeting. One good reason for closed meetings is that members feel safer talking about some issues if the meeting is not open to non-alcoholics.

1. The Federal Reserve’s benchmark, short-term rate has held a 23-year high of 5.25% to 5.5% since July 2023.
2. This pamphlet answers many of the common questions people have about alcoholism and A.A.
3. Many meetings close with members joining in a moment of silence followed by a prayer, or perhaps by reciting the Responsibility Statement or other A.A.
4. Helping others stay sober is how we alcoholics stay sober ourselves.
5. One member, Barb M., relates that the thing she was most relieved about was the non-imposing feel that she got when she first began attending meetings.

The Meeting Guide App

The designation of a meeting as “open” does not change the meeting’s primary purpose of the group. Generally speaking, when attending one 12-step meeting, members do not mention their membership in other 12-step groups during the meeting to keep the meeting focused on its primary purpose. Open meetings are for anyone who is interested in learning more about the support group program. Open meetings can be attended by students, professionals, and other non-members interested in learning more about the recovery programs. Usually, but not always, open meetings are speaker meetings, at which one person has been designated to speak, telling their story—what it was like, what happened, and what their life is like now.

Frequently Asked Questions About A.A.

The spiritual foundation of all 12-step groups is anonymity. Members of the group can choose to attend closed meetings, knowing that everyone in the meeting is guided by the group’s steps and traditions. This encourages each member to maintain their own anonymity and the anonymity of others in the meeting. Speaker meetings are where there is a guest speaker who talks to the group. The speaker is invariably somebody with a few years or even decades sober. The best AA speakers are often really funny.

AA meetings are usually listed as either being “open” or “closed.” Open meetings are available to anyone interested in AA. Closed meetings, however, are restricted to people who are members of AA. The chairperson asks if any newcomers or first-timers are attending the meeting who would like to introduce themselves by their first name. You may or may not be one of them as this is an option and not mandatory. While AA is faith-based, it is not about indoctrination or forcing people to find religion—it’s about supporting people as they work to change their relationship with alcohol.

From “What is inflation?” to “What is a recession?” to “How to enroll in Zelle?” – we’re striving to find answers to the most common questions you ask every day. Head to our Just Curious section to https://sober-house.org/opinion-fighting-hopelessness-in-treating/ see what else we can answer. In a closed meeting, members can speak openly and honestly about their problem or situation, knowing that everyone else in the room has experienced similar situations.

These meetings are a great way to gain a deeper understanding of what the book means and how others relate to it. Some meetings are purely discussion meetings where the topic is random and more derived by an interest that one of the members may have. Speaker’s meetings feature a person chosen to talk about https://sober-house.net/faqs-what-are-fentanyl-test-strips/ their experience, strength, and hope in regard to their recovery. An AA meeting refers to an Alcoholics Anonymous support group meeting. Alcoholics Anonymous is a fellowship of people who have experienced problems with drinking. Anyone who has a desire to do something about their drinking can join.

Some meetings are hybrid meetings, where people can meet in a specified physical location, but people can also join the meeting virtually. Sometimes a referral source asks for proof of attendance at A.A. The nature and extent of any group’s involvement in this process is entirely up to the individual group. Because the Twelve Steps are the foundation of personal recovery in A.A., salt loading for bromine detox why iodine can change the world many groups devote one or more meetings a week to the study of each Step in rotation; some discuss two or three Steps at a time. These same formats may be applied to group meetings on the Big Book or the Twelve Traditions. Many groups make it a practice to read aloud pertinent material from the Big Book or Twelve Steps and Twelve Traditions at the beginning of the meeting.

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Alcoholics Anonymous is a 12-step program. This means members accept and are guided toward recovery by 12 specific steps. People from all walks of life attend Alcoholics Anonymous (AA) meetings, which are informal gatherings held worldwide. As long as they’re in an open AA meeting, attendees don’t need to self-identify as alcoholics. The Big Book in Alcoholics Anonymous (AA) is a foundational text outlining the principles of recovery for individuals struggling with alcohol use disorder (AUD). Published in 1939, the AA Big Book contains 11 chapters that include personal stories and spiritual insights.