A.A. meetings are held by members of the group. These meetings can be in person or held over the telephone. The meeting format varies according to the group, but usually includes a short Serenity Prayer. There may also be a couple of readings from conference-approved literature, such as “How It Works” from the Big Book or one of the Twelve Traditions. At the end of the meeting, there may be discussion or an additional reading.
The first meeting typically starts with the A.A. Preamble and the Serenity Prayer. During this time, new members are welcomed and asked to introduce themselves. A reading from the Big Book usually follows, focusing on the sections How It Works and More About Alcoholism. A statement about anonymity is also typically read. Alcoholics often read from their book during the opening of a meeting, and the group then asks them to introduce themselves.
Addiction therapy is one of the major methods used at aa meetings in new York. Addiction therapy, which follows up on detox, works to heal the mind and body. It tackles the roots of addictive behaviors. Dual diagnosis treatment, which focuses on co-occurring mental disorders, also works to treat addictive behavior. The meetings use evidence-based modalities and holistic approaches to treat the whole person. There are several Aa meetings in the world, and the number of meeting times varies.
Alcoholics Anonymous meetings are self-supporting groups that rely on voluntary donations from their members. Some meetings also offer sobriety tokens to mark sobriety. A white chip, known as a surrender chip, is awarded to members after a certain period of sobriety. A 24 hour chip, meanwhile, is awarded to new members. The AA program is aimed at changing the mindset of alcoholics.
Another key element of A.A. meetings is their diversity. Young people are increasingly turning to this program for help before they become a total disaster. Young people are better able to appreciate the progressive nature of alcoholism.
While some may feel more stigma about alcohol use than older people, the majority of young people who attend A.A. meetings do admit that they could not control their drinking before joining. The same goes for men who have been stumbling for years.
AA online meetings work much like the in-person meetings. There is a chairperson for each meeting, and members take turns reading AA literature and reciting the Twelve Steps and Traditions. Most meetings last about an hour and include reciting the Twelve Steps and the Twelve Traditions. The group meets every week, and the members can chat around the clock. They can also use an alias or a pen name.
Despite the skepticism associated with religion, many people still come to Aa meetings for spiritual guidance and support. While many alcoholics look at the A.A. group as a higher power, there are still those who have reservations about such an idea. This is because alcoholics have varying beliefs about God and what they consider a higher power. This is a personal choice. You might have to find out what your faith says about alcoholism and how it affects your life.
