Information Please

[CarolD]

I am interested in learning exactly where in our AA
literature one can find the 90 meetings in 90 days
suggestion.

I know it came from treatment centers and from the
idea that it takes 3 months to change a habit.

And I totally agree with the concept...

Just want to know where to find the source
in our AA writings.

Thanks!

[Mongo]

Hi Carol

Interesting question so I did a brief search. I've not read the Big Book but it seems, at least on the search engines I was using, the word meeting scored very few hits. The 2 most applicable were:

A year and six months later these three had succeeded with seven more. Seeing much of each other, scarce an evening passed that someone's home did not shelter a little gathering of men and women, happy in their release, and constantly thinking how they might present their discovery to some newcomer. In addition to these casual get-togethers, it became customary to set apart one night a week for a meeting to be attended
page 159

We meet frequently so that newcomers may find the fellowship
page 15

Keep well

Ron

[Tazman53]

Carol the 90 in 90, I agree did come from detox and re-hab centers, in reading the history of AA some of the newcomers seemed to come close to living in an AA enviroment early in their recovery.

The BB does say it is all a suggested program and not cast in stone. No different then detox and re-hab centers once you have been discharged.

I know I am glad I made the commitment, with me there is a big difference when I make a commitment and when some one simply reccomends some thing. I have a feeling that if I had not done as many meetings as I have I would not be here right now.

As with the spirit of AA there are no rules, merely suggestions, as Mongo said Bill himself said they met frequently for the good of the newcomers, at first when I was asked to commit to 90 meetings in 90 days I told them I doubted I could do that and still meet my family commitments, well I figured that if I got drunk I wouldn't be keeping my family commitments either so I set out on the course of 90 in 90. Well I am almost to my 90th day and I believe I have my commitment to 90 meetings met and have not missed a single family commitment.... isn't God great!

[CarolD]

Thanks Ron...

I think it must be in our pamphlets
if it is anywhere.

I have never been able to find it.

[CarolD]

Thanks Martin for sharing your experience and thoughts.

[laurie6781]

Carol I have never seen it in any of the pamphlets. I do know that I heard it at about my second meeting in June of 1981, and when later I asked my new sponsor about it she said it was a good idea.

So being a good alkie I, of course, had to do more than the 90 meetings in 90 days, rofl.

J M H O

Love and hugs,

[miss communicat]

Laurie....roflmao!!

me, too. I was going for 1st place.

[fraankie]

know it came from treatment centers and from the
idea that it takes 3 months to change a habit.

that's what a counselor mentioned at a group seesion once
it makes sense, though
and
after 90 days
i kept it up for quite a while
a meeting a day
so
it works


best
fraankie

[Sheryl85]

I never really read anything about 90 meetings in 90 days in any of the literature except for personal stories in the Grapevine and such. I know there is no mention of it in the first 164 pages of the Big Book. (But then again nothing is mentioned about a sponsor in there either.) Nor do I find it in the 12 & 12. However, 90 meetings in 90 days IS mentioned in "AA and the Armed Services" pamphlet, but only in passing and again only in a personal account.

http://www.alcoholics-anonymous.org/...edServices.pdf

When I got here in ‘85 that phrase was already a staple in the AA slogans and advice to the newcomer. Twenty-one years later, I find that it is still a great rule of thumb for the beginner. (However, I always heard it said, “Make 90 meetings in 90 days and don’t drink or use on a day that you go to a meeting.”)

Anyway, I’m interested to hear if anyone else finds anything regarding the phrase.

[LucyUK]

I've been reading 'A Program for You' and they specifically say that '90 in 90' is relatively new. Whilst it may have been happening in the early days by virtue of those staying with Bill W, there were not sufficient organised meetings for many years for '90 in 90' to be possible.

Personally, though I think I understand where the phrase comes from, I'm more inclined to use the steps to get & stay sober, like the oldtimers did. That's just for me though

[Sugah]

I've often been referred to page 164 ("we know only a little") when asking about a commonly accepted idea that I can't find in the literature. Many of the suggestions in the rooms, I'm told, are born out of the experience of the members over the years -- such as no new romantic relationships in the first year. A lot of "longtimers" reject anything that doesn't come from the literature, though the suggestion of 90/90 seems a sound one to me if enough meetings are available (and after all, doesn't one just have to make a phone call to another alcoholic and talk about recovery in order to have a "meeting"?). Meetings are often held between 8 & 9pm -- a very slippery hour for many newcomers (and oldtimers) in recovery.

I just want to say that I'm grateful to be in recovery in such a spoiled time. We are spoiled! Imagine someone fifty years ago trying to find a meeting list that directs them to a meeting every day. I'm spoiled, and I'm grateful to be spoiled!

Peace & Love,
Sugah

[Tazman53]

Sugah you are so right, we are spoiled..... phones in general... cell phones, email, bulliten boards! We are lucky.

[Carol87]

Carol, I found this at this website. (Emphasis mine)

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alcoholics_Anonymous


Attendance at one or more meetings daily for 90 days or longer. Some people coming into A.A. have attended meetings daily for the first year. While this recommendation is found nowhere in A.A. literature, it is often heard in meetings and many sponsors, having attended "90-in-90" themselves as newcomers, strongly advise sponsees to do the same. Some suggest that this recommendation may have originally come out of treatment centres; graduating patients were advised to attend many A.A. meetings, presumably in an effort to acquire a new peer group of abstinent friends to reinforce the effects of treatment. Within A.A., this is referred to as "staying away from slippery people and slippery places" or "changing playgrounds and playmates".

[CarolD]

Thanks everyone!

I so appreciate the shares and facts.

Forward we go!

[eagle38]

hey Carol:

the 90 and 90 as you have said along with several others came from the treatment centers.

it is NOT mentioned in any of the AA literature be it books or pamphlets.

i am grateful i did 90 in 90. having made that commitment to go to meetings ever day like that ensures that today i go to a meeting a day every day or sometimes more.