Notices

Showing Up Drunk For A Meeting.....

Old 06-11-2007, 01:43 PM
  # 1 (permalink)  
Senior Member
Thread Starter
 
Join Date: Nov 2006
Location: Chicago, IL
Posts: 773
Showing Up Drunk For A Meeting.....

I am curious as to what your groups do if someone shows up intoxicated?? I have seen everything from 100% support to actually getting thrown out! This women the other night told this disheveled intoxicated older man that "winos" were not aloud at this club!! Duh, this is AA I think everyone is a "wino" in some form or another. I gave this women a tongue lashing and was nearly asked to leave the club myself. I figure for now on when this particular women shares I will get up and "freshen" my disgusting coffee.
tiburon88 is offline  
Old 06-11-2007, 01:55 PM
  # 2 (permalink)  
Forward we go...side by side-Rest In Peace
 
CarolD's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jun 2002
Location: Serene In Dixie
Posts: 36,740
If the drunk is quiet....no action is taken
Another member will get the coffee for the drunk
and make sure a meeing list is provided.

Disruptive drunks...asked once to respect others
If this is not done....
Then 2 members...same sex...escourt outside for sharing.

If they fall asleep...we wake them to lock up
tucking a meeting list in their hand.

My group rarely has wet drunks for some reason.
CarolD is offline  
Old 06-11-2007, 01:58 PM
  # 3 (permalink)  
Member
 
Join Date: Mar 2006
Location: anomaly
Posts: 2,180
All i know is..ain't no B kicking my ass out of a meeting
If i see anyone try to kick anyone out of an AA meeting..
they'll get a tasted of me too..becuase if i had to witness
or have a taste of thier BS...far is far.
Yes..I do understand that drunks can be disruptive in meetings sometimes,
but never the less..it is what is it

some people...totally disgust me, talk all kinds of BS..
I guess all of the traditions just went over her head.

maybe common sense didn't click into her totally well of a program yet..
Ah...I went to AA so maybe I can sober up...not get sober then go to AA..
if i can get sober before AA...then what's the damn piont of going to AA.

People didn't tell me to "keep coming back no matter what" without reasons..
obviousely...i was still drunk for months and months attending AA..
SaTiT is offline  
Old 06-11-2007, 02:17 PM
  # 4 (permalink)  
wants life back
 
Join Date: Apr 2007
Location: Pulaski, Virginia
Posts: 44
I have never went to a meeting drunk but my dad sure has.
ABT4LIFE is offline  
Old 06-11-2007, 02:17 PM
  # 5 (permalink)  
Forum Leader
 
Astro's Avatar
 
Join Date: Nov 2006
Location: Scottsdale, AZ, one big happy dysfunctional family!
Posts: 22,950
I agree with Carol, as long as there's no disturbance they're just as welcome as anyone else. After all, "The only requirement for AA membership is the desire to stop drinking".

AA has shown me how to practice love and tolerance. That's all I need to know in regards to others.
Astro is offline  
Old 06-11-2007, 02:51 PM
  # 6 (permalink)  
Moderator
 
Peter's Avatar
 
Join Date: Aug 2002
Location: Leaving Sparta
Posts: 2,912
You do not have to do anything if the drunk is quiet.

If he is disruptive a couple of the other members can take him outside for a "side meeting".

You cannot tell a drunk he is not welcome at an AA meeting.
Peter is offline  
Old 06-11-2007, 05:18 PM
  # 7 (permalink)  
Serenity today
 
Stobert's Avatar
 
Join Date: Feb 2006
Location: The Commonwealth
Posts: 135
Make sure they have a ride home without driving themselves, I've done that more than once.
Stobert is offline  
Old 06-11-2007, 06:29 PM
  # 8 (permalink)  
Member
 
problemchild's Avatar
 
Join Date: Sep 2004
Location: Born in Long Island NY/Mtns of N.C Is my home now
Posts: 405
Bull@$IT

Those without sin may cast the first stone.......... Jackasses
problemchild is offline  
Old 06-12-2007, 04:04 AM
  # 9 (permalink)  
Follow Directions!
 
Tazman53's Avatar
 
Join Date: Nov 2006
Location: Fredericksburg, Va.
Posts: 9,730
Good job Tiburon, I went to my first AA meeting fall down drunk, as best as I recall I was welcome, I found out this past Wednesday that the BB I thought I had bought at that meeting was actually given to me! I remembered the speaker at that first meeting for some reason and was talking to him after the Wednesday night meeting about my first meeting, when I said "Some how I bought a Big Book" he laughed and said "No you didn't! I gave you one!" we both had a good laugh.

"A desire to stop drinking" there are an awful lot of sober alcoholics today that attended a lot of AA meetings drunk before they got sober.

As with others here, as long as they are not making trouble they are welcome, if they are making a stink then a couple of folks of the same sex take them outside the meeting and they have a mini meeting. I have not seen any one taken out yet..... I have heard a few snoring during a meeting though! LOL
Tazman53 is offline  
Old 06-12-2007, 04:47 AM
  # 10 (permalink)  
Coffee Drinker
 
GrouchoTheCat's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jan 2007
Location: Lobstah Land
Posts: 1,122
The only requirement for membership is a DESIRE to stop drinking.
GrouchoTheCat is offline  
Old 06-12-2007, 05:02 AM
  # 11 (permalink)  
let it grow!
 
parentrecovers's Avatar
 
Join Date: Oct 2006
Location: USA
Posts: 15,540
we had a guy pretty drunk show up at an alanon meeting. he was being roudy, so a few guys took him out and walked him a few blocks to our alano club - we never saw him again, but based on the stuff he was saying - everyone thinks he thought it was an aa group..
parentrecovers is offline  
Old 06-12-2007, 05:13 AM
  # 12 (permalink)  
Guest
 
Rob B's Avatar
 
Join Date: Dec 2005
Location: Southern New Hampshire
Posts: 746
Wet Drunks at meetings

Thanks for the post Tiburon,
Personally I love to see active drunks at meetings, great place for them to be in. We have a guy in my home group who can't or won't stay sober, I don't know why, every Friday night he wil go up and get a chip, sometimes, it's a 1 month, sometimes 9, it really depends on his mood I guess, A few weeks ago, he got up and got an 11 month chip, fell over at the podium, got back up, and yells "This program really works!" Good stuff!
The only difference between us is that I had a defense against the 1st drink, the wet ones remind me of what I once was, and could easily be again, if I rest on my laurels. As far as getting up while the women who seems to be the "judge" of the club speaks, why bother? Why stoop to petty bullsh#t? People in meetings irritate me all the time, I pray and talk to another drunk about it afterwards, if I'm really disturbed I'll write 4 column inventory, pain in the butt, but it always set me free. Good Post, thanks for the reminder.
Rob B is offline  
Old 06-12-2007, 05:35 PM
  # 13 (permalink)  
Member
 
Join Date: May 2007
Location: Cumming, Ga
Posts: 665
The other week two members were called by the general service office to do some 12th step work. They brought this wet drunk to the meeting, unfortunately they guy couldn't get through the reading of how it works. He got belligerant, and they had to escort him outside. There is something powerful about seeing a wet drunk in a AA meeting. There is no reason for any AA member to be mean or cruel to a wet drunk. The only requirement for membership is a desire to stop drinking. That is one of the 12 reasons WHY it works. Who am I to deny someone the opportunity to be given the gift, that I have been so freely given? Does this look like the country club? I didn't think so!!!!
BP44 is offline  
Old 03-31-2011, 04:19 AM
  # 14 (permalink)  
Member
 
Join Date: Mar 2011
Location: Gabriola Island, B.C.
Posts: 1
Showing Up Drunk

Our group is in a small community. We run three meetings per week and the group over the past few days has been grappling for the first time with someone showing up really drunk. One member brings this person even though 3 meetings have been disrupted. The group conscience is following Tradition 3 of course, but is electing to have a meeting to deal with the disruptions. The conconsensus so far is pointing toward taking the person out of the meeting and having a "side" meeting with them. All members are supportive of this person, but noone's sobriety can be jeopardized by lack of respect for what is transpiring at the meetings.

Thank you for your comments...they are very helpful
sofarsogood is offline  
Old 03-31-2011, 05:01 AM
  # 15 (permalink)  
One moment at a time.
 
GreenAces's Avatar
 
Join Date: Oct 2010
Location: Norfolk, VA
Posts: 213
I've been to a meeting completely hammered before. I was drinking all day and night and following in to the next day and somewhere along the lines I called my sponsor.... He came and sat with me a bit and said lets go.. So he took me to a meeting. They even let me share at the meeting lol, atleast until I started to drunkenly ramble on, thats when I got cut off with a "thanks for sharing, get with me after the meeting and keep coming back".
GreenAces is offline  
Old 03-31-2011, 05:05 AM
  # 16 (permalink)  
Guest
 
Join Date: Jan 2010
Posts: 270
When I went to meetings drunk the people were kind and said nothing about it, and treated me as if I was in my right mind.

So, I'll tolerate anyone in any condition who is not disrupting my meeting. If they do become a royal pain, then they get booted because they are not as important as the group.

They are great visual aids for everyone.
cabledude is offline  
Old 03-31-2011, 05:24 AM
  # 17 (permalink)  
Member
 
Join Date: Mar 2010
Location: Merritt Island, Fl
Posts: 1,164
Its an AA meeting, who do you expect to be there?
stugotz is offline  
Old 03-31-2011, 05:26 AM
  # 18 (permalink)  
One moment at a time.
 
GreenAces's Avatar
 
Join Date: Oct 2010
Location: Norfolk, VA
Posts: 213
Originally Posted by stugotz View Post
Its an AA meeting, who do you expect to be there?
Exactly.
GreenAces is offline  
Old 03-31-2011, 06:07 AM
  # 19 (permalink)  
skg
Member
 
skg's Avatar
 
Join Date: Sep 2010
Location: Mgm, AL
Posts: 1,000
Tradition 3. "The only requirement for membership is a desire to STOP drinking."

I have escorted drunks INTO meetings and will continue to do so. I need to remember where it is I come from.
skg is offline  
Old 03-31-2011, 07:03 AM
  # 20 (permalink)  
Forward we go...side by side-Rest In Peace
 
CarolD's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jun 2002
Location: Serene In Dixie
Posts: 36,740
sofarsogood...glad you found our experiences useful....

Welcome to our recovery community
CarolD is offline  

Currently Active Users Viewing this Thread: 1 (0 members and 1 guests)
 
Posting Rules
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts

BB code is On
Smilies are On
[IMG] code is On
HTML code is Off
Trackbacks are On
Pingbacks are On
Refbacks are Off




All times are GMT -7. The time now is 09:27 AM.