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Only one AA meeting a week in early recovery? Looking for more options

Old 02-21-2017, 05:07 AM
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Only one AA meeting a week in early recovery? Looking for more options

Hey everyone,

I'm still in very early recovery (14 days) and I'm living in a small city in a foreign country with only one meeting per week. People in AA say that if you're serious about stopping, you need to go to 90 meetings in 90 days, but unfortunately that's not an option for me at this point.

Does anyone have any other suggestions?
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Old 02-21-2017, 05:14 AM
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I guess you can read this Forum and/or ask people here for help.

I believe their are online AA meetings but I have never participated in any.

I am almost 4 months sober and I now go to 5 to 7 meetings every week. They do help me stay sober.

Good luck.
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Old 02-21-2017, 07:21 AM
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glad youre here and good on ya for 14 days!
needing to go to 90 meetings in 90 days isn't a requirement. its just a suggestion and not always possible.
imo, its important to remember that going to meetings and not drinking don't treat alcoholism. working the steps is what helps us recover from alcoholism.
ive heard it said, and used to say it myself, meeting makers make it. welp, over time it occurred to me I was hearing quite a few people that attended on a regular basis come back and say,"i drank again."
so,imo, meeting makers make meetings.
and
the big book says:
if you have decided you want what we have( do you know what it is we have?) and are willing to go to any lengths to get it, then you are ready to take certain steps.
that being the 12 steps.

there online meetings that are possible.

one thing,though:
are you hearing at that meeting to do 90 in 90? if so, maybe ask how that would be possible? maybe there are meetings that aren't advertised? maybe theres some others that attend that meeting that could sponsor you through the steps? personally, I think a sponsor is a good thing to help understand the steps and how to apply them.
then after you've completed the steps, you could start a new meeting. actually, I don't think completing the steps is a necessity for starting a meeting.
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Old 02-21-2017, 07:22 AM
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There are lots of online meeting options, including but not limited to AA - google "online AA meetings". SMART alone has a few dozen a week, https://www.smartrecovery.org/community/calendar.php Some are text only, some are voice. When there aren't meetings going on, the chat rooms are usually open for talk/text.
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Old 02-21-2017, 07:35 AM
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SMART- they have a lot of stuff, forums, chat room, self help worksheets- online.
I do that and AA. The more diverse stuff for me, the better. of course SR as well.
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Old 02-21-2017, 11:24 AM
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online or phone meetings?
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Old 02-21-2017, 12:35 PM
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If that option is available to people and that is what they want to do, then that is fine. You can only utilize those resources that are available to you, and you're not doing it wrong just because you can't do the way someone else did it. And do you think every person who goes to daily meetings for 3 months stays sober in the long run? Most don't. To many of us, that is way too rigid. Rigid thinking leads to relapse. Daily meetings aren't going to protect you from drinking.
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Old 02-21-2017, 12:49 PM
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I would suggest reaching out to some of the people who give you their numbers at meetings. I have a handful of close AA friends who I enjoy contacting between meetings, and sometimes going for coffee and chat with when we can fit it in.

Also, reading the literature on a daily basis.

I have never used the online meetings, but I believe many make use of them who are in remote areas or just cannot get to meetings.

The other thing that was a life saver for me for a between meetings AA fix were the speaker recordings. I bought myself a cheap little mp3 player so I can download them onto there and listen while commuting, or washing up, or before I go to sleep - whenever it fitted in really. I use this website for downloading them (it's free and organised into different steps, so you can look up the newcomer ones and step 1 recordings). http://www.recoveryaudio.org/

Much of the work that we refer to (it works if you work it) happens outside of meetings, as we learn to apply the principles of the program to our day to day life, our relationships, work, driving, etc. It took me a long time to suss that meetings in themselves are not The Program. If you can ask someone to be your sponsor and guide you through the steps, then do so.

I'd also suggest that if you are only making one meeting a week, try to get there early so you can help set up, and stay and help clear up. This is when I've had some of the most useful conversations at AA meetings. Often there are quieter folk with great sobriety who are less likely to open up in the main meeting than they are to chat openly while washing the coffee cups. Service really helps us to feel involved and useful, which is pretty important to us As. If we feel we're being useful in some way, it really helps us to reach out when WE need help, or someone to sound us out, or someone to kick our backsides for us.

I wish you all the best for your sobriety and recovery. BB
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Old 02-21-2017, 03:26 PM
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Sure one meeting a week is enough if we are living the program. Some really good and practical suggestions above. The key to sobriety in AA is the program, the twelve steps. Meetings alone don't treat alcoholism.

One very effective approach is to start each day an hour earlier and use that time as follows"

20 minutes reading (Big Book), 20 minutes meditation, 20 minutes exercise. I have used this and it sure sets you up for a good day. With that and some step work, and a meeting each week, along with calling in here, you will have quite a lot going in your favour.

I live in a foreign country too, and I would love to have just one meeting a week but there are none and I have not been able to find another alcoholic in the neighbourhood to get one started. So I continue to live in the steps. One that helped me enormously in early recovery was step ten, a step that was easy to understand.

"This thought brings us to Step Ten, which suggests we continue to take personal inventory and continue to set right any new mistakes as we go along. We vigorously commenced this way of living as we cleaned up the past."

This step helped me avoid creating a whole new mess which would have tripped me up. When I made a mistake I fixed it straight away, before it could build into something destructive.

All the best,
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Old 02-21-2017, 04:00 PM
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Many people only go to one meeting a week,I spend a lot of time in another part of the country,there I can only get to one meeting.

The 90 in 90 does not come from AA,it comes from the Rehabs.It is rarely suggested at the meetings I attend.

There are on-line AA meetings.

It is working the programme that is important.

Wishing you well.
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Old 02-22-2017, 01:17 AM
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There is no way I can physically get to 90 meetings in 90 days. Once a week isn't enough for me. My goal is 7 a fortnight.
I love the idea of starting the day an hour earlier and doing 20 mins each of recovery reading/ meditation/ exercise. I'm going to start tomorrow morning (it's almost bedtime here for me).
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Old 02-22-2017, 01:38 AM
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I listen to podcasts, joe and Charlie tapes, speaker meetings on tape (MP3) and visit here along with going to meetings. Good luck

And Congrats on 14 days that's a great accomplishment
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Old 02-22-2017, 02:12 AM
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I've lived in some remote places where I couldn't go to meetings. I would set time aside to read recovery books (both the Big Book & other recovery approaches), & I would write in my journal & worked steps.

I devoted a fair amount of time to reading & posting on this website. Sometimes I still lose track of time enjoying this website. It is a really large & international meeting. 24/7 through all the time zones, mostly...
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Old 02-22-2017, 02:28 AM
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Thanks everyone! That's useful advice. I found an online chat room / meeting room and it's been really useful.
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Old 02-22-2017, 04:13 AM
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I was never able to make 90 in 90, it was just simply impossible for me. But for years I was in & out of the rooms going to meetings sporadically, hoping that it would somehow help keep me sober. But it didn't.

Actually *working* the steps is keeping me sober today. And I attend maybe 2-3 meetings a week max. I also commit to help set up on meeting night and attend all business meetings. I greet at the door. There's such a huge difference between going to meetings and being INVOLVED in the program. I guess it's kind of like learning to swim - you'll never learn how by just showing up and dipping your toes in the pool.

I supplement AA with SR, and podcasts have been immensely helpful too. This is one of my favourites:

https://www.recoveryelevator.com/
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Old 02-22-2017, 06:58 AM
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I never even tried for 90 in 90, but I did go to several a week but it was because I "could."

Podcasts are my go-to on the road.

How about coffee with another alcoholic from your meeting? I started several after meeting, meal events. It was pretty easy.

Just ask several people you click with, you'd be surprised how easy it is. A lot of us love to talk recovery and laugh together. This (for me) was as good or better than many meetings.

Just a thought, you can always start a meeting. All it takes is another alcoholic and you have a meeting.

CJ.
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Old 02-25-2017, 11:37 AM
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How are things going IsaacT ?
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