dox, yeah, they gave me phone numbers. But in four months of daily meetings, only one person asked for my number.
One.
If I had been able or even knew how to make friends, I probably wouldn't have been drinking by myself in my apartment in the first place, right?
Expecting the newcomer to be able and willing to reach out is a very tall order. My mind was so fried I couldn't put two thoughts together, and I had no one in my life who I could call - for any reason - not just as related to drinking. Me reaching out to some AAer was not going to happen.
Luckily that one person did call me and I called her. But it wasn't enough to keep me in the rooms or in the "program." She didn't stay in, either. We both started at the same time, so it wasn't like some old-timer who had worked the program was willing to help me, it was two newcomers talking to each other. Luckily that was enough to get me through to when I decided to quit AA.
If people in AA expect a newcomer to do all the work, all the reaching out, then expect a lot of attrition. Oh, yeah, that's what happens.
Exactly.