Originally Posted by
Jupiters 
I've witnessed this at the meetings I used to attend. I was NOT impressed at all with how it was handled and it turned me off big time. I was in detox at the same time as the guy who was drunk, so actually knew him. We had spent a week in detox together. He relapsed hardcore about 2 days after he got out and he showed up totally hammered at a meeting (the one they make us go to in detox)...NOBODY did a damn thing. Not one single person got up to help.
This is the same meeting that basically feels like a bad day in highschool, with all it's cliques and BS. I've seen "old timers" actually sleeping while a speaker is talking, or on their phone.
I know all meetings are not like that, however, it turned me off immediately and I haven't gone back. NO thanks.
I've heard fistfights break out at times also. Recently I have had brushes at meetings with a woman (with 10 years sobriety) have very public, dramatic meltdowns at meetings because a guy in program she was involved with was in attendance at that particular meeting. Apparently, he ended it (almost a year ago) and she can't get over.
So ya...not everyone is the pillar of enlightenment at an AA meeting. Some are..plenty aren't. They are human. This world is full of humans... I still choose to be part of it.