Let me apologize in advance for possibly having missed something?
I have attended approximately 500 AA meetings since 6/3/13 and have yet been asked to go drinking afterwards. I would say that in about 10 of them there was someone there that obviously came drunk. So with just some quick math, at 15 per meeting and 500 meetings, that makes 10 in 7500 active in addiction...or, 1 in 750. Consequently, I would have to be looking very hard to find a drinking buddy with those odds.
Aside from that, the other 749 of 750 have a way of offering many a pearl of wisdom that I have used to grow my sober toolbox...especially for the times it has most been needed.
Honestly, I do not leave meetings and think "did I like that meeting"? Liking or not liking is of little to zero importance to me. My goal is to walk out of a meeting taking with me the aspects that align with my willingness for sobriety at any measure. When I hear something that is counter to my recovery perspective...I simply leave it there. Yet, some things I left behind in the early stages are now principals of recovery that I follow. Time takes time...progress, not perfection.
Here is a benchmark I use for any activity to choose to spend time at- is what I'm doing drawing me closer or further away from my next drink...and...I've yet to walk out of a meeting feeling that it drew me closer to a drink than it did further away.
I'm not saying that anyone needs to go to an AA meeting or not. If you read HOW IT WORKS it clearly states what the millions that have been successful have done to achieve success in the program. I will say that it has been my experience that AA meetings are as far from a trigger as anything I do in life.
Yes, like many, I went to learn ways to live without picking up a drink. I stay to continue to improve my mind, body and spirit.
Fact is AA not only saved my life, but paved the path to a life worth living, that has for a very large part been happy, joyous and best of all free from my obsession to drink and self.
Again, I might have missed something, and please understand, I can only offer my experience, strength and hope.
My best to all that are struggling with this disease.