Doug39

Today I am 70 days sober.

I have looked into some of the AA meetings in my area and plan to start going this week.

I am having a hard time finding any beginners meeting in my area (Cleveland, Ohio).

I haven't been to an AA meeting in nearly 30 years so I would like to find a beginners meeting.

Does anyone here have a link? Thanks.

RDBplus3

The link below is for the Cleveland area.

https://www.aacleve.org/find-a-meeting/

Click the link.
Click 'More Options'.
Check the Beginners Meeting box.
Enter the info above. I assume you would have to click each day to get a comprehensive overview?

Also, if you click 'Home', you will get some info for numbers to call, and an actual local AA office.

1 more suggestion, also click for Big Book Study meetings, and check them out.

RDBplus3 ... Happy, Joyous and FREE

Fly N Buy

Good job on 70 days.........great start.

Maybe this will help - may have to filter through for newcomer meetings a little bit. https://www.aacleve.org/find-a-meeting/

Cleveland has a ton of meetings - over 160 on Monday alone within 25 miles!

ScottFromWI

Congrats on 70 days Doug! Follow the link that RDB posted, there are lots of options in your area.

Doug39

Thanks. I found a few area beginners meetings.

Now that the holiday season is over their will be less pressure to stay sober in social situations.

Some people just don't get it. My wife and I go to the local bar down the road from our house a few times a week. The barmaids there know I quit drinking - they automatically pour me a ginger ale when they see me walk in.

Yesterday we were there for the Cleveland Browns game and the bar has a tradition of serving everyone a free shot when the Browns score a touchdown.

Yesterday the barmaid asked me if I wanted a shot - I guess she was being polite and offering it so not to leave me out - but come on.

aasharon90

For me an countless other members either
here in SR or out there in face to face meetings
know all to well that in order to be successful
with their own recovery, one must make
changes where people, places and things are
involved with alcohol, especially in early
recovery.

Bars, clubs is no place for me today and
hasn't been for 26 yrs because I chose
not to place myself in situations that
make me uncomfortable or have to
pretend that alcohol doesn't bother
me, because I know all too well it did
and does and always will.


Of course this is what has and still
works for me some many one days
sober down the road with incorporating
a program of recovery taught to me yrs ago.

Continued health, strength, wisdom
with each step you take on your own
recovery journey.

Doug39

Thanks. I know I am playing with fire by going to bars but my wife still drinks everyday and their is always liquor in my house.

I do not want to go back to alcoholism and I feel I am at a point in my life where I need to make some major changes and drinking is not in the equation.

aasharon90

Arming yourself with your recovery support,
names in your phone, a sponsor, someone who
will be easy to grab a hold of when needed
quickly when alcohol is either staring you
down, in your face, tempting you around
every corner you turn, that will save you
from bringing poison to your mouth that
will result in a slip, relapse, remorse, and
so much more.

This will become your own program
to work to help you remain sober as
you work to build a strong, solid foundation
to live your life upon for many one days
sober down the road.

Mester

They must not hand out too many shots. Just teasing. My team didn't make the playoffs either.

Beginner meetings are great but some of the old timers are too. I got A LOT out of those meetings. Those guys(and gals) have a wealth of knowledge to share that really helped me when I first got sober

Doug39

The Browns are good for the football pool I am in. They always lose so if you bet against them it is easy money!!

August252015

Open Discussion meetings have been my staple, especially at the beginning. In the past couple of months, I have started going to the 12&12, As Bill Sees It, womens' or other meetings. OD might technically not be "beginners" but I find they attract a lot of folks with different amounts of time, including plenty of old timers looking to be of service to new people.

Keep looking (and be careful spending regular time in even a favorite bar, maybe?). Good job on 70 days!

Berrybean

Hope your meeting goes well for you. Don't restrict yourself to beginner meetings though. Any meeting will welcome newcomers and sometimes it's good to surround ourselves with people who have good length and quality or sobriety and learn from them. And those people will still remember what it's like being in your place, newly sober. I know that, because if they'd forgotten then likelihood is that they'd soon be back out there drinking. We NEED to remember what it was like so that we don't fall, for any illusion that we can, or would want to, return to drinking.

Wishing you all the best for your recovery. BB

Ken33xx

The internet makes finding a meeting fairly easy. In the States I go to the local AA listing and input the zip code where I am staying.

I usually check for a location that has a lot of daily meetings. I figure it will be a place where I can hangout a bit.

Mountainmanbob

I've been to a lot of meetings and seen a lot of AA schedules
but, never seen a beginners meeting.

In AA we state that the new comer is the most important person at the meeting -- thus -- the common meeting needs the new comer.

M-Bob