Aellyce

I'm posting this here instead of the 12 step forum because more people may read it here... Can someone experienced with AA explain what "qualification" or "qualifying" means in AA exactly? AA is not my main program but I attend some meetings and keep hearing this term. I've googled it and see some definitions, but it's still not entirely clear why this word is being used and how it should be interpreted correctly.
Thanks!

least

I'm not a regular AAer, but have been in the past. The only guess I could make is that you 'qualify' to be a member of AA if you have a desire to stop drinking. I could be wrong, but that's the concept I remember.

Dee74

I’ve only heard it used in conjunction with AlAnon.
https://www.soberrecovery.com/forums...qualifier.html (What is a qualifier?)

Aellyce

Thanks, it's still a bit puzzling to me I wanted to add that they usually use this after someone shares, referring to their share somehow, but it's not used for every share or person... that why I was wondering if it meant something specific, a special accomplishment, something related to working the program, or similar?

nez

I having been going to meetings for a few years now. I have been to meetings in different locales, counties, states, and even countries; and it is a new to me.

Aellyce

I mostly attend meetings that have an origin in New York City and hear it often especially in one NYC group which is my favorite, but heard it occasionally also in others. Guess I could just hang out a bit after the next meeting and ask them directly.

It's mentioned here, for example, kinda suggesting it's just a share? They use it to refer to any share, not just the main speaker. Maybe it's a share that especially highlights how someone struggled with alcoholism and engaged deeply in AA-based recovery, thus "qualifies" for being in the meeting/program, similar to what least suggested. It's a NY Times article, so maybe it's a NY lingo?
https://www.nytimes.com/2011/05/08/fashion/08anon.html

nez

The monologue they are referring to in the article sounds like a "speaker'" share to me.

There are speaker meetings where a member is selected prior to the meeting to speak about and share of their experience with alcohol and recovery. What it was like when drinking. What it is like now in sobriety. And what their hope for the future is. Then they pick a topic for others to share about.

In my experience, most meetings I have attended are topic discussion meetings, without the opening speaker monologue. A topic is suggested and the shares about the topic start.

Zencat

My understand that to qualify means: According to Alcoholics Anonymous, an alcoholic is someone who has “no mental defense against the first drink.”

I could be wrong

fini

i have only heard it in reference to Alanon.
why not ask someone what they mean by it in the meeting where people are using it?

Db1105

All I have to do to “qualify” myself is to admit that i am an alcoholic who is
powerless over alcohol.

EndGameNYC

I used to hear that a lot more in 1980s/1990s.

My experience has been that the term is used in order to identify the person telling his or her story for the rest of the group; the speaker, the person who "qualifies."

People at meetings used to ask people who identified themselves as new to AA, "Have you qualified yet?" It was common for people to say such things as, "I'm qualifying on Saturday night at the West Side YMCA" or wherever they were speaking.

In the couple of thousand or more meetings I've been to, I've yet to hear it in any other context.

Bubovski

In Oz, the only context I have heard it is in the only desire for membership is a desire to not drink.

Obladi

Not-Quite-OldTimers sometimes use that expression in my area from time to time. It's in meetings that have had the same members for many years. A person with middle-term sobriety share something longish about how crazy they are or were and toward the end of their share throw in, "So I definitely qualify."

I've always taken it to mean that the AA is qualifying themselves as "a Real Alcoholic" as defined by the book of Alcoholics Anonymous. It's sort of tongue-in-cheek - self-denigrating for a longish gory share at the same time as it elevates that person to the title. At least that's how I hear it.

In fact, as others have said, I qualify (as does any other person) because I have a desire to stop (stay stopped) drinking. There is absolutely no need for one to qualify by virtue of How Bad It Was, but some people do seem to think that confers special status. If that works for them, I'm good with it.

Aellyce

Thanks everyone! EndGame and Obladi described most closely the context and manner in which I hear it. The meeting I come across this term the most is a beginners' meeting that always has a speaker and then shares by anyone, not guided by a specific topic or piece of the program, just people talking about their experiences with alcoholism and recovery. So the interpretation that it refers to what people share seems right. They definitely don't always associate this term with the main speaker but often that, plus some other shares that are especially vivid. And yes O, now that you mentioned, I think it most frequently refers to members who are not exactly new but don't have decades of sobriety either.

I like the meeting I mentioned a lot because it's a larger group (usually >50 people) so it does not get very repetitive and the participants are quite diverse and sympathetic, but I think I would benefit more from meetings now where they have topic-driven discussions about the BB, the steps, other literature, or anything specific. I get a lot of similar from SMART, which is my main program now and has worked wonderfully for me so far, but perhaps will look for AA meetings that have more content about their program as well. But this is a different discussion topic - I might start a thread about how we use different meetings and programs sometime later

BeABetterMan

It refers to you bringing the “lead” of the meeting.

You talk about almost anything you want. But In general, for about 10-15 minutes, you talk about your relationship with alcohol. Some people talk about how it started, what happened, what changed and what it’s like today. Some new folks don’t have much to say about what it’s like today if they have short recovery, but almost all have a little more hope.

Its a way for people to get to know your story and a way for you to remember why you’re there in the first place.

No pressure on what to say or do. Speak from the heart.

Kdon853

AA on Long Island. Qualifying meant you were leading the meeting. Could be a beginner, step, Big Book. Beginner share your story, how you got here what your doing now. Step and Big Book share your experience with the reading. Stay on topic.

Obladi

Interesting. I’m intrigued by regional variance in AA-speak and customs. I’m in Baltimore and find differences between the city and various outlying communities.

Thanks for asking, Aellyce!

Aellyce

Yes, it's interesting to see the variety. Don't think I'll use this term myself as I feel it's not very straightforward, but appreciate if it's a traditional description in some groups/communities and now I understand it better. Thanks folks!

Coldfusion

Here is the long form of the Third Tradition:

"Our membership ought to include all who suffer from alcoholism. Hence we may refuse none who wish to recover. Nor ought A.A. membership ever depend upon money or conformity. Any two or three alcoholics gathered together for sobriety may call themselves an A.A. group, provided that, as a group, they have no other affiliation."

I was asked to qualify when I was applying for an AA District position, and they expected more than for me to just say I was an alcoholic. But usually having a desire to stop drinking is enough to qualify.

entropy1964

Never heard that. Been to meetings in California, Nevada and Idaho.