1CountryBoy

I love living in a small town, but unfortunately that means that the opportunities are limited as well. My town has less than 700 people, and there is no AA chapter here. The closest city is 35 miles from here. I have quit drinking before, but it has never lasted. I want to be done for good. Any ideas on how to proceed when someone wants to kick, but doesn't have access to the meetings?

CarolD

Good to see you here with us in our 12 step Forum.

Here is a link for AA meetings...state by state
to find the nearest one to you ...look up your area
Central Office ..give them a call.

Alcoholics Anonymous : Central Offices, Intergroups and Answering Services for (U.S. and Canada)

That's what I suggest you do first
if you have not already checked Central Office.

Have you done that yet?

Signal30

It must be tough for a meeting to be 30 plus miles away. However, if you look up AA in the phone book, and talk to the central office for the area, they may be able to arrange a ride for you.

Who knows? Maybe in the future that one who starts a AA meeting in your town can be you! You may meet people from your town at whatever meeting you go to.


It all starts from a phone call.


Tom

NoelleR

There's a book entitled Alcoholics Anonymous, commonly called the Big Book, or BB.....this is exactly the reason it was written.....for all those folks back then (and today too) who didn't live in Ohio, or New York.....

There weren't a lot of meetings back in 1939. In fact, in a lot of places there weren't any. So, Bill W, Dr Bob, and about 100 others of the founders of AA got together and wrote a book.....for all those folks who didn't have meetings nearby.

My suggestion would be.....yes, check with your local InterGroup, to see where there may be meetings near you.....BUT, in the meantime, pick yourself a copy of the BB and start reading.....OR, check out online, the first 164 pages of the BB can be downloaded and read, from a number of different sights....search it out, and check it out.....anddddddd

Good Luck..... (o:


NoelleR

serenityqueen

You've already had some great feedback. I'd like to add that it only takes two people to have a meeting. Like Signal 30 said, you may be the one who starts a meeting in your town. You could meet the one other person needed to complete the meeting and eventually find that there are more than likely others in your town or very nearby who want and need to get to meetings as well.

Central office is a great place for all info on meetings in your area. There could be meetings already taking place closer to your hometown that you don't know about yet.

This is a great place to read others posts, share your thoughs with us and ask for feedback.

Who knows, you could come back here one day and say, "Hey, remember when I was trying to find a meeting closer to home? Well, guess what, I called Central office and I helped found a meeting here in my hometown. There are X amount of people coming now. . . . . "

Keep coming and sharing with us,

God Bless & Thank God . . . Just for Today,
Judy

laurie6781

Welcome to Sr. You have found a GREAT place!!! for help.

First, here's a site to start reading the Big Book on line:

AA Big Book

Next, let's see. I grew up in Wisconsin and I know I sure drove more than 30 miles to get to a county that allowed drinking at 18, lol.

Sobriety is becoming willing to go to any length to stay sober.

As suggested above, check out the meeting listings on line, call the nearest AA office, usually listed in the white pages of the phone book, and talk with whomever answers the phone. Usually they are willing to find someone to take you to your first meeting or two.

Also like said, as you go to meetings, you will probably find folks from your area and can work out sharing rides to various meetings in other towns.

Also, please keep posting and venting and let us know how YOU are doing, we do care.

Again, welcome to SR.

Love and hugs,

sugErspun

Welcome Country boy.

I live in Los Angeles - there are meetings everywhere.

I drive 59 miles per week to my home group and their meeting, that's where I met a guy who was recovered and we went through that book that Noelle mentioned, together, it's the only meeting I attend on a regular basis ..the drive here takes around 1:30 on the weekday evening..and it's worth it.

I would say the meeting's themselves don't keep me sober..it's the process outlined in that book.

Distance from a meeting need not hinder your path to recovery.

Tazman53

Country you have recieved some good advice, start going to the nearest meetings you can find, I bet you will find at least one person in your town, between the 2 of you a meeting can be born!

It can be in your house or garage, I can assure you that a local church would be more then happy to let you all have some space or a community center.

Read that BB, there are online meetings as well but there is nothing like face to face meetings and a face to face sponsor.

Read "How It Works" chapter 5 in the BB, read the "Doctors Opinion"! Focus on the "Doctors Opinion" through page 164 of the BB and then sit down and ask yourself "Am I willing to go to any lengths to get and stay sober?" If the answer is yes then pick up the phone and call your AA hotline, you will be amazed at how your life can change.

miss communicat

Welcome to SR!

I too wanted to encourage you to do more research on meetings and to be open to driving the distance to get to the ones you do know about. You may very well meet folks there who live closer to you who are ready to start another meeting in your town.

I currently drive at least 35 miles to go to AA meetings, 5 days a week.

Stay with SR as well. It made all the difference for me in early sobriety when I couldn't see going that far to meetings. SR is a great way to stay connected to recovery 24 hours a day.

We support you and care.

chris k

It might be time to start a group there CountryBoy.

Lily

Hey Country Boy! I too live in Central WI. What town are you in? You can PM if you want to. I do drive over to Wausau cuz there are some great meetings there. It is a little ways for me, but worth it. I then found myself a sponsor and now we meet once a week to work through the BB together. There are meetings in Antigo, Rapids, Wittenburg, Schofield, Merrill, Weston, Point, etc.... maybe your schedule is outdated?
Sheila

Tazman53

"I am responsible when anyone, anywhere reachs out for help, I want the hand of AA always to be there, and for that I am responsible."

Sheila good job on putting that hand out!

odaat

I think you have to ask yourself if you genuinely don't have access to meetings. I travel 40 miles to a meeting - it takes me 2 and half hours to get there, and longer to get back. Its a very big trek, but when I think about what the alternative is, I'm happy to do it!

Music

I guess you have to ask yourself how bad you want to get sober. Are you willing to go to any length, even if it means hunting down a meeting and driving a ways, or asking for help getting there? Maybe it means you have to start a meeting in your home town, which means making a comittment and being responsible. Well.....

Dean62

Hi CountryBoy.

You have been give some good feedback. Keep coming back.

I have access problems as well since I lost my license. It takes me longer to get to a meeting riding the bus then the meeting itself. Sobriety today is worth it. Give it a try, this time it might last.

fraankie

but doesn't have access to the meetings?


walk out the door
and
keep saying
but i walked 36 miles for a beer
i can walk 35 miles to a meeting

i taalk from experience