LifeChanges

I had two weeks, then I drank. I still went to aa meetings and I feel like I'm a liar. But can I still go or do they not want me there? I don't want to offend anyone. I don't go drunk. But I've drank the night before. I want to be there. But I don't want to offend anyone

Coldfusion

Please keep going. You are welcome as long as you have a desire to quit.

CaseyW

Tradition three: The only requirement for membership is a desire to stop drinking.

Tradition five: Each group has but one primary purpose--to carry its message to the alcoholic who still suffers.

Doesn't say you have to even be sober to attend. The still-suffering alcoholic is the most important person in the room, in my opinion.

Please keep going. Be honest and respectful if asked to share and be open to hearing what others have to share with you and the rest of the group.

Upward2Enlightenment

If you are not going drunk and still want to quit I can't see why anyone would get offended. Like here, they are there to help each other quit.

Best wishes

Dime

I know a woman who went to meetings after drinking for 9 months or so. She finally got sober and now has 7 years sobriety. She had a desire to stop drinking and had a perfect right to be in the meetings before she was sober. If you get hassled I would find another meeting. Good luck with your recovery effort!!

Berrybean

Yep. Go back, be honest, and let the folk there help you.

The only requirement is a desire to stop drinking.

Nowsthetime

Hello:

I don't do AA but me understanding is that you are always welcome. I have heard of people who show up drunk but they are welcome because being there shows the interest to quit.

Don't feel intimidated or not welcome. AA is a safe open place that (like it was said before) welcomes everyone with the desire to NOT drink.

Proud of you for going.

You can do this!!!

chrcarlson

LifeChanges. like any group there are a few people offended by just about anything. I've seen one guy drunk at AA, I was glad he was there. Eeveryone at AA has tried to quit and relapsed that's why they need the help of AA. Get another 24hr chip and continue on. On the plus: after the meeting the ones that come over to talk to you are the ones you want to listen to.

fini

LifeChanges,
yes, go and keep going if it's helpful.
the requirement of a desire to stop drinking is the requirement for membership.
membership is not the same as meeting attendance.
there is no requirement whatsoever for meeting attendance.
you can go even if you're not sure you have a desire to quit.

jseattle

My sense is that meetings and attendees at AA meetings vary; some may be rigid and judgmental and others flexible and open. You are there for you; don't worry about it. Go. (And any chance you are trying to talk yourself into not going? Don't.) If AA isn't enough or isn't the right fit, there are alternatives out there.

Centered3

Absolutely please keep going. You just need to have the desire to not drink.

Bunny211

Yes. You can even go to an AA meeting half in the wrapper. The "only requirement for membership is a desire to stop drinking." That's it. Come as you are. If people waited until the looked good, smelled good etc. there would be NO ONE in those halls!

honeypig

This is taking it to extremes, but my XAH has been going to meetings for over 3 years w/no significant sober time. So far as I know, his sponsor still works w/him and no one has expressed any feeling that he shouldn't be there.

Where there's life and AA, there's hope--and I do hope that someday he gets done "wanting to want to" be sober and gets to the "wants to" stage. He deserves to actually live however much of his life is left, and so do you, LC.

MIRecovery

AA ignores failure and rewards success. Keep coming back and don't quit before the miracle happens

FreeOwl

the only requirement for membership is a desire to stop drinking.

everyone in those rooms has tried and fallen down.

Berrybean

You know. A good friend of mine relapsed last Friday and Saturday. She made it to the meeting on Sunday.

I can honestly say I've never been so pleased to see someone at a meeting.

Anna

Hold your head up high and keep working on your recovery.

NoelleR

Say, what?.....!
"...Everyone at AA has tried to quit and relapsed..."
"...everyone in those rooms has tried and fallen down..." NOT true!

Yes, LifeChanges, go back to AA. I only highlighted these two sentences as I've read similar on other threads here on SR, and they're just not true, and can be dangerous.

Although they may be in the minority, there are plenty of 'first-timers' in recovery.....most of my recovered friends are 'first-timers' (all with 30+ years of sobriety/recovery). When I first heard this sentiment, I asked my sponsor if I was supposed to go back out and return (a return that is not guaranteed); she gave me a boot in the butt and a Gibbs head slap--that settled that; next month I'll be celebrating 30 years; and I'm a first-timer.............

(o:

P.S. As fini said earlier....................:

MIRecovery

If people that had relapsed in their career of quitting drinking were not welcome in AA. AA wouldn't exist. Bill W wrote in the family bible that he would never drink again. Guess what? He did.

Fly N Buy

Do you think you're the only one who drank the night before or an hour or five minutes before a meeting?!?

Our chips have two sayings on them - one is the serenity prayer.......we hear it at every meeting. Search your heart for it's meaning to you.

The other is from Hamlet - To thine own self be true.

Thanks for the post - keep coming back