scorn

I tried to go to an AA meeting tonight. It started at 7:00 and I got there about 6:45. I went in and sat down. There were about seven people there just kind of hanging out. 7:00 came and went. The people just kept on chit chatting and it appeared that there was not any organization or any meeting about to begin. I didn't ask anybody for any details, I just got up and left about 7:15. I didn't really make any eye contact with anybody as I just kept my eyes on the TV watching COPS. Go figure! Anyway I have no clue what was going on, or what was about to happen. I just left. It is a start for me. It is extremly difficult for me to be outgoing, especially at an AA meeting. Meeting people is something I truely want to work on. Right now I have no friends, not one. A couple of people I hang with once in a while, and I mean once in a while. If anybody can give me so good advice on meeting people, and also what to expect at a meeting I would appreciate it. From what I have read there is some organization at each meeting. I almost wish somebody would have came up to me and started talking and invited me to sit in on their little group. But as I said I made no eye contact.

It is a start, and I am on my third day of being sober.

Dee74

can you try a different meeting Scorn?
Welcome to SR

D

Anna

Hi Scorn,

I wonder if the meeting time or place was changed? I don't go to AA meetings, but that does sound a bit strange.

Good for you for getting out there and trying to help yourself.

recoverywfaith

Welcome to SR. Maybe the time of the meeting was at a different time? The link below might help you to understand what goes on at an AA meeting:

Your First AA Meeting. Understandably, You Want to Know What to Expect.

I think it is great that you went and are wanting to get sober...hope you will give it another try and go to a different meeting.

camedown

Wow, that is a totally different experience to what I've seen in the meetings I've gone to. Only on day 45, probably been to 30 meetings, and everyone is almost overley friendly. I too am shy and introverted, and at my first couple of meetings, I almost had to ask people to leave me alone to prevent creeping me out. Anyways, try other meetings, maybe it was just an anomoly. Good luck.

Zebra1275

Sounda kinda strange, I've never been to an AA meeting where they had a TV on. Are you sure you were in the right place?

scorn

I am wondering now. I will try again for sure.

anew

Was it in a half way house? I've been to meetings like that in a half way house. Extremely relaxed...I had to pipe up and ask if they were going to have a meeting in order to get things started. A very bad representation of AA.

nandm

Welcome to SR, glad you found us.

Personally I feel that the "meeting" that you went to is a very poor representation of AA and fortunately not one I have experienced over the past 10 years of going to them. I do hope that you will try a different meeting as hopefully that is not typical in your area or any other for that matter. It may be that the meeting was held in an AA club and it was in a different room than you were in. That might explain why the tv and chit chat rather than a true meeting. I really wish the people had been more considerate of a newcomer and spoken to you but unfortunately people can be very self absorbed sometimes and forget what it is like to be brand new to AA.

Take care and I do hope you are able to find a better meeting to attend as I know AA saved my life and I have not had to pick up a drink since my first meeting on 3/13/01.

KathP

Welcome to SR! Yes, that's very strange about that meeting. I have been to ones similar, though not for several years -- and without the TV! Sometimes there are service meetings (not a specific group, but put on by several groups as a service to the community) in hospitals, shelters, etc, and if the people responsible for putting on the meeting are not there for some reason (traffic, miscommunication, whatever) then there is no one to organise it. *shrugs* Life happens, yeah?

I would suggest try other meetings, other groups.

MycoolFitz

yea Scorn, no friends either, not one. The only friend I had at the end was the bottle, and we gave each other up. I'm like the worlds biggest introvert and meetings are tough for me. Just walking in the door I feel sick to my stomach. And yea its a start, and starting leads to everything.

Kjell

Hi Scorn-

It sounds like you were at an AA "club". A place where AA's hang out (the TV thing is why I'm guessing at this).

You want an AA "meeting" my friend.

go to aa.org and go to "find a meeting".

Need any help? Just let me know.

Kjell~

defyinggravity

Yeah, sounds like a club to me (the tv and talking makes me think that, too) - and maybe the meeting that was scheduled for there was canceled or has been changed (sometimes the websites and meeting lists aren't always updated when meetings are changed). Too bad, though, that they weren't more welcoming - that had to suck. Good luck finding a meeting!!

Zencat

Looks like you went to a AA meeting and found something all together different. The meeting I go to starts on time and ends on time...and yes it is what one would expect to find when going to a meeting.

Don't give up. One unexpected experience can not be allowed to side track your recovery.