onlythetruth

UK7:

You might want to try a SMART Recovery meeting. Those are increasingly available throughout the UK and online. It's another, different way forward.

UK7

Hi people. Thanks for all your words of advice - it has really helped!

I think I am going to try another meeting in the city centre (Edinburgh) next weekend. I will let you know how I get on. I hope you're all well! Thanks again.

heath480

That is good news UK7,go for it.

2granddaughters

That's the ticket. All the best.

A Ross (from the colonies)

Pojman

I go to the AA meetings sponsored by The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints.

I find that their meetings are the most sincere that I have ever found. Check them out.

Mark75

I run the gauntlet myself, especially my Sunday morning meeting...smoking, talking amongst themselves. They may seem intimidating, but they aren't. You just probably had the first meeting jitters.

keepfinding2

Plenty of AA meetings are like this. Some are better than others and some are worse than others. You might have to jump around until you find the one that fits you best. I'm sure a lot of us on this site can relate to bad meetings. Sometimes the cops get involved, someone in the meeting is throwing and breaking coffee cups, swearing/cursing out everyone. It gets WEIRD. I understand. I've been there.

12skiptomylue

are you serious???

Sapling

You go to enough meetings skip....You'll see some crazy stuff now and then....You get a cast of charactors in AA....Most of our members have been thrown out of a bar or two...Sometimes people show up a little drunk...Sometimes you'll have somebody show up that's just full goose bozo....I learn something at all of them.

Taking5

Can you elaborate? What do you mean by "sponsor" in this context? AA is not affiliated with any religion. Lots of groups meet in churches but they pay rent to do so in order to avoid violation of our 6th tradition.

Taking5

Skip,

I've been in AA for 7 years and have seen the cops exactly 1 time, only because the husband of a member (who was still drinking and drugging) came to the meeting high and waving a gun.

Don't let this or keepfinding2's post disturb you.

camedown

The way I like to think of it, imagine you have been poisoned, and the guy at the door has the antidote that will save your life, because he just might.











Oh, and those unkempt guys smoking at the door, I'm one of them, and like to think of myself as a pretty darn nice guy, the kind who calls his mother almost daily and eats at his elderly grandmas every other week. I also hold doors open for anybody, not just the ladies, and I like to make babies smile. I just happen to be a smoker with sub par hygeine habits developed through thirty years of drinking and drugging. The sense of love and openness permeates itself through the fellowship, give it another shot.

Sapling

I think what it really boils down to....People come up with a 1000 different reasons to not attend an AA meeting....My opinion...They don't want to stop and are afraid it might work.....They don't want to admit they are a member of a group with the word Alcoholc in the title....Or they're just flat out scared to do it. When it get's bad enough and you don't think you can do it anymore....You'll find a way through those doors. And if you put in the effort...It will work.

FlyerFan

Don't worry about those people UK, just walk by them casually, (say hello if you wish) and go on inside if you don't wish to be around the smokers. If you get there too early you can help set up the chairs or pass out books if you'd like but you dont' have to.