Hobbers

Yup. Ann pretty much nailed it for me.

To my thinking, anyone (well- almost anyone. Some are just there to get their court-ordered DUI-induced 'time sheets signed...) at an AA meeting is at least TRYING to get better. it'd be about the shittiest thing in the world I can imagine spending a Friday night doing (as a drunk) otherwise.

MIRecovery

My sponsor warned me before hand. His comment was, " A drunk at an AA meeting. Who'd a thunk"

Since his warning I just leave them alone. If they are disruptive the chair should as them to leave

Ann

It's a good memory for me and a wonderful lesson. The old timer who made the effort to go sit by the drunk each week, was a wonderful man named Charles. There are a lot of sober drunks in Toronto who have Charles to thank.

God bless the "Charles's" in this world too.

Jupiters

thanks Ann for sharing that with us

Thomasthetank

I don't think there is much you could have done for him, to be honest. But I will say what a nice, caring person you are for worrying about it. You're one of the good ones, no doubt. If there were more like you the world would be a nicer place.

Db1105

It's happened many times over the years at my Home group. We welcome them to stay, get them a cup of coffee and explain that we are having a meeting and to listen and not interrupt. If they can't keep quite, a few people will take them outside and talk to them there. We make sure they don't drive, get a Big Book, a meeting list, and phone numbers.

ElleDee

I had a similar experience, only it was a female whose boyfriend basically dumped her at the door where the meeting was and drove away. She was drunk and bruised and looked absolutely forlorn. My heart just broke for her! But like others have said here, the "elders" of our group immediately swooped in to counsel and help her. I would not have know what to do except offer her a ride somewhere. THANK the Good Lord in Heaven for all the AA long timers, service people, who have all the years of experience and know how to help the unfortunate who are struggling.

GracieLou

I took my daughter to her first AA meeting on Sunday. She was drunk.

She called me up crying and saying she needed help and wanted to go to a meeting. I picked her up and took her to a meeting. She spilled her coffee and knocked over her soda. I glanced at her several times during the meeting and she was “one eyeing” the speaker.

Of course she was not yelling or disruptive but she did break down crying several times.

The only require for membership is the desire to stop drinking, it does not say you have stopped.

I agree with others that if the person was loud and disruptive then the chair or other men in the group should have directed him outside or to a quiet room.

I understand your concern for the man, that does not mean you are mean or looking down on him, it means you care!

Also, Thanks to Ann for your sharing your story. Richard can be an example and an inspiration to us all!

I also took my ex-husband to an AA meeting. He was drunk as well and drank again as soon as we got back to the house and he drank first thing in the morning. He said AA is not for him, he does not have a problem and declined to ever go again.

I have not heard back from my daughter about going to another meeting. I bought her a Big Book, she was given several pamphlets and I gave her several numbers for young woman in the program and let her know that of course she can also call me.

I can only do what I can do. I can plant the seeds but I can’t make them grow. I pray that she will be back but it won’t happen until she it ready to stop. She is not ready yet but she knows where to go when she is.

Archelon

When I was attending meetings. If someone came in drunk and was distracting usually one or two old timers took them aside.

In a helpful way, sat down,talked to them asked how they could help.

this is only if a drunk person was not participating normally.

DefconOne

why does someone attend an AA meeting drunk? it makes no sense. never seen it myself and I've gone to a lot of meetings. maybe some have been stoned and i just didn't notice. anyway its a strange thing to do even for an alcoholic. when i first joined i would get stoned afterwards but never before...

Findingtheway

Actually when i attended the one meeting drunk (and it was only the one)...I went there because i knew it was a safe place where i could talk to folks and they would understand...Also because i knew staying where i was (in my office, could have lead to more drinking...)

It was a surreal experience to be sure...My mind was fighting a 2 sided war...The side that wanted to keep drinking and the side that wanted to save my life and get help again.

I went to the meeting..drank coffee and water...sat by myself and talked to a AA friend after the meeting who gave me a ride home and called me the next day.

That was probably 40 days ago or so...Today by going to meetings daily i'm 23 days sober. I'm still learning as i go...But the *keep coming back* really helps.

At the meeting today, we focus on how we are today. Not yesterday that day is gone and forever out of my reach.

SlickRick07

Sounds a lot like the few AA meetings I attended. Everyone was only focused on themselves and there was no clear leader of the meeting. All they wanted to do was exchange old stories about when they were wasted.

Fly N Buy

Slick,


That's pretty atypical of my experiences. There is a chairman and specific AA literature is read to start each meeting along with the serenity prayer in groups I attend. This will vary with which literature or prayer, but is always AA specific. Preamble, Traditions, How it works etc...with promises or a Vision for you read at the end of meeting.

A topic is offered up by the chair if no member has anything strongly on their heart or minds. Sharing can be about various things, but most are topic specific with many big book references etc.

Sorry for your experience , it is just people however and groups vary significantly in my frame of reference.

peace

Soberwolf

Ive been to meeting where things have got a bit rowdy

iv also listened to stories of the old wild west days

i heard one guy 26 years sober say he misses the punch of those type of meetings

i can relate to that as this is exactly what it is ....alcoholism

meetings should never get out of control tho and in my first 11 months of sobriety although ive heard ppl shout cry scream etc it has never did get too bad i left aa and am now 14 months sober

SlickRick07

I don't doubt that. However, I live in a very small town and I guess they just lost sight on what AA is really supposed to be. I went to a few meetings and never went back. Because I was young, I was treated as if I was court ordered to be there. Which was not the case, I was looking to build a sober community.

FreeOwl

because at some stage along the horrible dark progression of alcoholism, one is caught in the hell of being desperate to stop and at the same time, unable.

"Can't live with alcohol.... but can't live without it...."

And in that terrible place, caught in the grips of having once again succumbed to the hell of the cycle, they find themselves drunk and yet not wanting to be. They have noplace to turn. Nobody who understands..... except other alcoholics.

Makes total sense to me.

Soberpotamus

Ann, what a lovely and hopeful story. I'm teary-eyed reading that

GracieLou

When I came back to AA, I went to the meeting drunk. I was so emotionally low when I called AA this time I just wanted some help.

The lady called me back and offered to take me to a meeting that night. It sort of felt like "do or die" so I agreed. I was not black out drunk but I was drunk.

It is more common than you think. Some are so low that they call AA when they are drunk because they do not have the nerve when they are sober or they talk themselves out of it when they are sober. I might have done the same if I had not gone that night. I needed to cross that hump back into the rooms and I did not have to courage to do it sober.

Once I came back I kept coming back. That night was my last drunk! I will have 18 months on Wednesday.

tomsteve

different reasons. in some not so nice parts of big cities its a place for the alcoholics living on the streets to get a cup of coffee, maybe a bite to eat, and get out of the cold for an hour.
some are court ordered and don't want to get sober( but it can plant a seed).

but i think it would all boil down too because they are sick.