cwood3

+1 on this

Here's another related thing. In regards to God, higher power, religious, spiritual, etc....you are not required to believe in God, or a higher power, or any of that when you walk in the door. I believe that a LOT of folks walk in that door without any belief or opinion on religion, spirituality, God, or higher power. What I also know from my very short experience with AA is that, based on comments from my home group members, there are those who DID, indeed, develop some sort of understanding of something beyond themselves that provided hope and direction, which led to confidence and strength.

In a nutshell, it's about being WILLING and OPENMINDED

Good for you on your quest!!

MLD51

In a nutshell, it's about being WILLING and OPENMINDED

YES! I was lucky enough that my first few meetings stressed this. I was already willing and openminded, and it was great to know that was the only "requirement." I have been sober for about 21 months, and I can say that yes, I have come to believe in a higher power. Not a Christian God, but rather one of my choosing and understanding.

Bertyboy1000

I'm relocating in just over a week. I've decided to wait until then and look for a group to attend in my new area.

Having read the posts here, I'm pretty excited to give it a try. It's only day 8 for me so I'm thinking long term here, when the novelty of 'not drinking' wears off I guess and it's down to the reality of a life of abstinence.

Thanks again for your posts - great help.

cwood3

"TRADITION 3: The only requirement for A.A. membership is the desire to stop drinking."

This is a very deep and meaningful message from AA.....

VibrantQueen

I would suggest reading a few chapters of The Big Book this week. That way you'll be kind of familiar when you go to your first meeting next week.

Here's a link to the online version:
Alcoholics Anonymous : Alcoholics Anonymous

August252015

Another AA advocate here. It was finally my choice and it is key to my life of recovery - not because it got me to stop drinking (I chose that; other people will say different things here) but because it started - and continues- to guide me to a greater spiritual life....with concrete principles. And I am a Christian, so the "Religious" component is quite simple for me- it was I who ran away from God, never the opposite, in a nutshell - but I went belligerently, kicking, and screaming all the way into AA til it was my last option. It is a program of action - it makes logical sense to people who have all kinds of (or no) religious and spiritual orientations; the spiritual component is, in my humble opinion, the key to living beyond sober, into a free and strong life that is way more than not drinking. That's what AA ultimately offers, if you take it.

You may want to read about the promises as these are as important in many ways as the 12 Steps (you may want to explore the 12 Traditions later):
The 12 Step Promises

There is simply a ton to learn about AA and what the program really is. Lots of us here can share our HONEST experiences with them - good, bad, conflicting (within ourselves), challenging, frustrating, awesome....but the bottom line is that AA works if you work it (the slogans will likely annoy you at first...but they are spot on).

I look forward to hearing what you think. As someone else(s) mentioned, there are different kinds of meetings and a lot of people- every kind of person in the world, so to speak- in AA. Giving it a chance- say, the fabled 90 (meetings) in 90 (days), or 30/30, is a great way to begin and set an initial introduction you are committed to do.

Good luck!

freshstart57

I happen to be on the religious side of the scale, but found, through reading the BB and attending meetings, that AA was not going to be useful to me in achieving and maintaining sobriety. My God doesn't work the way AA's HP needs to and also doesn't play well with others.

One of the keys to my success is not to view sobriety as a lifetime of abstinence. That makes it sound like a deprivation or a hardship. My experience was that alcoholism was so much harder than being sober. When I was an alcoholic, my life was full of misery, shame, anger, anxiety, depression and loneliness. When I chose to quit for good, I put all that in the past.

I recommend you look hard at AA, approach it with the expectation of success, and see where it leads you. I met some kind and generous people at AA and I bet you will too. Good luck!

Berrybean

I relocated after just a month or so attending meetings. I didn't know anyone from my new city so it was really good to get to know some other locals. Esp ones who understood me (more than I understood myself at the start of my journey). Obviously I still went out of my way to meet people in different ways as well. (Church, choir, writing group, running club, volunteering to help at local events, etc.) I felt this was necessary because when I drank it was in pubs, so that's where my 'socialising' happened. It took a while for me to get comfortable rocking up and just joining in with stuff. I still get cold feet occasionally (where I kind of freeze and manage to convince myself that I'm getting on everyone's nerves and they want me to go away, and I'm the only person there with no one to talk to, blah, blah, blah, but I don't let myself get away with doing a runner when that happens now. I just look for someone else who hasn't got anyone to talk to and go say hello. There's no way I'd ever have been capable of that kind of mixing (without alcohol ) before AA.

Good luck with the move. Hope it goes well. Look up the meeting times and places and pencil some I to your diary for when you've just moved in perhaps.

blueberry2015

I love AA! Like you I kept an open mind, AA is helping me stay sober

Coldfusion

The only AA meeting you're ever late arriving at is your first one.

Sue4901

Hi. Give AA a try just remember every meeting is different so try a few different ones and some say the word God means in AA , Group Of Drunks, the higher power that is talked about has been explained to me as anything that is stronger than you.
Good luck x