First time at AA meeting

[Judas]

So I went to my first AA meeting yesterday and it was fantastic. I made it clear to the group that I did not consider myself to be an alcoholic personally, but that I had struggled with other addictions. They were all extremely welcoming and I did not feel judged or excluded for being a drug user. I've heard that some AA groups are pretty exclusive to people who use alcohol only, so I can't vouch for every group. However, this group was wonderful and invited me keep coming back and gave me some numbers to contact if I need any more support from the members of the group. One of the ladies told me about local NA (Narcotics Anonymous) group too, which I may try next also.

Basically what happened in the group is they read a passage from a little book which had a date for every day of the year on the top of the page and read from the verse for that day. The verse we read was about no member of AA being any better than any other member of the group, which I really liked. We then went around the table and everyone shared a bit about their story. I shared my story also and felt safe to do so.

I wasn't entirely sure what to expect from the group but everyone was so lovely and courageous for sharing their stories with strangers so willingly. There was some talk about how prayers and a higher power had helped some members of the group to achieve abstinence but it was not a focal point of the conversation nor did anyone try to force their religious views onto me or try to convert me.

So yeah, I've heard that every group is different but I definitely had a positive first experience with it.

It's certainly not for everyone but I can't deny that the 12 step program has definitely worked wonders for some people. I would encourage anyone thinking about trying AA to give it a go. If you don't like it you don't have to go back, but especially for people who are struggling to stop drinking I think that it's a great place to find support and like-minded people with the same goals of remaining abstinent.

Has anyone else had experiences with AA? I'd be interested to hear what you thought about it and what sort of things happened in the group that you went to?

[vamaan]

Hey Judas,

Thank you for your post on the forum! I'm glad that you had a positive experience at your first AA meeting. It is important to be heard and feel safe in a community. It is definitely a good idea to check out the NA meetings as well for some additional support. I wish you all the best in your journey and will encourage you to continue to share it with us on the forum community!