AA advice – A newcomer asks
At AA they know what it is like to be addicted to alcohol, and to be unable to keep promises made to others and ourselves
This is intended for people approaching Alcoholics Anonymous (AA) for the first time.
Here some of the most frequently asked questions:
Am I an alcoholic?
If you repeatedly drink more than you intend or want to, if you get into trouble, or if you have memory lapses when you drink, you may be an alcoholic. Only you can decide. No one in AA will tell you whether you are or not.
What can I do if I am worried about my drinking?
Seek help. Alcoholics Anonymous can help.
What is Alcoholics Anonymous?
Is a fellowship of men and women who have lost the ability to control our drinking and have found ourselves in various kinds of trouble as a result of drinking. At AA they attempt – often successfully – to create a satisfying way of life without alcohol. For this AA finds that they need the help and support of other alcoholics in AA.
If I go to an AA meeting, does that commit me to anything?
No, AA does not keep membership files, or attendance records. You do not have to reveal anything about yourself. No one will bother you if you don’t want to go back.
What happens if I meet people I know?
They will be there for the same reason you are there. They will not disclose your identity to outsiders. At A.A. you retain as much anonymity as you wish. That is one of the reasons they go as Alcoholics Anonymous.
What happens at an AA meeting?
An AA meeting may take one of several forms, but at any meeting you will find alcoholics talking about what drinking did to their lives and personalities, what actions they took to help themselves, and how they are living their lives today.
How can this help me with my drinking problem?
At AA they know what it is like to be addicted to alcohol, and to be unable to keep promises made to others and ourselves that we will stop drinking. They are not professional therapists.
The only qualification they have is for helping others to recover from alcoholism is that we have stopped drinking ourselves, but problem drinkers coming to us know that recovery is possible because they see people who have done it.
The AA Estcourt branch hosts meetings every Tuesday at Forderville Primary School from 7pm to 8pm. Contact Desigan on 082 849 3014.
