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Questions |
Answers |
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ALCOHOLICS ANONYMOUS© is a
fellowship of men and women who share their experience, strength and
hope with each other that they may solve their common problem and help
others to recover from alcoholism. The only requirement for membership
is a desire to stop drinking. There are no dues or fees for AA
membership; we are self-supporting through our own contributions. AA is
not allied with any sect, denomination, politics, organization or
institution; does not wish to engage in any controversy; neither
endorses nor opposes any causes. Our primary purpose is to stay sober
and help other alcoholics to achieve sobriety (Copyright © by The AA
Grapevine, Inc.). |
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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. |
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What is Alcoholics Anonymous? |
We are 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. We attempt—most of us successfully—to create a
satisfying way of life without alcohol. For this we find we need the
help and support of other alcoholics in AA |
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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 come back. |
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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 AA you retain as much anonymity as you wish.
That is one of the reasons we call ourselves Alcoholics Anonymous. |
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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. |
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How can this help me with my
drinking problem? |
We in AA
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. We are
not professional therapists. Our only qualification 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. |
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Why do AAs keep on going to meetings
after they are cured? |
We in AA
believe there is no such thing as a cure for alcoholism. We can never
return to normal drinking, and our ability to stay away from alcohol
depends on maintaining our physical, mental, and spiritual health. This
we can achieve by going to meetings regularly and putting into practice
what we learn there. In addition, we find it helps us to stay sober if
we help other alcoholics. |
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How do I join AA? |
You are an AA member if and when you say so. The only
requirement for AA membership is a desire to stop drinking, and
many of us were not very wholehearted about that when we first
approached AA |
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How much does AA membership cost? |
There are no dues or fees for AA membership. An AA group will
usually have a collection during the meeting to cover expenses,
such as rent, coffee, etc., and to this all members are free to
contribute as much or as little as they wish. |
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Is AA a religious organization? |
No. Nor is it allied with any religious organization. |
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There’s a lot of talk about God, though, isn’t there? |
The majority of AA members believe that we have found the
solution to our drinking problem not through individual
willpower, but through a power greater than ourselves. However,
everyone defines this power as he or she wishes. Many people
call it God, others think it is the AA group, still others don’t
believe in it at all. There is room in AA for people of all
shades of belief and nonbelief. |
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Can I bring my family to an AA meeting? |
Family members or close friends are welcome at “Open” AA
meetings. Discuss this with your local contact. |
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What advice do you give new members? |
In our experience, the people who recover in AA are those who:
(a) stay away from the first drink; (b) attend AA meetings
regularly; (c) seek out the people in AA who have successfully
stayed sober for some time; (d) try to put into practice the AA
program of recovery. |
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How can I contact AA? |
Look for Alcoholics Anonymous in your local telephone directory.
These telephones are answered by AA volunteers who will be happy
to answer your questions, or put you in touch with those who
can. If there is no AA telephone service close to you, write or
phone the AA General Service Office. |
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From the AA pamphlet, "A Newcomer
Asks" © Copyright 2008, Alcoholics Anonymous World Services, Inc. All
Rights Reserved. |
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