Your experiences with AA

[ChangingLivesOneday]

I went to my first meeting yesterday and it was quite a liberating experience. I listened to some of their stories and I felt at home among people that also suffer from alcoholism.

I started a thread in Chat the other day to basically say that I am an alcoholic and I need to change. And was quite overwhelmed by the support because for so long I've been denying it and minimising it.

I'm going to see my GP later this week but I wonder if AA worked for anyone and if so how? I'm apprehensive about going to the next meeting so I'd be interested if anyone could tell me if they go regularly to the meetings and what it was like?

I've been to hundreds of meetings- 5 years sober.
AA is fantastic. Some meeting you gel with more than others and there are a few people who you need to handle with care, but I'd recommend it 100%.
Gravitate to those you want to be like and I found people with a realistic (to me at the time) length of sobriety. Someone a few months or years ahead of you, rather than the 20+ers. They are very wise but I found it harder to relate to their experiences.
Good Luck! You've done an awesome thing by even starting the process. It works!!

Thanks seriously

I met some people that have been 10/15+ years sober and still attend the meetings. I can't even go one day! I was thinking that perhaps I'm not ready to join as I'm still drinking. I.e came home last night with a spring in my step thinking this was a new beginning but low and behold a few hours later I downed a bottle of wine.

Don't worry! That's pretty typical early days behaviour I attended for 6 months still drinking with ever increasing periods of sobriety before I stopped finally (one day at a time).
The only requirement for membership is the desire to stop drinking. Where are you? Have you got the where to go booklet?

Congratulations for making the decision to go. You'll find many, many people who are still 'slipping' occasionally; it's fine, no one will judge you. In fact, it's the lack of judgement that makes AA such a beautiful thing, I look back on my early recovery as one of the happiest times of my life.

It's a good idea to find a sponsor; has anyone at your local group mentioned that?

Well done - I found that getting to the first meeting was one of my biggest hurdles - Oh the excuse I came up with for not going!

I didn't find it quite my 'spiritual home' or whatever but it was one of the many things that helped me to get and stay sober. I don't go any more because the group near me is small and doesn't quite work for me, but I was thankful for other groups I could travel to, and I'd encourage anyone to at least give it a try.

It is of course run by a bunch of humans so sometimes you get the kind of human behaviour you don't like - just try another group, or a different time of day. I found a woman's group which I liked.

There are a couple of groups on here too if your looking for support the DRY threads and the brave babes threads. Again they might not be your cup of tea but anything is worth a try.

In my early days I was advised not to bother too much about getting a sponsor or any of that, just concentrate on getting to meetings, trying out different ones if that is possible and seeing what works for you.

It's a big step to admit to our drinking. Well done.

Oh and there are groups like Soberistas (google it) which have loads of support and resources, and links to blogs.

Some people also have access to SMART recovery groups as an alternative to AA - they don't have any of the 'higher power' language - although it didn't bother me. See what is around in your local area.

At your next meeting ask people for phone numbers then ring them if you feel like picking up a drink.
Well done to you going to a meeting - AA is brilliant.

Thanks for your responses. I have text someone I met yesterday, there's a meeting this evening that I intend to attend but in the meantime I've been drinking. I'm sorry.

Can you take a hot deink to bed now and sleep until the meeting?

Just keep going. Honestly Aa saved my life. I spent the first few months in and out and drinking but I'm 4 years sober now. I attend once a week minimum. I have loads of friends and have never been happier. Look for different groups. I like a local one and also love going to the female only one. Well done for taking that first step.

Hi OP
My experience with AA has been amazing. I cannot believe I am approaching 10 year sober. I was quite a hopeless case when I came in ; 24 hour drinking, tried GP, counselling, alcohol diaries etc but nothing seemed to work. I was miserable, ill and only 27. I didn't stop immediately but from my first meeting sensed there was something special on offer - I was no longer alone and alcoholism is such a lonely disease.
My advice would be to break it down. Try not to think too far into the future; get to meetings frequently, find someone you can relate to and talk to them. At some point somebody will take you through the 12 steps, probably a sponsor, and through these you will get well.
My life is so different to how it was. I have two DCs who have never seen me drink, a DH, hobbies and friends. All of this because of AA.

I first went to AA in January 2014. It took me seven months of gradually extending periods without alcohol before things truly started to change, but I'm now just shy of 14 months sober and it's been wonderful. I feel like I've got my life back.

Like you, OP, something clicked with me in my first meeting. I'd spent so long struggling and not being able to explain to people why I couldn't stop, even though I wanted to, and suddenly there was a room full of people who were describing exactly how I felt, describing things I had done, exactly how it was. That recognition was a real relief and it kept me going back to meetings regularly (three-four a week) even though it took me a little while to really 'get' the rest of it and put the drink down in the longer term.

No one there minds if it takes you a while to get there - or if it goes wrong for you at any point, or at regular intervals along the way or anything. We've all been there - more all less similarly to you, if not exactly the same! Your first priority in the beginning is to just keep going to meetings and stay connected to people. It's definitely worth thinking about a sponsor and looking at some of the reading material, but don't worry if it feels like a lot to take in or you're not quite 'getting it' yet. I'd second the advice about trying out different meetings in your area, to get a feel for the ones you prefer - and also over the next few weeks try and pick a regular one. It's a good idea to have a 'home' group that you're anchored to, to help you get there regularly.

I go twice a week now and my life has improved immeasurably. It's like my medicine. Reminding myself what I need to do to stay sober, connecting with other people (some who are starting to become genuine friends), and (tentatively) having the chance to help people who are going through the same thing - these things have really changed my life for the better.

Good luck, OP - please keep coming!

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