I went to sleep, but due to an unbelievable stretch of of bad luck and domino effect, everyone else I my family had something that needed attention all night - it was like Picadilly Circus - WHY it had to be last night, I have no idea. On the other hand I was better equipped to cope with it than normal, so despite the fact I've had a 'Five Minutes Peace' kind of night, I don't feel too bad. Bizarre.
I got up at 7, went to a meeting and then went for a walk because there was a sign to an 'ancient monument' I'd never spotted before on my way back to the car which intrigued me. Unfortunately, it was crap.
needhelp I hope you're still around. I wanted to do your post justice so I waited until I could type (and see) properly.
Firstly, user147 is giving some good information, but where you are I think it's a bit abstract. You have no requirement to take a breathalyzer test to go in - you don't need to stop drinking if you don't choose to. But if you go, there is a good chance you start to tackle your drinking. Not because you'll be brainwashed, or because you'll feel bad if you don't. You might stop because you can see an alternative, and it genuinely look like it could be more attractive, and worth a shot.
But fundamentally it's not even about the booze. I, wise sage of AA that I am (after a my marathon WEEK of attending) don't think it's about booze at it's heart. It's actually about fellowship and learning coping skills that actually work. I sat there today, and listened to people talking honestly about how they feel, and what they want and what they do to cope even facing dreadful personal problems and they were inspiring. They're as close as people get to 'grown ups'.
My advice? Forget its called Alcoholics Anonymous at all.
Call it ALittleBitLonelyandNotCopingThatWell Anonymous.
Imagine a room that you walk into, and instead of that weird First Day of School awkwardness you get in social situations, EVERYONE looks genuinely pleased to see you, offers thier hand to shake and says 'Hi, I'm X, good to meet you!'. Imagine you have no obligation to do anything whatsoever but sit with one of the many people who have offered to take you under thier wing for an hour. Imagine at the end of the time, people are falling over themselves to hand out their mobile number, saying 'if you need anything, day or night, CALL ME' and mean it. Imagine that just by sitting with these people you, deep down, from your very own heart rather than guilt, start to see that there is a better way that you might WANT to try.
They're not, in my humble assessment, united by alcohol, but by humanity and pure honesty.
There is some God stuff, and the groups are all very different. One I've been to was God start to finish (but still useful to an intrigued athiest) in another, God was literally not mentioned other than in the structural parts of the meeting. I'm very glad the first one I went to wasn't yesterday's meeting which would have been a bit intimidating. I would therefore suggest you call the helpline - they will know where is a good place to start locally and where there are a diverse group that you'll feel at home in. I've been randomly plonking myself on any chair in a 100 mile radius this week. So, if you really don't want to meet people you know, go a bit further afield.
To any old timers that might be reading this, I hope my extreme inexperience isn't leading me to say anything untoward, and trust my enthusiasm is enough to see me forgiven where necessary.