Step 1 says, "We admitted we were powerless over alcohol." This is an admission that the person has to make to themselves. Any number of people can tell you they think you are alcoholic, but until you admit it to yourself, nothing is really going to happen. If you are concerned about your drinking, or if you accept that others are concerned about your drinkApril 1, 2011

Try this--Go here take the AA quiz, or if you are more comfortable, go to WebMD and review the symptoms. Be honest with yourself. Come to a meeting--what's it going to hurt? There is no committment and no pressure. [Top]

There are different types of meetings, but regardless of which ones you go to, most start in similar ways. At the beginning, we recite the "Serenity Prayer" (upper right of this page), then there will be such things as introductions ("I'm Bill and I'm an alcoholic"), readings from the Big Book and others, announcements, passing the basket, and so on. After that, depending on the type of group, different things could happen:
--for a "topic" meeting, a topic is introduced then each person take a few minutes to comment on the topic.
--for a "Big Book" meeting, a few pages are read out of the AA Big Book, then discussed.
--for a "step" meeting, each meeting focuses on one of the 12 steps, discussing it and helping people understand what the step is about.
We end with the Lord's Prayer. Most meetings in the Willmar area run about 1 hour. Sometimes they may run a little longer as we want to allow time to provide the help and support that people come seeking at AA. [Top]

Most AA meetings are "closed" meetings in that they are for people who want to be members of AA--that is, for alcoholics/addicts who want to quit using. If you are coming to AA to seek support in not drinking or using, you qualify for closed meetings--that's all it takes. Open meetings are those where non-alcoholics are welcome--family, friends, or even people who just want to check it out. So the big difference is that closed meetings are for alcoholics seeking help, and open meetings are for anyone. [Top]

Nothing. There are no dues or fees. According the 7th Tradition, AA is self supporting. We deliberately don't want to be funded by outside sources because of the danger of becoming obligated to others. So, you will see a basket go around at the meeting and people will toss in a couple of bucks--if they can. We all know and respect that there are times you just don't have any money to throw in--and that's fine. You are still most welcome. The money tossed in helps offset the cost of the coffee, the building, utilities, books, and so on. If you can donate, a guideline to use can be "how much does your drink of choice cost at a bar?" Can you donate the cost of 1 drink? Again, you donate what you can IF you can. Don't ever let the lack of money keep you from AA. [Top]

Step 1 says "we admitted we were powerless over alcohol." By introducing ourselves as alcoholics, we continue to remind ourselves and reaffirm that powerlessness. If we ever forget that we are powerless over alcohol, we're in big trouble. [Top]

The "Big Book" is the "bible" of AA. It is the book that lays out this "simple program of recovery." It lays out the 12 steps, and overall addresses what it is like to be an alcoholic, the problems our alcoholism cause, and how to stay sober by focusing on helping other alcoholics maintain their sobriety. At the top of the page is a link to an online copy of the Big Book, or you can buy it at meetings, bookstores, or from online sources. It is the foundation of Alcoholics Anonymous. [Top]

It is actually quite simple and straightfoward, except we alcoholics like to overcomplicate it. In a nutshell, the simplicity of AA is "Don't drink. Go to meetings. Work the program." However, many people want to rush the program (recovery is time-consuming); over-analyze the program (it really is simple and straightforward); or otherwise make it more difficult than it is. Yes, it is work--sobriety is not automatic--we have to work to get it, and we have to work to maintain it. But if we just take time, read the materials, listen to those more experienced in the program, and commit to working an ongoing program of recovery, we can enter a time of prolonged sobriety.

This is not to say that quitting drinking is easy. If anyone knows that, AAers do. After all, if quitting drinking was easy, we wouldn't need AA. Let the people at AA help you quit and teach you how to live without the need for alcohol. [Top]

The issue of the "higher power" is probably the biggest sticking point for people new to AA. Usually outsiders and newcomers assume it means a specific religious viewpoint, yet it does not. First, AA is not a religious organization and has no affiliation with ANY religion. At most AA meetings--unless they are identifed as coming from a specific religous viewpoint--the issue of "higher power" is considered to be what YOU find it to be.

Believing in a higher power means believing in the power of something greater than yourself. For many, that is a classic sense of God. For some their higher power may be the AA group, or a belief in the power of the greater good. Remember, though, that AA is world-wide in dozens of different cultures and religions, so clearly there's a lot of different ways of looking at the idea of the higher power. Your sponsor and group can help you get a sense of what a "higher power" is, but you need to find your higher power that works for you. [Top]

A sponsor is a person with some significant sobriety (at least more than 1 year) who helps you one-on-one in AA. This is a person you can visit with and discuss your specific situation. He/she will help you understand the program, how to work it, what sobriety is about, and generally serve as a guide in AA. Sponsors can range from fairly gentle and "hands off" ("call me if you need to talk or have problem") to fairly strict and specific in their expectations ("call me every day;" "go to a meeting 4 times a week;" "we meet for coffee 2 times a week," etc.). To find a sponsor, first go to a few meetings. At these meetings, you will quickly start to get a feel for others there. Once you find someone that seems they know what they are doing, approach them and ask. Getting a sponsor is a standard part of AA, so don't be afraid to ask. Even if you are turned down, don't take it personally.

One last thought about sponsors--your sponsor should be same sex. You want this to be about staying sober, and nothing more. Also, the issues facing men and the issues facing women can be different, so a same sex sponsor may be able to relate to your situation better. [Top]

Until you die. Alcoholism is a life-time illness. We can manage it and live with it, using tools like AA, but we will never be cured until we are dead. That's overwhelming for someone new in sobriety, so in AA we focus on "One Day At A Time." We're only concerned about being sober right now, today. If we can get through today without drinking, we're doing great. We don't know what tomorrow will bring, so we don't worry about.

However, as you move further into your sobriety, you will learn that life is wonderful without alcohol. The urges and "white knuckling" you feel early on will fade, if you work at it, and you will begin to live sober. Sobriety is so much more than just not drinking; it is a way of living, looking at the world, and coping with life's issues. AA teaches you how to do that.

Do all of our lives become perfect and problems go away when we quit drinking and live sober? Of course not. But two things: we create fewer problems since we are not drinking; and the problems that do come up seem far, far more manageable. As one AAer puts it, "There is no problem that can't be made worse by drinking." AA is a place we go to for help in managing life. [Top]

The Journal of the American Medical Association defines alcoholism as "a primary, chronic disease characterized by impaired control over drinking, preoccupation with the drug alcohol, use of alcohol despite adverse consequences, and distortions in thinking."

The DSM-IV (the standard for diagnosis in psychiatry and psychology) defines alcohol abuse as repeated use despite recurrent adverse consequences.; further defining alcohol dependence as alcohol abuse combined with tolerance, withdrawal, and an uncontrollable drive to drink.

Good overviews of the disease of alcoholism can be found at WebMD, The Mayo Clinic, or The Pharmacy Library. [Top]

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