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 A.A.

If I go to an A.A. meeting, does that commit me to anything?

No. A.A. 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.

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 we call ourselves Alcoholics Anonymous.

What happens at an A.A. meeting?

An A.A. 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?

We in A.A. 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; and problem drinkers coming to us know that recovery is possible because they see people who have done it.

Why do A.A.s keep on going to meetings after they are cured?

We in A.A. 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.

How do I join A.A.?

You are an A.A. member if and when you say so. The only requirement for A.A. membership is a desire to stop drinking, and many of us were not very wholehearted about that when we first approached A.A.

How much does A.A. membership cost?

There are no dues or fees for A.A. membership. An A.A. 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.

Is A.A. a religious organization?

No. Nor is it allied with any religious organization.

There’s a lot of talk about God, though, isn’t there?

The majority of A.A. 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 A.A. group, still others don’t believe in it at all. There is room in A.A. for people of all shades of belief and nonbelief.

Can I bring my family to an A.A. meeting?

Family members or close friends are welcome at “Open” A.A. meetings.

When you click on any of the meeting listing on this site, in the list under “Meeting Information,” you’ll see “Open” or “Closed.” Closed meetings are for alcoholics only.

What A.A. does not do:

• Furnish initial motivation for alcoholics to recover.
• Solicit members.
• Engage in or sponsor research.
• Keep attendance records or case histories.
• Join “councils” of social agencies (although A.A. members, groups and service offices frequently cooperate with them).
• Follow up or try to control its members.
• Make medical or psychological diagnoses or prognoses.
• Provide detox or nursing services, hospitalization, drugs, or any medical or psychiatric treatment.
• Offer religious services or host/sponsor retreats.
• Engage in education about alcohol.
• Provide housing, food, clothing, jobs, money, or any other welfare or social services.
• Provide domestic or vocational counseling.
• Accept money for its services, or any contributions from non-A.A. sources.
• Provide letters of reference to parole boards, lawyers, court officials, social agencies, employers, etc.

Reprinted with permission from Alcoholics Anonymous World Services, Inc.