What's the point of meetings?

[BrendaChenowyth]

To help somebody else feel less alone.

[Frihed89]

I have an experience to add, which has a lot of meaning to me in relation to the topic. It might help someone.

I have moved around a lot in my life. In one place where I lived, there was a tough guy, a biker and a loner, who attended a lot of meanings. For a year, at least, and maybe longer (it was a long time ago), he always volunteered something like this: "You told me if I came to meetings on a regular basis, worked the program to the best of my ability, and didn't drink, I would get sober". Then he would pause and add, "...but it sure isn't work for me". Nothing else. But he kept coming back.

Then, one day, many many meetings later, and without warning, he said, "You told me if I came to meetings on a regular basis, worked the program to the best of my ability, and didn't drink, I would get sober", and then added, with a big smile,..."well it sure has worked for me". (Followed by thunderous applause and many hugs).

[philly25]

Thanks for this post.

What you shared is one of the reasons why I no longer make millions of meetings a week. I have a homegroup (a small Big Book meeting), and I have other groups where I'm somewhat of a regular. Most of the time when I got to meetings, I try to just be quiet and listen to people. It's really hard - I'm like every other alcoholic - I have a big ego and I want to share everything.

The other thing your post made me think of is this: I'm still learning the traditions, but in there somewhere it says, "Each group is autonomous." Basically, every group I go to is different. If I go to a group and I get a bad vibe, I probably won't go back.

I've learned to find the meetings where I feel comfortable, where people aren't rude or nosy, and where I feel like I can actually give back in some way.

Also, I know that on some nights where I feel really screwed up, I'll do other things to calm myself down that are healthy - like writing, reading, exercise, talking to a friend (AA or otherwise). When I feel nuts, sometimes I feel it's not appropriate to go to a meeting and vomit on the floor, and I'll instead write it all out in my journal and then share it with a professional therapist during my weekly appointment. Sometimes, though, I still do vomit on the floor, because I'm young and I'm still searching.

Anyway, that's my two cents. I'm trying to stay away from the black-and-white thinking. It's easy to fall into, but life is way more complex than that.

[Brock]

Sometimes, though, I still do vomit on the floor, because I'm young and I'm still searching.

Well done on knowing it’s not the best thing to do, AA meetings are not the place to let others know about your problems, and unfortunately I believe many think it is, I have heard people refer to it as ‘free therapy.’ And in today’s fast paced society, where it’s almost ‘fashionable’ to be in therapy of one sort or another, what could be better than free. If you really need therapy, then just like you try to do, everyone should also keep that separate. This business of ‘there there let me pat you on the back, and serve you a nice cup of tea while you tell us all about it, it will be OK once you share it,’ while some trembling newcomer desperate to hear the solution is ignored, that’s the trouble with many AA meetings today.

What's the point of meetings? To pass the message to still suffering alcoholics!

[JeffS.]

I like to attend open meetings on occasion because there is always somebody new that attends and being there helps them (hopefully lol) and also helps me continue practicing step twelve. If you speak up at a meeting you are helping another alcoholic even if you think what you are saying isn't important. Take the things you can use and leave the rest behind.