AA Meetings

AA meetings are an integral part of many people’s recovery process. While there is no one right way for any person to recover, the 12 steps of AA can be a great source of support, networking, and a way to find great new sober friends. There are AA meetings all over the world and online that can be easily accessed by anyone that wished to participate.

What Are AA Meetings? 

AA meetings in Jacksonville FL are open to all alcoholics and sometimes users of other substances. There are narcotics anonymous, overeaters anonymous, sex addicts anonymous and several other types of anonymous peer support groups out there for pretty much any type of problem you can imagine. For the most part, AA meetings will welcome people of any kind of use background, but sometimes they will not, and you should be prepared for that if it happens.

Otherwise, AA meetings are friendly places to attain support and get help with your substance abuse problem. The program is based on The Big Book of Alcoholics Anonymous. The book is said to have been written by two men in the 1930s. The book uses some language that people do not agree with these days and find that a big turn off.

Additionally, many people these days choose not to believe in God, and the book states that this is fine. The big book and the program asks you to select a higher power, and the book refers to that as a god. You can choose any higher power that pleases you.

In short, if you want to get sober for your children, then make them or the idea of them your higher power. Additionally, if you are at a complete loss of what to make as your higher power than just pick something like a favorite toy you had as a kid or your favorite pencil, it can be anything. As you work thought the addiction recovery program your higher power will change with you, and that is fine too!

How Are AA Meetings Structured? 

AA meetings can take on different formats. For example, here are some of the common forms:

• Speaker Meetings
• Gender Specific Meetings
• Sexual Orientation Specific Meetings
• Big Book Meetings
• Meetings Based on Other AA Literature

How Does AA Work? 

In a nutshell, you make AA work for you. In short, this is how most people make AA work for them:

• Attend Meetings Regularly
• Find a Home Group
• Volunteer or do Service at That Home Group
• Find a Sponsor
• Work Through the Steps and Continue Working the Steps
• Sponsor Others

The hardest part about AA is finding a home group that you live with. Some communities lack people that want to take the time to help others, and some communities don’t. If your community does not have a ton of AA meetings and there are not many members with much time or that you feel you can work well with there are online communities that you can turn to.

Lastly, as with anything, you will get out of it what you put into it. If you want to stop using and are willing to do anything to be able to do that AA meetings and the 12 steps of AA are a great place to start. AA meetings before, during, and after your drug rehab center experience will introduce you to the program and have you feeling comfortable with it once you are out on your own. Call us today at 866.605.0532 to get started on your recovery!