 |
Frequently Asked Questions
This page answers questions that are either very basic or
specific to our local area. For an in-depth response to the most
often asked questions we refer you to the online copies of our A.A.
pamphlets published at our
international website.
Table of Contents
- How do I contact A.A. ?
- How can I determine if I am an alcoholic ?
- How do the A.A. program and meetings work ? Who can attend ?
- How can I join A.A. and what I be
required to do ?
- What types of meetings or events does A.A. sponsor ?
- What does it cost to join A.A. ?
- I have a spouse, relative, friend who is an
active alcoholic. How can I help ?
- Is A.A. a religious organization or a temperance movement ?
- What are the 12 Steps of Alcoholics Anonymous ?
- Are there many women in A.A. ?
- Aren't I too young to be an alcoholic ?
How do I contact A.A. ?
In Kitchener-Waterloo you can contact the
A.A. answering service by calling 742-6183. You will be contacted by
a volunteer A.A. member who will answer your questions about A.A.
and help you get to an A.A. meeting should you wish to attend. You
may also send an email to aa@kwaa.ca but it may take a few days
before you get a response.
Back to Top
How can I determine if I am an alcoholic ?
When A.A. members state they are alcoholics, they have come to this conclusion for
themselves. If you have concerns about your drinking, you might want
to refer to our booklet "Is A.A. for You ?", which asks questions
that are helpful in making your own assessment. Attendance at A.A.
meetings will also help you to understand your drinking better.
There, A.A. members will share their experiences with you and
encourage you to take an honest look at what part alcohol plays in
your life. Alcoholics usually identify quite readily with the
experiences of other alcoholics, whereas non-alcoholics will not.
Back to Top
How do the A.A. program and meetings work ?
Who can attend ?
A.A.members share their experience with anyone seeking help with a
drinking problem; they give person-to-person service or
"sponsorship" to the alcoholic coming to A.A. from any source. The
A.A. program, set forth in our Twelve Steps, offers the alcoholic a
way to develop a satisfying life without alcohol. This program is
discussed at A.A. group meetings. a) Open Speaker Meetings: Open to
alcoholics and non-alcoholics. Here A.A. members "tell their
stories". They describe their experiences with alcohol, how they
came to A.A., and how their lives have changed as a result of A.A.
b) Open Discussion Meetings: Open to alcoholics and non-alcoholics.
One member speaks briefly about his or her drinking experience, and
then leads a discussion on some aspect of A.A., recovery, or any
drinking-related problem anyone brings up. (Open meetings can
provide interested family members or friends an opportunity to learn
more about what A.A. is, what it does, and what it does not do. They
often come with the A.A. member as support.) c) Closed Discussion
Meetings: These are for alcoholics or prospective A.A.'s only. They
are conducted in much the same manner as Open Discussion meetings.
Back to Top
How can I join A.A., and what will I be required to do?
A.A. has a
tradition which states: "the only requirement for A.A. membership is
a desire to stop drinking" Usually what happens is that the
prospective member attends a few meetings, decides he/she wishes to
join, and then chooses a particular meeting as a "home group". Any
type of participation in an A.A. meeting is purely voluntary...
members are not required to do anything, although active
participation in the group is encouraged as part of the individual's
recovery.
Back to Top
What types of meetings or events does A.A. sponsor?
There are two
basic types of meetings... Speaker and Discussion. Either type can
be Open or Closed. Speaker meetings consist mainly of a main speaker
that usually reviews his or her past drinking experiences that led
to their arrival at A.A., followed by his or her interpretation of
the recovery program and how they apply it to their life.
Participation is limited to the speaker who is a volunteer (speaking
at A.A. meetings is not a requirement of membership). Discussion
meetings are "round-table" discussions pertaining to some aspect of
sobriety or the A.A. recovery program. Participation is voluntary.
Members share their experience with each other. Open meetings are
open to the public. Spouses often accompany their alcoholic mates to
these meetings. Interested parties are also welcome to attend,
particularly those whose work involves contact with alcoholics.
Closed meetings are restricted to A.A. members only (anyone who has
a desire to stop drinking may consider themselves to be a member if
they so choose). As a general rule speaker meetings are open and
discussion meetings are closed, although there are several open
discussion groups in the area. Events such as conventions or
roundups are weekend or one-day gatherings that provide a series of
speakers and panelists. Such events are open to the public. Note
that unlike regular A.A. meetings there is usually a registration
fee involved to cover the expenses involved with the event.
Back to Top
What does it cost to join A.A.?
There are no dues or fees for A.A.
membership or attendance at regular A.A. meetings. A.A. is a
non-profit fellowship that relies on voluntary contributions from
its members (only) to finance it's ongoing operational costs (e.g.
the local answering service). We consider sobriety a gift... it's
not for sale.
Back to Top
I have a spouse, relative, friend who is an active alcoholic. How
can I help?
The above question more often comes in the form "how
can I get my spouse to wise up and quit drinking ?". Since
alcoholics are people who have an illness in which they have lost
the ability to control their drinking, you are not likely to be able
to control it for them. However, acquiring knowledge about
alcoholism, A.A. etc., will allow you to communicate more
effectively with the alcoholic when the opportunity arises. You
might want to try one or more of the following ideas: Offer to help
the alcoholic get in touch with A.A., explaining that this will
entail no obligation to become a member. Offer to attend a few A.A.
open meetings with the alcoholic, for informational reasons. Explain
to individuals that only they themselves know whether they are
really alcoholics and suggest a talk with someone from A.A. to help
clarify the problem. Talk to the alcoholic always in terms of
suggestion, avoiding threats or duress. Rationalization and denial
are a frustrating aspect of the disease of alcoholism. Recovery from
active alcoholism depends strongly upon the alcoholic coming to
his/her own decision about the desire for help. Become acquainted
with A.A. literature, particularly the book Alcoholics Anonymous,
which is generally accepted as A.A.'s basic text, and is available
for purchase at most local groups. A.A. does not focus on the
non-alcoholic, but there is an entirely separate fellowship known as
the Alanon Family Groups that is composed of adults and teens whose
lives are or have been affected by another person's drinking. Alanon
has an answering service in the K-W area (742-6921).
Back to Top
Is A.A. a religious organization or a temperance movement?
No, A.A.
is a recovery program based on spiritual principles, but it's
membership includes people of many faiths, as well as agnostics and
atheists. A.A. is not involved in any sort of temperance movement.
In fact, A.A. has no opinion on outside issues such as whether other
people should drink. Its members simply know that they themselves
cannot handle alcohol safely.
Back to Top
What are the 12 Steps of Alcoholics Anonymous?
The 12 Steps are
principles based on actual recovery experiences of early members.
They provide not just a means of staying dry, but also a suggested
program for living.
Back to Top
Are there many women in A.A.?
There have been increasing numbers of
women members, especially in recent years. Women now account for
about one-third of today's membership. There is lots of support in
the K-W area for women by women sponsors.
Back to Top
Aren't I too young to be an alcoholic?
Of the total membership of
Alcoholics Anonymous, roughly 2% are young people under the age of
21, and another 9% are ages 21 through 30. These individuals have
recognized that they are unable to drink normally and have sought
the A.A. recovery program. Th help clarify the situation for
yourself, check out some of the pamphlets at the A.A. Worldwide
website, including "Message to Teenagers".
Back to Top
|
