Alcoholics Anonymous is a fellowship of people who share their experience, strength and hope with each other that they may solve their common problem and help others to recover from alcoholism.
Alcoholics Anonymous is a fellowship of people who come together to solve their drinking problem. It doesn’t cost anything to attend A.A. meetings. There are no age or education requirements to participate. Membership is open to anyone who wants to do something about their drinking problem. A.A.’s primary purpose is to help alcoholics to achieve sobriety.
A.A. members use the Twelve Steps to maintain sobriety. A.A.’s Twelve Steps are a set of spiritual principles, which when practiced as a way of life, can expel the obsession to drink and enable the sufferer to recover from alcoholism. A.A. groups use the Twelve Traditions to stay unified. The Twelve Traditions apply to A.A. as a whole and outline how A.A. maintains its unity and relates itself to the world around it.
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.
Alcoholism and drug addiction are often referred to as “substance abuse” or “chemical dependency.” Alcoholics and non-alcoholic’s are, therefore, sometimes introduced to A.A. and encouraged to attend A.A. meetings. Anyone may attend open A.A. meetings. But only those with a drinking problem may attend closed meetings or become A.A. members. People with problems other than alcoholism are eligible for A.A. membership only if they have a drinking problem.
A.A. is not allied with any sect, denomination, politics, organisation or institution; does not wish to engage in any controversy; neither endorses nor opposes any causes.
A.A. is a spiritual programme not a religious organisation. 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 non-belief.
If, when you honestly want to, you find you cannot quit entirely, or if when drinking, you have little control over the amount you take, you are probably alcoholic. Only you can decide. No one in A.A. is going to “diagnose” you, but if you think you might have a problem with alcohol, we encourage you to come along to a meeting with an open mind and listen for the similarities. By sharing our experience, we can help you figure it out for yourself.
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.
There are a number of different meeting formats, all with their own unique style. Most meetings will start with the Serenity Prayer and some will include a short reading from A.A. literature. Members are asked to share with the group, introducing themselves by first name only. There is no requirement to share during a meeting if you don’t feel comfortable, but we do encourage new members or visitors to introduce themselves so we can get to know you.
Yes. A.A. Aotearoa New Zealand hosts over 500 meetings, 7 days a week, 365 days of the year, both in person and online, all over the country.
Anyone can attend an open meeting of Alcoholics Anonymous however, in line with our Third Tradition and singleness of purpose, only those who identify as having a problem with alcohol will be asked to participate.
Closed meetings of A.A are limited to those who have a desire to stop drinking and those that think they might have a problem with alcohol.
Taking that first step to get help can be scary, so if you would like an A.A. member to take you to or meet you at a meeting, or if you want to find out more about what to expect, reach out to us on 0800 AA WORKS (0800 229 6757) or [email protected]
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. There are no forms to sign, no money to pay, no minimum commitment period – anyone who wants help with their drinking problem can attend an A.A. meeting.
There are no dues or fees for A.A. membership. In line with our Seventh Tradition, 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.
Anonymity is the spiritual foundation of all of A.A.’s Traditions. At the personal level, anonymity provides protection for all members from identification as alcoholics, a safeguard often of special importance to newcomers. As valuable as privacy is to new members, most of them are eager to share the good news of their A.A. affiliation with their families. Such a disclosure, however, is always their own choice.
You can contact A.A. Aotearoa New Zealand by calling 0800 AA WORKS (0800 229 6757) or emailing us at [email protected]. You don’t need to contact us before attending your first meeting, however if you would like some extra support, please reach out and we will put you in touch with someone in your local area.
This pamphlet describes who A.A.s are and what we have learned about alcoholism.
This pamphlet answers many of the common questions people have about alcoholism and A.A.
