Alcoholics Anonymous Reflection

I attended an Alcoholics Anonymous (AA) meeting on October 14. The group meets Saturdays at 10:00 AM in the SURF Alano Center. This was a Primary Purpose Group, and they have a strong focus on the Big Book, the basic text for Alcoholics Anonymous. Since the meeting is focused on the Program of Alcoholics Anonymous, the Preamble, 12 Traditions, and Support Group Guidelines were read in the beginning. Many of the members had these texts memorized and would recite them together. Then, the chairperson opened up the floor for any topic suggestions to discuss. One girl mentioned that her friend died the previous night from alcoholism, and this was a stark wake up call for her to really start trying to be sober. The topic of discussion was a mix between grief, self-realization, and coping. Each group member added what they could. One member told the girl, “I’d like to think that sometimes people die so the rest of us can live”, meaning that a death can be a harsh motivator to make someone else sober. A lot of what was said I could relate back to my own life, even though I am not an alcoholic. The group ended with everyone holding hands in a circle and saying the Lord’s Prayer.

One woman offered guidance to another member when they described their difficulty with sobriety. She said, “I take small steps by trying to hang on minute by minute, hour by hour, day by day”. Her advice helped the other person find a new approach to recovery. The girl whose friend died the night before from alcoholism experienced catharsis when she released her built up feeling and emotions fro the traumatic event. She was crying through most of the meeting. Many group members exemplified cohesiveness by offering their sympathy or empathy verbally and with therapeutic touch. This helped the group feel more connected to each