Take the First Step towards Kicking Off Addiction by Signing Up for AA Meetings in Georgia
If you have been struggling to quit alcohol, it is probably best to become a member of the alcohol and drug rehabilitation. AA is an international body that aims to help people recover from addiction issues. If you are a resident of Georgia, you can use an AA meeting locator to find meetings close by.
For those who are new to the addiction recovery process, attending an AA meeting in Atlanta, may seem like a big challenge. You are likely to have a lot of fears and hesitation about attending these sessions. Having seen how the AA works in movies and on television may not give you the right impression about them. So, what can you really expect in your first AA meeting?
You will find that AA meetings are directed towards upholding the 12 traditions of Alcoholics Anonymous. These are the 12 steps of AA that guide addicts on the path to complete recovery. There is a “Big Book” for addicts to follow which helps them understand what alcoholism is all about and ways to overcome it.
Local AA meetings are typically held inside churches, community centers, and public areas in Georgia. You should try and arrive early before the others to find a seat for yourself. You will notice people talking freely to one another over coffee or sitting by themselves waiting for the meeting to start. You should take a seat where you are comfortable and start by listening to what others are saying.
The discussions during such meetings are usually in relation to this Big Book. Meetings typically last for an hour or so and the format can vary, according to the type of AA meetings you attend. Some are open meetings, free for everyone to walk in, while some are closed, reserved only for AA members.
AA meetings in Georgia are usually presided over by a chairperson who reads the preamble to start the meeting. Following a Serenity Prayer, members can start reading sections from the AA literature. As a newcomer, you may be asked to introduce yourself at this time. This is not obligatory and you can stand up only if you wish to.
During the discussion time, the chairperson talks of steps that must be discussed while some read out the related chapters from the 12 steps of AA. Members are asked to share their stories if they want to. If you do not wish to talk about yourself, you can choose to remain quiet. Once discussions and sharing of experiences is over, the chairperson makes a closing announcement or may ask anyone to recite a prayer.
When the meeting is over, you can either leave at once or hang around with other members. Since all AA meetings are not the same, it is advisable to attend a few at first to see which type works for you. You will find that these meetings encourage addicts to use a Sobriety Calculator tool to keep a tab on the number of days they have abstained from alcohol use. Addicts are also rewarded with tokens when they achieve milestones like abstinence for a month or year.
So, kick start your de-addiction journey by searching for an “AA meeting near me” in Georgia. You will find that it is much easier to heal when you are surrounded by people battling the same problem as yours.
