Alcoholics Anonymous has become a beacon of hope to many who are trying to recover from alcohol or drug addiction. And for many, this has proved to be a fundamental step toward living a sober life. Finding your first meeting is one of the biggest steps in the recovery journey. It can be a little intimidating, because you don’t know where to start, what to expect, or know what it’s like. But it’s important to remember that if you’re looking for a meeting, you’re going to find a room of people just like you! AA is a very welcoming and non-judgemental place, everyone is there to help. 

The Importance of AA Meetings

AA meetings are about having a supportive community to help individuals in their journey to beat alcoholism and addiction. Meetings provide a safe, non-judgmental space where members can share their experiences, strength, and hope. And most importantly, meetings are a place for new comers to bring their problems, in their search to find a solution. If you’re actively struggling with alcoholism or addiction, then you’re who the meeting is for, as a newcomer.

There’s all kinds of meetings that are formatted in different ways or have a different theme. As they say in the rooms, Alcoholics Anonymous has a wrench for every type of nut. Here’s how to find the right meeting for you.

How to Find AA Meetings Near You

It wasn’t so long ago that to find an AA meeting, you had to already know someone in the program, or you had to call up churches or hospitals until you found one that hosted a meeting. And then you had to hope that they would have a meeting guide for the local area, or you would have to keep calling around until you found one that did. Thankfully, that’s not the case anymore. There’s a few easy ways to find AA meetings, right now. So no excuse for not making it to a meeting!

Find AA Meetings using the AA Website

Probably the most dependable resource to find an AA meeting near you is on the official AA site at www.aa.org. This site provides a “Meeting Finder” that can help you in finding meetings where you are. Here’s how you would access it:

• Log on to the official site of AA at.
• Click on “Find a Meeting”.
• Put in location information, such as city, state, or zip code.

It will display the list of meetings along with time, format-open/closed, and directions.
This is often the first step when you’re figuring out how to find an AA meeting near me, considering it’s directly connected with national and regional AA databases.

Download an AA Meeting Finder App

Now, thanks to the mobile digital era, there’s plenty of phone applications that show where to find the nearest AA meeting. AA meeting finder apps are super convenient for people who travel a lot or just like having a guide with them at all times. There’s a lot of apps, but these are the most popular:

• Meeting Guide: An official app from Alcoholics Anonymous World Services, Inc. It accesses meeting information from many local AA websites, as well as the national directory. You can make quick location-based searches or use GPS for finding meetings near you.
• AA Big Book and More: This app does more than just find you local meetings; it also has a Big Book in it as well!
  
  Either of these apps is a great way to keep in touch with meetings and find the one that suits your schedule.

Using Local AA Intergroup Sites

Many cities and regions also have a local AA Intergroup website that keeps up-to-date meeting lists. Websites like these are sometimes more detailed than the national site and may, for example, list format-specific meetings. To find your local Intergroup:

• Do a quick search in any search engine for “AA Intergroup” plus your city or region.
• Browse through their directories of meetings, often listed according to day and time.
• Some Intergroups offer maps and directions on how to find an AA meeting near me.

Contact the AA Hotline

If you want urgent help and/or you prefer the idea of speaking to someone, then calling the AA phone number is a good idea. Most local AA Intergroups have a hotline – a phone number manned by volunteers – who will help you get to know where the nearest AA meeting is. ANd if you call them and ask “Where’s the closest AA meeting near me?”, they’ll be happy to help you find the place, time, and any special directions.

• Look up the local AA hotline number on the AA website or through any other quick online reference.
• The hotline volunteer can tell you where the nearest meeting is and give you an idea of any questions you have about attending.

Check out Community Centers and Churches

This is the old school way we were talking about earlier. Most of the AA meetings take place in community centers, churches, and major public facilities. Such venues are preferred due to their easy accessibility and a sense of privacy. If you are not comfortable using online resources, you can make inquiries from local community centers, churches, or hospitals about AA meetings. Usually these places have notice boards or workers who can be aware of the meeting schedules.

Attending Virtual AA Meetings

Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, many AA groups shifted their groups to online meetings. Virtual meetings can help you connect more easily than ever with a group, no matter your circumstances or locality. These can be a huge help when travelling in a country where they don’t speak english, or just getting a meeting in while you don’t have time to make it to one in person. How to find an online AA meeting:

• To locate a virtual meeting, visit the Online Intergroup of AA on the Web at www.aa-intergroup.org.
• Use the filters to select a meeting based on time zone, language, and format.

With platforms like Zoom, access to virtual meetings can be done from any place and time.

The Different kinds of AA Meetings

There’s a few different types of meetings in general. :

• Open Meetings: Open to anyone interested in the AA program. They don’t have to be an alcoholic or addict to attend. You may see family members there being supportive, or sometimes even medical professionals learning more about alcoholism.
• Closed Meetings: For alcoholics only, or for those who have a desire to stop drinking. Many people who attend AA may have not had alcohol as their primary substance of choice, but as long as someone has a desire to stop drinking, they are welcome. It’s all the same disease.
• Speaker Meetings: A member shares their story of recovery, and their experience, strength, and hope. Usually there is a 15 minute opening speaker, and a longer 45 minute speaker.
• Discussion Meetings: These involve sharing views or experiences concerning a certain topic. An Open Discussion meeting is by far the most common type of meeting, and the one that is best for a newcomer to find help in.
  

Preparation for Your First Meeting

If this is your first AA meeting, it’s normal to feel nervous or unsure. I didn’t want to go to AA for years because I thought it was all very religious people holding hands and praying, because that’s what I had seen in the movies. I couldn’t have been more wrong. Keep in mind that all AA meetings offer a friendly atmosphere, and the members are there to support one another. You don’t have to talk if you aren’t ready to; sometimes just being present and listening may be a big step toward recovery. Just remember, the meetings are held for the newcomer, and that’s you! Everyone there genuinely wants you to ask them for help, because they want to help someone else like someone helped them.

Conclusion

Finding a local AA meeting is a big step toward embracing the supportive community and starting your recovery process. With a range of resources, from the official AA website to local Intergroups and mobile apps, it’s easier than ever to do just that. Whether you are searching for in-person or virtual meetings, there are many ways you’ll be able to find an Alcoholics Anonymous meeting near me that fits with your needs and schedule.

Note: If you or someone you know does have a problem with alcohol, please, do not hesitate to seek help. AA can prove a vital support group that can make all the difference in recovery.