Alcoholics Anonymous is a godsend for recovering alcoholics. It keeps them on track on their path to sobriety. Giving up alcoholism is challenging, to say the least, more so when you do not have a strong support system back home. For an addict who has been discharged from rehab in Boston, temptations are aplenty. To stay committed to his goal of sobriety can be harder than you think. This is where AA meetings in Boston, Massachusetts, can help.
Dos and Don’ts of AA meetings:
Attending your first AA meeting can also be a challenge. You are likely to feel nervous, apprehensive, and scared. Movies have depicted AA meetings in a rather negative light. Recalling what you have seen on TV is only going to make you more nervous. But, there are some easy-to-remember dos and don’ts when you attend local Alcoholics Anonymous meetings. Knowing these beforehand can make your experience less stressful and more rewarding.
Dos in an AA meeting:
- It may be a good idea to reach an AA meeting early to take a seat before other members walk in. This gives you time to settle down as you wait for others to arrive.
- If you are afraid of attending an AA meeting on your own, you can always bring in a family member or friend for support. But you must remember that “closed” meetings are only for AA members.
- You can choose to remain silent if you are not comfortable sharing your story with others present at a meeting. No one will force you to speak up; you can take your own time to open up about your struggles.
- You should pick your tribe with care. During the early weeks of recovery, it is natural to feel drawn towards like-minded people. But things change, and the pace at which people recover differs. Friends and even sponsors can grow apart. You need to be prepared to embrace the changes that occur.
- When a meeting is on, you need to keep your cell phone on silent mode. It is important to give all your attention to the session to get benefitted from it. Moreover, this gesture shows that you respect the meeting chairperson and other AA members.
Don’ts in an AA Meeting:
- You should not make it a habit to come in late or leave early in such meetings. For people experiencing difficulty staying committed to sobriety, this can be an impediment. It hurts the recovery process and slows you down.
- You must never cross-talk when attending AA meetings, even if you have an opinion on the issue.
- Even if your initial experience in an AA meeting in Boston, Massachusetts, has been far from pleasant, you must not give up. Quitting the 12 steps of AA is the biggest blunder you could make. Recovery takes time, and the process is full of ups and downs. Leading a life without dependency on alcohol cannot be achieved in isolation. For this reason, you must not walk away even when the going gets tough.
AA meetings have been instrumental in helping people recover from alcohol use disorder. The AA encourages its members to use a sobriety calculator that tracks the duration for which they have abstained from alcohol use. They even reward members who have successfully achieved milestones in this respect. These little things go a long way in helping addicts recover from an addiction that could have ruined their lives.