So finally you have decided to quit drinking. But it’s easier said than done. Every day becomes a battle between your alcohol cravings and willpower. Both try to overcome each other. Some days, your willpower wins. The other days, your cravings.
However, you cannot go on like this.
AA meetings in Miami, Florida, can help you strengthen your willpower, accept your alcoholism, and find better ways to quit.
Yes, you first need to accept that you drink too much. If you believe you drink normally, then you wouldn’t want to change, would you?
Feeling awkward on your first meeting
It’s normal to feel awkward when you join a meeting. You feel like an “outsider.” You may have butterflies in your stomach. But that’s okay. We all feel a bit nervous when attending any social or formal event for the first time.
It’s good to know the 12 traditions of AA before you attend the meeting. This familiarizes you with what AA is all about.
Every AA meeting has a set of rules and traditions that help the meeting run smoothly.
Etiquettes of meeting
- Meetings usually have a time limit to share your story. Be aware of the clock ticking when you narrate your tale.
- Every now and then, there happens to be somebody who exceeds their sharing time. Usually, nobody interrupts the “long talker,” but it can be considered rude because others, too, have a story to share. You may not want to ask the talkative person to stop, but try not to be such a person in the meeting.
- Stay focused on alcohol-related topics.
- Do not interrupt a person speaking. Talk to him or her later.
- Do not cross talk, meaning do not talk to other members while somebody is speaking.
- Avoid touching sensitive topics like religion and politics, unless these are directly associated with your story. Remember, AA meetings harbor people from diverse ethnicities, races, cultures, and ideologies. Respect everybody.
- Use a language that is civilized and understandable. No cuss words please unless it is allowed in a meeting.
- Do not use your phone when in a meeting. Keep it silent or vibrate. Use it only when urgent. Excuse yourselves from the meeting and then use it.
- Avoid gossiping about AA members when outside. At times, the stories are juicy enough to make gossip material but avoid this temptation. Understand that people are here because they are struggling with alcoholism. You, too, are sailing in the same boat. Practice compassion.
- Ensure you abide by the 12 steps of Alcoholics Anonymous.
How to find a meeting near you?
AA meeting directory can help you find a meeting in your area. You need not travel to some far-off place to quit alcohol. Do so within the comforts of your home.
The only thing required to join such a meeting is the desire to stop drinking. This is not all. You may also use the Sobriety Calculator that helps you keep track of how sober you have been lately.
Visit www.aa-meetings.com where you can find a meeting for yourselves and the calculator. Are you ready?