This leaflet is intended to help people approaching Alcoholics Anonymous (AA) for the first time. In it we have tried to answer the questions most frequently in the minds of newcomers — the questions which were in our minds when we approached the Fellowship.

What should I do if I am worried about my drinking?

Seek help — Alcoholics Anonymous can help.

Am I an alcoholic?

If you repeatedly drink more than you intend or want to, or if you get into trouble when you drink, you may be an alcoholic. Only you can decide. No one in AA will tell you if you are or not. You might find it helpful to look at the questions in “Who Me?” in coming to a decision.

What is Alcoholics Anonymous?

We are a fellowship of men and women who have lost the ability to control our drinking and have found ourselves in various sorts of trouble as a result of drink. We attempt, most of us successfully, to create a satisfactory way of life without alcohol. For this we need the help and support of other alcoholics in AA.

If I go to an AA meeting, does that commit me to anything?

No. AA keeps no membership files, or attendance records. You need disclose nothing about yourself. No one will bother you if you don’t want to come back.

What happens if I meet people I know in AA?

They will be there for the same reason as you. They will not reveal your identity to outsiders. At AA you retain as much anonymity as you wish. That is one of the reasons we call ourselves Alcoholics Anonymous.

What does anonymity mean to AA?

Members of AA make a point of carrying the message about their own recovery in AA on a person-to-person basis – but never disclose the membership of others. In this way they may serve as examples of recovery and thus encourage active alcoholics to seek help. In the public media, however — such as TV, radio, films and the press — AA Traditions urge members to maintain strict anonymity. We have learned from our experience that the active alcoholic will shun any source of help which might reveal his or her identity. In addition, past experiences indicate that those alcoholics who seek public recognition as AA members may drink again.

What about anonymity on the internet?

As our name suggests, we members of AA are anonymous, and we respect each other’s anonymity. This is especially true when engaging on various social media platforms. Our experience suggests that it is best practice to refrain from posting content, including pictures, that can identify ourselves, or others, as AA members. If joining AA related groups and events on social media, it is recommended to ensure that they are ‘private’, i.e. not visible to the public. On social media, we need to take care not to affect the anonymity of other AA members. This is particularly important when using apps and social media platforms which may have access to your personal contacts.

What happens at an AA meeting?

An AA meeting may take one of several forms, but at any meeting you will find alcoholics talking about what drink did to their lives and personalities; what action they took to deal with this and how they are living their lives today.

How can this help with my drink problem?

We in AA know what it is like to be addicted to alcohol, and to be unable to keep promises made to others and ourselves that we will stop drinking. We are not professional therapists; our only qualification for helping others to recover from alcoholism is that we have recovered ourselves, but problem drinkers coming to us know that recovery is possible because they see people who have done it.

Why do you keep on going to meetings after you are cured?

We in the Fellowship of AA believe there is no such thing as a cure for alcoholism. We can never return to normal drinking. However, we can stay away from alcohol by going to meetings regularly and putting into practice what we learn there. In addition, we find it helps us to stay sober if we help other alcoholics.

How do I join AA?

You are an AA member if and when you say so. The only requirement for AA membership is a desire to stop drinking, and many of us were not very wholehearted about that when we first approached AA.

How much does AA membership cost?

There are no dues or fees for AA membership. An AA group will usually have a collection during the meeting to cover running expenses, such as rent, coffee, etc., and to this all members are free to contribute as much or as little as they wish.

Is AA a religious organisation?

No. Nor is it allied to any religious organisation.

There’s a lot of talk about God though, isn’t there?

The majority of AA members believe that we have found the solution to our drink problem not through individual willpower, but through a Power greater than ourselves. However, everyone defines this power as he or she wishes. Many people call it God, others think it is the collective therapy of AA, still others refuse to believe in it at all. There is room in AA for people of all shades of belief and nonbelief.

Can I bring my family to an AA meeting?
Family members or close friends are welcome at ‘open’ AA meetings — discuss this with your local contact.

What advice do you give to new members?
In our experience the people who recover in AA are those who:

1. stay away from the first drink;

2. attend AA meetings regularly;

3. seek out the people in AA who have successfully stayed sober for some time;

4. try to put into practice the AA programme of recovery.

How can I contact AA?
You can get details from: www.alcoholics-anonymous.org.uk
On the website there is a facility which allows you to message an AA member who will be happy to answer your questions. You will also find an email address and the phone number for our national helpline. If you prefer you can write to the General Service Office for Great Britain at the address on the back of this leaflet. If you are outside Great Britain you may wish to search for AA in your area.

Remember that alcoholism is a progressive illness. Take it seriously, even if you feel you are at an early stage of the illness. Alcoholism is a killer disease. If you are an alcoholic and if you continue to drink, in time you will get worse.

Some other AA pamphlets

• Is AA for you?

• Letter to a woman alcoholic

• How it works

• Problems other than alcohol

• Now that you’ve stopped:15 Points

• Do you think you’re different?

• Young people in AA

• A member’s eye view

• Hints and suggestions on internet safety

• AA for the woman

• Who me?