As part of AA protocol, meetings always start on time, on the dot. Try to get to the meeting 5 minutes early or right on time to ensure you can find a seat and get comfortable.  AA meetings always last one hour, and no longer. You should turn off your cell phone and shut off any other distractions for the duration of the meeting. You may be asked to leave if you disrupt the meeting with cross talk (or talking over others), cell phones, or any other inappropriate behavior.  Once you sit down, you will usually be welcome or greeted by AA members. They may introduce themselves or offer to shake hands. But you are not obligated to participate in small talk or share your personal story right away. Often, people’s first AA meetings are about listening to others and learning how AA works. Though the Chairperson may ask you to share your thoughts during the discussion, you are in no way obligated to participate or respond. Simply decline to share if you are not ready and listen to others in the group. You’ll soon discover you are in a room with peers who are struggling with the same feelings and issues as you.  Try to stay until the end of the meeting. One strategy newcomers might do is “arriving late and leaving early” due to fear or anxiety around attending the meeting. Do this will only lead to an unstructured meeting schedule and a stilted recovery. Counter this by arriving early for the meeting and leaving late. Stick around after the meeting and try to talk to the other members over refreshments.  By the end of the meeting, you should feel welcome and accepted in the group. Though you may have only listened for an hour, you should start to see the AA group as a place where you can be honest and open about your struggles. If you feel comfortable with the structure of the AA group, attend next week’s meeting, or go to another meeting in another group. Over time, you should start to feel comfortable enough to participate in the discussions and share your inner struggles. As the AA mantra says,"keep coming back it works if you work it". A sponsor is someone who can help you, as a newcomer, stay sober. They do this by sharing their own personal experiences and struggles. However, they are not doctors or professional therapists. An alcoholic who has remained sober for at least 6 months and has a desire to spend time with a newcomer is considered a good sponsor candidate. Generally, sponsors have worked through at least the first 5 steps of AA. They are volunteers who are not compensated financially for their time.  The sponsor will often suggest you work through the 12 steps of AA, and encourage you to attend AA meetings and connect with other members. The sponsor should not impose their personal views on you. They should not demand anything of you or try to control you. They should also never lend you money or help you get a job or an income. Instead, they should help you recognize triggers for your alcoholism and work through your daily struggles with alcohol. You should get together at least once a week with your sponsor, often before or after an AA meeting and whenever there is a special need.
احرص على الوصول في الموعد المحدد. استمع لما يُقال، ولا تشاركهم الحديث إلا حين شعورك بالارتياح. اذهب لاجتماعٍ آخر إن شعرت باستفادتك. فكر في الحصول على راعي.