Frequently Asked Questions

Below there are frequently asked questions arranged by category.

Occasionally a person who has been sober through A.A. will get drunk. In A.A. a relapse of this type is commonly known as a “slip.” It may occur…
While there is no formal list of promises in the Big Book, some A.A. members refer to the following passage from the Big Book, Chapter 6: Into Action…
The A.A. Guidelines represent the shared experience of A.A. members and groups throughout the United States and Canada. They also reflect guidance…
A central office or intergroup is an A.A. service office that involves partnership among groups in a community — just as A.A. groups themselves are…
The “Twelve Steps” are the core of the A.A. program of personal recovery from alcoholism. They are not abstract theories; they are based on the trial…
The “Twelve Traditions” of A.A. are suggested principles to insure the survival and growth of the thousands of groups that make up the Fellowship.…
The term “Conference-approved” describes written or audiovisual material approved by the General Service Conference for publication by GSO. This…
Service material differs from Conference-approved literature in that it has not come about through Conference Advisory Action. It is produced when…
They will be there for the same reason that you are. They will not disclose your identity to outsiders. At A.A. you retain as much anonymity as you…
Yes, if full-face photographs and other easily identifiable photos of A.A. members (who are described as A.A. members) are published or broadcast,…
Like everyone else, public figures should have the protection of anonymity to the extent that they desire it.
“The 24-hour program” is a phrase used to describe a basic A.A. approach to the problem of staying sober. A.A.s never swear off alcohol for life,…