Frequently Asked Questions

Below there are frequently asked questions arranged by category.

Between 1930 and 1934, Bill was admitted four times to Towns Hospital in New York city. His last admittance was in December of 1934.
Individuals may download a single copy of a book or pamphlet from aa.org for their personal use. Single copies of some pamphlets may be printed, and…
Archivists are responsible for collecting, arranging, preserving and providing access to permanent historical records of enduring value, not writing…
Publicly accessible aspects of the Internet such as websites featuring text, graphics, audio and video can be considered the same as publishing or…
No. Each A.A. entity — group, district, area, central office and GSO — provides a specific service and is autonomous. Contributions should be made…
We do not maintain any membership lists, including lists of early members. It is difficult to piece together an accurate list of early members with…
Realizing that anonymity is the spiritual foundation of all our Traditions, it is recommended that talks by A.A. members as members be given in…
Asking for special favors because of A.A. membership is not in the spirit of the anonymity Traditions.
Groups strive to provide as safe an environment as possible in which members can focus on sobriety, and, while anonymity is central to that purpose,…
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…
“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,…
Anonymity is and always has been the basis of the A.A. program. Most members, after they have been in A.A. awhile, have no particular objection if…