Frequently Asked Questions

Below there are frequently asked questions arranged by category.

We in A.A. believe there is no such thing as a cure for alcoholism. We can never return to normal drinking, and our ability to stay away from alcohol…
No. A.A. does not keep membership files or attendance records. You do not have to reveal anything about yourself. No one will bother you if you don’t…
A.A. members don’t have to attend any set number of meetings in a given period. It is purely a matter of individual preference and need. Most members…
In our experience, the people who recover in A.A. are those who: a) stay away from the first drink; b) attend A.A. meetings regularly; c) seek out…
The "group conscience" is the collective conscience of the group membership and thus represents substantial unanimity on an issue before definitive…
Archivists are responsible for collecting, arranging, preserving and providing access to permanent historical records of enduring value, not writing…
To help support A.A.’s essential services, the General Service Conference suggests that individual groups, through an informed group conscience,…
Asking for special favors because of A.A. membership is not in the spirit of the anonymity Traditions.
No. The recording is of a one-man play called Moments, An Evening with Bill W., written in 1989 by an A.A. member. According to the playwright, an…
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,…
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,…
No. Someone may invite you to share to help you feel welcome, but it’s quite okay if you don’t want to. The meeting will consist of members telling…