Frequently Asked Questions

Below there are frequently asked questions arranged by category.

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.
Anonymity at the personal level: At the personal level, anonymity provides protection for all members from identification as alcoholics, a safeguard…
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,…
Grapevine and La Viña are the international journals of Alcoholics Anonymous. A question often asked about Grapevine is whether or not it is “…
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 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,…
The term “Conference-approved” describes written or audiovisual material approved by the General Service Conference for publication by GSO. This…
GSO provides a wide variety of material, much of it is available on the A.A. Literature page. These items include books, pamphlets and flyers,…
The majority of A.A. members believe that we have found the solution to our drinking problem not through individual willpower, but through a power…
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…
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…