The 12-Step AA meeting took place on March 26, 2019, in 125 South 5 th Street at 1830 hours. Inside the room next to a church were people conversing while others were sitting alone. Outside the building were some people talking and taking coffee. I took a seat just next to the door, and as people were entering, some said hello and others were nodding, some stopped and introduced themselves. Soon, the room was full and with individuals seated in a semi-circle and the chairperson read the AA preamble followed by a prayer. After that, several members of the 12-Step AA meeting jointly read brief literature of the AA program regarding how it works as well as its premise.
The meeting was a step meeting, and the chairperson announced that the discussion would be on the 1 st step of the AA recovery program and after that, a chapter was read from the book “12 Steps and 12 traditions” the chairman asked if anyone in the room had any experiences, strengths or hope regarding the mentioned step. Several individuals had experiences to share.
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During the meeting, individuals began talking, and each one of them started by introducing themselves as, Hello, I am (first name), and I am an alcoholic with everyone responding with "Hello" followed by the first name and everybody in the room thanked them. The same procedure was followed for everyone who introduced himself in the room. As the meeting progressed, individuals were randomly chosen to share their experiences, and this helped to avoid the same people from repeatedly sharing overriding those who were quiet and shy. While sharing their experiences, everyone admitted that alcohol controls their lives and that their lives had become unmanageable; this was a sign of honesty. One member caught my attention when he narrated how he had lied to his family about how much he used to drink, and those around him began to cover for him as the problem progressed. He further narrated that the cycle of lies and secret keeping continued for years and ended up creating an atmosphere that caused the situation to deteriorate faster. His life became unmanageable because alcohol took control. He lamented that it was cunning, perplexing, and powerful. However, there he is now; having broken the cycle of denial and being honest with the situation is what makes him stand brave today. Everyone in the room also shared their own experiences that they have struggled previously and what they are struggling with currently and this was accompanied by funny stories that kept the group focused. Experiences shared by individuals included the times when alcohol was an answer to their lifelong problems. Most of them narrated how during their active days, they were acting as if everything was normal until they realized that everything was not normal anymore, and how they had to be courageous to decide to change after, which they did. Hope in the recovery process is defined as a feeling of trust. Many individuals in the room admitted that sharing their experiences with active addiction removed the doubt in them that anything would work. From their talks, they acknowledged that hope is an essential part of recovery that tells other people in the room they can recover too. While sharing their experiences, individuals also admitted that it takes so much bravery to challenge one's past and this was followed by the progress made in their lives. Sharing in meetings is one of the best ways to remind oneself that the steps they are taking to heal are also important for others with similar experiences. Members present during the meeting presented some insight into the 12-Step AA's healing principles, and while socializing with one of them, he indicated that taking the first step of recovery is the most difficult thing to do.
On entering the room, members present in the room were clean, well groomed as ever and looked healthier than most people I know. I tried to spot one individual carrying a pint of alcohol, and I could not see any. I assumed that they might not have attended today's meeting; as a fact you can never have an AA meeting with complete sobriety. Not to exaggerate, I am still disappointed in the meeting’s elaborate portrayal of the clean and encouraging environment.
The process of recovery has several pathways. Individuals present in the meeting were unique, and each of them had specific needs, strengths, hopes, goals as well as expectations for recovery. It was evident from the meeting that the pathways towards the process of recovery are incredibly personal and involve redefining one’s identity when confronted with a crisis and a process involving progressive change. The guiding principle observed during the 12-Step AA meeting was that recovery entails an individual’s recognition of the need for change and transformation, which is person driven ( Puente et al., 2019) . During the meeting, several individuals while sharing their experiences accepted that a problem exists and most of them were always willing to take the necessary steps to address it. Many individuals admitted that they sought help for alcohol abuse at one point in their lives. Most of them recognized that the process of recovery could involve different aspects of their lives including the physical, emotional, cognitive and devotional.
After everyone had shared their experiences, the meeting's chairman asked if there were any AA- associated announcements. She also announced that it was time for the Lord's Prayer and everyone stood in the circle holding hands and reciting the prayers, and after that, the meeting ended.
Reference
Puente, L. A. R., Luis, M. A. V., Castillo, M. M. A., Heredia, L. P. D., Bermúdez, J. Á., García, N. A. A., & Vargas, R. A. C. (2019). Stressful events, spirituality, and alcohol consumption in participants of the 12-Step AA Program. Ciencia & Saude coletiva , 24 (2), 641-648.
