Frequently Asked Questions

Below there are frequently asked questions arranged by category.

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…
Archivists are responsible for collecting, arranging, preserving and providing access to permanent historical records of enduring value, not writing…
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…
An A.A. meeting may take one of several forms, but at any meeting you will find alcoholics talking about what drinking did to their lives, their…
Most A.A. members meet in A.A. groups as defined by the long form of our Third Tradition. However, some A.A. members hold A.A. meetings that differ…
An open meeting of A.A. is a group meeting that any member of the community, alcoholic or nonalcoholic, may attend. Nonalcoholics may attend opens…
A closed meeting is for A.A. members only, or for those who have a drinking problem and have a desire to stop drinking. Closed meetings give members…
Email archives@aa.org and we can assist in compiling a history of your group. Please note that the amount of information the GSO Archives holds on…
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…
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…
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…
Family members or close friends are welcome at “open” A.A. meetings as observers.