Frequently Asked Questions

Below there are frequently asked questions arranged by category.

There are no “A.A. rehabs" or hospitals. Traditionally, no professional services or facilities are ever offered or performed under A.A. sponsorship.…
The Fellowship has four books that are generally accepted as “textbooks.” The first is Alcoholics Anonymous, also known as “the Big Book,” originally…
No, contributions to A.A. do not support Grapevine. Grapevine is supported entirely through sales of the magazine and related items. Individuals and…
There are no dues or fees for A.A. membership. An A.A. group will usually have a voluntary collection during the meeting to cover expenses, such as…
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…
Most A.A.s are sociable people, a factor that may have been partially responsible for their becoming alcoholics in the first place. As a consequence…
The "group conscience" is the collective conscience of the group membership and thus represents substantial unanimity on an issue before definitive…
Between 1930 and 1934, Bill was admitted four times to Towns Hospital in New York city. His last admittance was in December of 1934.
We publish 3 newsletters. You can read current and past issues on this website and subscribe on their individual pages.Box 4-5-9: GSO’s quarterly…
The term “Conference-approved” describes written or audiovisual material approved by the General Service Conference for publication by GSO. This…
There are many different ideas about what alcoholism really is. The explanation that seems to make sense to most A.A. members is that alcoholism is a…
If you repeatedly drink more than you intend or want to, if you get into trouble, or if you have memory lapses when you drink, you may be an…