Frequently Asked Questions

Below there are frequently asked questions arranged by category.

Individuals may download a single copy of a book or pamphlet from aa.org for their personal use. Single copies of some pamphlets may be printed, and…
A few people have stopped drinking after reading Alcoholics Anonymous, the A.A. “Big Book,” which sets forth the basic principles of the recovery…
When we use social media, we are responsible for our own anonymity and that of others. When we post or text, we should assume that we are publishing…
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,…
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…
Daily Reflections is free to read every day on aa.org or in the Meeting Guide app. The option for a daily subscription to be sent to your email…
This is a personal matter. However, the spirit of the program is one of sharing, and a recent study of A.A. members shows that a high proportion of…
Explain that anonymity is extremely important to A.A. members. All A.A. members decides if and when to share aspects of their recovery, and with whom…
To help support A.A.’s essential services, the General Service Conference suggests that individual groups, through an informed group conscience,…
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…
Members of the immediate family and close friends are usually pleased to learn about an alcoholic’s membership in A.A. As for colleagues at work, it…
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,…