Frequently Asked Questions

Below there are frequently asked questions arranged by category.

The service structure is the framework in which our "general services" are carried out. It is the structure that takes the place of government in A.A…
A.A. "service" is anything that helps us to reach a fellow sufferer. Much the way A.A. sponsors share their experience in recovery with their…
The A.A. Guidelines represent the shared experience of A.A. members and groups throughout the United States and Canada. They also reflect guidance…
Service material differs from Conference-approved literature in that it has not come about through Conference Advisory Action. It is produced when…
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…
As stated in A.A.'s Responsibility Pledge, “I am responsible … when anyone, anywhere, reaches out for help, I want the hand of A.A. always to be…
They will be there for the same reason that you are. They will not disclose your identity to outsiders. At A.A. you retain as much anonymity as you…
The "group conscience" is the collective conscience of the group membership and thus represents substantial unanimity on an issue before definitive…
The general service representative (GSR) is an elected member of your home group. It is a two-year service commitment. The GSR is your home group’s…
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…
Every two years each of the 93 Areas elects a representative who votes on behalf of the Area at the annual General Service Confence. This…
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…